Q&A with July Luncheon Panelists: Part Two

Written by Rachel Dawn Hayes

Today we share part two in our Q&A with WCA’s July Luncheon panelists on the topic of Austin’s changing media landscape. Don’t miss the rest of the conversation in person next Wednesday, July 15.

• Emily Donahue, News Director and Executive Producer, Texas Standard 
• Julie Tereshchuk, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Lifestyle Magazine
• Kathy Blackwell, Editor, Austin Way
• Marika Flatt, Travel Editor & Associate Editor, Texas Lifestyle Magazine

Q: Where do you feel the landscape is going—where will the focus be in one year? Five years?

Marika: There are definitely more bloggers on the scene. It’s easier for the average person to become media. Hopefully, it won’t dilute the quality publications that are out there.

Julie: To be honest—I just do not know. What I do know is that these are fascinating times to be in the communications business. It’s also hard work and challenging, but brings great opportunities to learn new skills and to understand how to apply old ones in a changing landscape.

Emily: I have no idea. It’s challenging to keep up with technology and media as it changes. We want to provide our audience with what they need in the medium they need. Who predicted in 2008 that the smartphone would be the primary means of communication technology?

Kathy: I think it’s all about niche, local and personal curating. In print, readers will continue to demand a high level of quality in writing and presentation. That applies to online as well, but with the addition of functionality. Business models will continue to evolve.

Q: How is your media or publication gearing up for and keeping up with Austin’s media needs?

Marika: We work so hard to highlight the most unique and fun things about Texas, which includes a major focus on Austin because most of us are based here. Our quarterly print publication aims to tell readers about the coolest things around Texas and we have an online magazine that adds a new story daily.

Julie: We place major emphasis on our use of social media: which is a way to provide a different kind of content for busy mobile readers who may only have time to dip in. Social media also helps us provide a wide and timely platform to publicize events and businesses we think our readers will enjoy, but that we’re not going to write an article about.

Being a Texas-wide publication brings its own challenges in terms of coverage, building an audience and distribution. That said, today’s digital media appetite is a blessing to a statewide publication like ours. Readers in Fort Worth, Marfa or Lubbock for example, no longer need to wait for the print magazine to arrive. They can read the digital version the same day we publish it. Having our online magazine, we are not only able to publish new content daily, we’re able to go into more depth with stories that have run in the print magazine, where space is a constraint.

Emily: We accomplish this by being aware of what people are using – how and where are they getting information? We work to be present on that platform. It’s worth noting that people who can’t adapt shouldn’t be in this business, although that may be true in every industry.

Kathy: Niche Media did a lot of research before choosing Austin to launch its first new title in five years. It saw a city bursting with change and a hunger for a sophisticated publication that celebrated its people and culture and reflected its evolution. We’ve set out to fill that gap. Our publication is beautiful to look at, yes, but it is also substantive. We’re committed to connecting with our partners and advertisers on many levels, from our engaging website to events and philanthropic efforts, which are especially important to our mission of making a difference.