
New Media Columnist and Entrepreneur
Greater Denver Area

New Media Columnist and Entrepreneur
Greater Denver Area
Since 1993, I've been immersed in Internet media and news industry innovation -- as a writer, columnist, editor, author, researcher, blogger, consultant, and entrepreneur. Currently splitting my time between several projects involving reinventing the comic strip, reinventing classifieds, and advice/consulting for the news industry.
Most recently, I founded a web-media company (applying grassroots media and social networking to adventure sports) that closed in late 2007. I'm also an interactive-media columnist for Editor & Publisher Online ("Stop the Presses!" has been published since 1995). In 2000, I was awarded an "EPpy" for Outstanding Individual Achievement in serving the online-news industry.
From 2001 to 2006 I was a senior editor at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and headed up the Eyetrack III study. Prior to 1993, I had a traditional newspaper and magazine writing/editing/graphics career. My last non-online job was at the San Francisco Chronicle, where I happily toiled for 7-1/2 years before realizing that the Internet was more fun.
News innovation; grassroots/citizen media; social networking; digital publishing; news websites; online comics; eyetracking research; multimedia content; online-media business models; etc.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Publishing industry)
February 2008 — Present (6 months)
Currently under development. Details soon.
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Internet industry)
February 2008 — Present (6 months)
Tip-of-the-day website and blog serving online news publishers with expert advice.
(Internet industry)
January 2008 — Present (7 months)
The comic, reinvented. By artist/writer team Steve Kearsley and Steve Outing. TechToon is a new kind of comic strip, where the traditional comic intersects with online social media.
(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Online Media industry)
March 1995 — Present (13 years 5 months)
"Stop The Presses!" columnist since 1995. My regular column covers the intersection of the Internet and news media, with emphasis on newspapers but covering all sorts of interactive media and industry issues.
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Online Media industry)
January 1994 — Present (14 years 7 months)
Over the years, I've done a wide range of independent work within the online news field:
-> Research reports, book chapters, books (on online newspapers, e-mail publishing, online classifieds, etc.).
-> Freelance writing on a range of online-media topics. (Clients have included The Guardian, Harvard's Nieman Reports, Writer's Digest, Ad Age, and many others in the U.S. and elsewhere.)
-> Advisor/consultant to media companies on new-media strategy.
-> Speaking at conferences and seminars, to student groups, to groups of media executives, and in public lectures.
-> Being interviewed by reporters from media organizations worldwide on topics relating to online media.
-> Judge for online-news and journalism competitions (Online Journalism Awards, EPpies, SND.ies, National Society of Newspaper Columnists, etc.).
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Online Media industry)
March 2006 — November 2007 (1 year 9 months)
Enthusiast Group LLC published a network of grassroots-media and social networking-driven websites focused on creating highly interactive communities serving adventure and outdoor sports enthusiasts. The company shut down in late 2007.
(Educational Institution; 51-200 employees; Online Media industry)
September 2001 — February 2006 (4 years 6 months)
I did mostly writing and research for Poynter on topics relating to the Internet and news media. Favorite Poynter project: Eyetrack III study of broadband-era news websites and multimedia editorial content; findings published, September 2004 at http://www.poynter.org/eyetrack/
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Newspapers industry)
May 1986 — December 1993 (7 years 8 months)
While at the Chronicle, I bounced around various editorial jobs -- editing for the features department, trying my hand at being an infographics artist, and managing the news graphics operation. Also was involved in the (very) early days of SFGate.com, when we were playing around with BBS's. (I left before it became a web site.)
BA, Technical journalism, September 1974 — May 1978
Come mountain bike/road bike/run/ski/get fit with me.
Advisory board member - Citizen Media Center,
International Mountain Biking Association
2000 EPpy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement