E-Media Tidbits

The Indianapolis Star's site features a lavish interactive, multimedia Superbowl section.

Other than the fact that response time (yes, yes, I have cable broadband) to the New York Times has been almost non-existent this Sunday afternoon (reminds me of the old days when I canceled my print subscription because they couldn't deliver it consistently on Sunday), the paper (or is it Web site? Information company?) is one of many that wants your attention online while the game is on the big HDTV flatscreen.

So welcome to the Times' The Fifth Down blog on all things Super Bowl XLI as Da Bears from Chicago prepare to take on the Indianapolis Colts. The purpose of the blog is to generate reader/viewer/user discussion of the Super Bowl and to provide live commentary by Times staffers during the game, including instant analysis of the commercials. The commercials are a nice addition; the sports stuff is pretty standard these days since, if my memory serves me, the St. Paul Pioneer-Dispatch first annoyed the NFL with live online commentary several years ago.

What are some of the other primary media companies doing?

Scott Strazzante, Chicagotribune.com Yesterday in the Chicago Tribune's "South Side goes South Beach" Superbowl photoblog featured an unforgettable rear-angle shot of the coveted Lombardi trophy.

Well, the Chicago Tribune has a photo blog as well as columnist Steve Rosenbloom's blog -- but why is the last entry as of Feb. 2 as I look on Feb. 4? In fact, the photo blog's last entry entry is Feb. 3.

The Chicago Sun-Times has four blogs going -- well, kinda going on Super Bowl afternoon. Two were out of date -- only Paige Wiser seemed to be up-and-at-'em as the game approached.

The Indianapolis Star has a whole multimedia section in addition to more repurposed print stories than you can shake a newspaper at, and Philip B. Wilson is on the job today with his blog up and ruminating to the minute.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel loves to do video and photo galleries, and its blog appears to have awakened to fretting about the weather after last night's late partying.

Finally, the Miami Herald is busy, busy, busy like a good event hometown newspaper should -- but why is the last blog entry Feb. 2? Super Blog indeed!

(Editor's note: These observations were current as of 2 p.m. ET. Steve Klein would keep checking, but he's got to go to a Super Bowl party!)

ADDENDUM FEB. 6 BY STEVE KLEIN: What's amazing is that even when mainstream media buys into blogs, it will still update the print product more quickly than the blog, even on a major event like the Super Bowl!

What I think this indicates is that too many print folks will always be print folks, for the most part, until they die. Too many print journalists resent the extra layers of work that cross-platform journalism demands, even though it gives them wider exposure and makes their business model (newspapers ARE trying to survive, after all) competitive with television and radio. Wasn't that the whole idea back in the multi-edition days a generation ago that ink-stained wretches used to love? Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!!

When did journalists become so lazy and non-competitive?