Lewis D’Vorkin of Forbes opens the Ole Miss New Media Conference
Industry professionals and students gathered at the Overby Center recently to gain insight on the present and future of journalism at Innovate 2015, the Ole Miss New Media Conference, hosted by the Meek School.
The conference featured industry experts Lewis D’Vorkin chief product officer, print and digital platforms for Forbes Media; Hank Price, president and general of the WVTM-TV in Birmingham; and Fred Anklam, senior editor for USA Today.
D’Vorkin discussed the business and content model that Forbes has adopted for content development for both the website and magazine.
“The key to any successful company is a unique identity, an identity that works for both your audience and business,” D’Vorkin said.
D’Vorkin also discussed how Forbes is attempting to change the culture of publishing by finding more contributors that know about a specific field in great detail.
Hank Price started his presentation with the question, “Is your organization innovated?”
Price discussed the changing landscape of television and the 1970’s model of newscasts. He stated that not much has changed, just the make up of the people involved in the newscast. He made it clear that it is fundamental for anyone in the industry to start with the basics and to not be afraid of taking risks to the benefit of the industry.
Fred Anklam spoke after lunch and went into detail about the future of print in the digital world. The 1977 Ole Miss alumnus discussed the importance of both print and digital in the ever-changing world of technology and communication. Anklam also discussed the importance of relating the news to the readers of USA Today and how this has remained an important part of their corporate culture throughout the years.
“You want to be available to your audience, wherever they are, whenever they’re there,” Anklam said.
Professor Deb Wenger and instructor R.J. Morgan closed the conference with “Tech Talk.” The Meek school faculty members discussed new technologies in the field that might change the landscape for journalists and marketers alike, such as Google Glass, Apple watch and drone journalism.
— Samantha Mitchell
