To a lecture by Rick Waghorn, the entrepreneur-reporter behind Myfootballwriter.com.
Rick's talk helped to crystallise the reason for my irritation/annoyance at the BBC Local-Newspaper Society faceoff that the BBC Trust and Ofcom combined (not conspired, of course) to kill.
The fact is, both sides have missed a massive opportunity to shape the future of local journalism. Rick referred to Jeff Jarvis's concept of the Link Economy, which essentially states that you should stick to doing what you do best and forge links with those who do other things better. That is, both metaphorical and literal links – business alliances and urls.
Why did none of the bodies mentioned above perceive the enormous value that could be generated by linking local newspaper reporters writing about their beats and BBC videographers providing good quality footage?
Why haven't the newspaper groups thought about this swap or barter economy, working with the BBC rather than always kicking it?
Why hasn't Ofcom or the Department of Culture, Media & Sport?
Why hasn't the BBC Trust?
It would be too easy to say that government and quangos are in thrall to the newspaper groups and that the BBC Trust and newspaper boards are comprised of short-sighted has-beens, so I won't say that.
But it's difficult to think of a more convincing reason.
NOT THE BBC'S GREAT BIG FOOT – AGAIN
Just how are the newspaper groups that make up the Newspaper Society going to fund and staff the wonderful new online initiatives they have up their sleeves? By making cuts like these:
Newsquest cuts lots of jobs
CN group cuts lots of jobs
Guardian media blogger thinks it's all rather a shame
Another MP with short-sight and a desire to placate the local paper
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