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The American Press Institute's recent recommendations to newspapers to create a successful paid content strategy includes a number of stiff challenges to the people in charge of those papers.

At the top of the list of the report's What it Takes section is this directive:


To do so, I put four questions to John Robinson, one of the more wired top editors I've encountered on Twitter. Robinson, 56, has been editor of the 90,000-circulation News & Record in Greensboro, N.C. for 10 years. He's been blogging at his Editor's Log since 2004 and has been active on Twitter (2,285 updates so far) since last fall. Here is an edited version of our exchange.

Bill Mitchell: What have you learned from actually participating in the social Web that you wouldn't have been able to pick up from colleagues describing the experience?

News & Record John Robinson

John Robinson: I describe the social Web as a cocktail party filled with interesting people. You can move from group to group, engaging on different topics, listening quietly when you want to, talking at others. The neat thing is that, like real cocktail parties, you can meet new people, hear great stories, learn valuable things and have a few laughs. You can come and go as you please, and the cocktail party is always going on.

The report's reference to market research is right. Hundreds of people from the Greensboro market are active on Twitter. I don't follow them all, but I could. Imagine the audience there that will tell you what they want? For free. Just ask.

But it is more than that. As the report says, you can follow media experts on Twitter, etc., and learn from their links and their conversation. You can converse with people much smarter than you -- well, I can, at least -- and they'll respond, helping me. You don't need to know them, you don't need a fancy title, you don't need an introduction. You simply need to ask a question. How cool is that?

And, as a result, you establish yourself as a person. A real person. I hope that the people who connect with me on social networks see me as more than a name on a masthead. I engage with them. I show some personality, to the extent that I have one. I listen to what others are saying and let them know that I am learning from THEM.

Here's what people who are skeptical of social networking can't seem to get past: the trite and trivial musings of people. I entirely agree. But it's an easy obstacle to avoid. You don't want to know what someone had for lunch? Cool, don't follow the people who write those types of things. Follow instead the people who tell you what they think about topics you're interested in.

My bottom line: I meet people on Twitter every day whom I wouldn't get a chance to meet without it. Interesting, entertaining, fascinating people who bring insight to my business and my community. As a journalist, as an engaged citizen, as a business leader, why wouldn't I embrace that?

How has what you've learned helped you improve the News & Record?

Robinson: Three ways that I can think of right now:

First, social networking is a way to get feedback. Ask a question about coverage, about a product, about an idea, people will respond. For instance, I asked a question about the future direction of a local TV station on Twitter, sending people to my blog, and got some great responses.

I also asked people about a choice for A1 that I was second-guessing. Again, great responses.

I think it helped that I have established a presence as an active player who engages with others. So, when I ask for help, people offer it. It is off-putting to me that some media folks -- usually bigwigs -- have 5,000+ followers and they follow 100. Not much conversation going on there, and it suggests that they are interested in talking, but not interested in listening. Bad form and, well, why are they doing it?

Second, it's a tip service. The Twitter grapevine is faster than AP and most MSM Web sites. Sorry, it just is. And it's more than the guy tweeting that the plane is going down. I learned that the chancellor of N.C. State resigned yesterday from someone I follow who saw the story on the N.C. State Web site. It took the News & Observer about 30 minutes to duplicate it. AP followed with a story much later. But the Twitter tip gave us a running start on a story we didn't know about at the time. In addition, we have at least one Greensboro City Council candidate who is active on social networks. He's a gas to follow and makes many announcements/pronouncements there.

Third, the conversations and the links about issues of journalism, newspapers and digital innovation help me think through ideas that I should be thinking through but normally may overlook. It's more, too, than following Rosen and Yelvington and Outing and Weaver. It's following the thinking of people in the trenches working through the same things you're working through. Lots of inspiration out there.

What have you stopped doing that you used to spend time on before you began blogging, tweeting, etc.?

Robinson: I've always considered this question -- or the implied objection to social networking behind this question -- as bogus. Editors are supposed to be thinking strategically. We're supposed to be thinking about the future. We're supposed to experiment and try new things. We're also supposed to talk to our readers and engage with the community. So, this is part of the job, period.

How do you find the time? How do you find the time to do anything new? You evaluate where you spend your time and you make adjustments. Do I truly have the time to spend answering your e-mail? Of course -- I'm doing it, right? So what am I not going to do so that I can answer you? I just re-evaluate my day and move on. Same way with Facebook and Twitter and blogging. Any editor who says they don't have time to do these kinds of things is working on the wrong things.

The real answer? My day has probably gotten longer, but this is important stuff. When I need to, I drop something that is less important. That is, I probably edit fewer stories. Really, how many editors need to read over the copy for the next day's paper? Amazingly, the paper still comes out and stories are edited pretty well without my golden touch on every one. (Hell, some of my folks would say the paper is better without my touch on their copy.)

Advice for other execs thinking about taking API's counsel to heart?

Robinson: Assume nothing, because, most likely, all of your assumptions will be wrong. Social media is easy. If you find it's not easy, I assure you most of your staff can help you. That's what I do. Make no judgments about any service until you've tried it yourself. Find people you know and follow them. Find people you don't know but who live near you or who do what you do and follow them. Jump in. Give it longer than a weekend before you decide if it's good or bad. Be yourself and be engaging.

Don't use it merely to promote what you have online or on the 6 p.m. newscast. It suggests you're a poseur, and who wants to be that? Dan Gillmor is right: Your readers do know more than you; act like it. Respond to others' messages. It's fun. And if you don't find it fun, consider it what an old boss called a "development opportunity." Learning the social networking skills and establishing that online presence is an investment in your future.

Make your staff members develop their digital brand, too. I would bet that if you asked them how many were on LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, you'd be surprised at how far behind you are!

If you have examples of other execs playing a smart role on the social Web, please add their Twitter pages in the Comments area.