Weingarten: "Brand this!"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/2011/06/07/AGBegthH_story.html

You know, every time I read him, I love him a little bit more. But this line made me swoon:

He probably goes a little over the top in some parts, but the point is taken. Getting back to what we do best is what we need to do, not chase the flavor of the month.

 

So, "Mark McGwire" is really Gene Weingarten?

 

I have no idea what that means.

 

"Mark" made a very similar comment on another thread when I referred to journalism as content and spoke of newspapers & journalists having brands.

(And, I'm kidding. I know "Mark" is not Gene Weingarten.)

I'm just not sure why Weingarten equates building a brand with slideshows of cats and other user generated content.

A paper can feature great stories, stand for the highest principles of journalism, and still build a brand.

I'm not sure why he responded this way to the emailer's question.

 

YF, a paper certainly CAN. But name me one which IS.

 

The New York Times.

 

Fair point.

But I guess to me, if journalism professors are asking their students to write about branding instead of journalism, or without explaining that the two can co-exist without being some horrible amalgamation, well, that's a warning sign.

 

Certainly a Journalism school should be focusing on journalism. But, I don't think it's too soon for students to start thinking about their brand. Or to at least consider and understand what a brand means.

I would think it's a practical part of preparing students for a career.

 

I understand what Weingarten is saying, but I think the demise of newspapers was more a cause of the need for journos to become "brands" rather than the other way around.
Newspapers are cutting good, solid journalists regularly. Those unemployed writers and editors can't and employed ones shouldn't - depend on a newspaper's reputation to get them eyeballs, they need to establish their own.
Think Dan Patrick going out on his own, the Grantland site, Stephen A. Smith wherever he is at today, Olbermann, Beck - I'm not saying they're the pinnacle of the profession, but they are employed. Like McDonalds - people know what they're going to get.
Now, try and think of one straight news journalist who has been successful "branding" themselves.

 

Really good points.

It's a lot easier to cut a good journalist, who isn't a "brand" than it is to cut a mediocre journalist who has built a "brand".

But, I'd also say that most top op-ed columnists, like Paul Krugman or George Will have established brands.

So have sports columnists like Lupica, Albom, Mariotti, etc.

 

Here is the paper Leslie wrote:

http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/leslie-trew-magraws-research-paper-on-gene-weingartens-personal-brand/

Hat tip to Pointer:

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/romenesko/136998/interaction-is-a-hallmark-of-the-weingarten-brand/

 

Ah, Steve Buttry.

I'm with Mr. Weingarten.