TV taking job at Sanford Health

[Nidaros]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

That would be a horrible idea, IMO. The Argus bought Prairie Publications from Jim Wilber (Matt Wilber's dad) several years ago. Within the span of a few years, the Argus shut down the Baltic Beacon, the Garretson Weekly and the Harrisburg weekly paper. Only the Brandon Valley and Dell Rapids papers are still around and even then there seems to be more re-hashed Argus stories than original stuff.

The 1940's and 1950's were so different than that of today. There was a much larger farm-family population which supported main streets business in these small towns and with these families there was much more local news. I recall the Brookings Register being a bi-weekly paper and having a rural correspondent for nearly each township in Brookings County. Although I never read the Wilber papers, I would venture they operated much in the same manner. A correspondent for each of the communities/townships who reported who went where on Sunday and who had coffee with whom. I suspect Mr. Wilber saw the handwriting on the wall and certainly took the Gannett offer and ran. Its different now, less farm people but bigger farm operations and towns like Garretson, Valley Springs are now bedroom communities for the work force in SF. I think the focus of news has changed and local gossip is no longer the hot item it was in the forties and fifties. In order to make these papers worth their print, they have change to coverage of local interest and no doubt reprints of Argus. I don't read the Argus much anymore but they seemed to have toned down the local interest stories that they had before Gannett. Gannett knows how to stay afloat and this probably what they have to do for coverage in Dell Rapids, which is a big growing suburb in my opinion.

[slosho]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

I would hope Zimmer see's this as an opportunity and not an added burden,attitudes everything....we shall see how it goes

I know Zim personally and I can say he's a good writer, a great guy, and not terry. That being said I think we all owe him a fair shot to show what he is going to bring (I'm not insinuating that we won't). We may have been spoiled with all of the extras before, or maybe we should expect that. I would hope the Argus is aware of the expectations of it's readers that pay solely for the excellent coverage provided in the past.

I Think Zim will have a great (see: better than most) eye for baseball perspectives. which reminds me; I have strengths and weaknesses as well...

[jackdaniel]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

And the post TV era begins. Normally there would have been some kind of post weekend story from Saturdays games. Will miss Tuesday tidbits too. From the comments with Terry over the weekend I don't get the impression Zimmer is too fired up about the new position and higher expectations from a larger and more engaged fan base. I was surprised he did not accompany TV to Saturdays games and sit in on post game interviews to get feel for how it's done. I have a feeling the Jacks coverage is going to plummet significantly from Argus.

I would hope Zimmer see's this as an opportunity and not an added burden,attitudes everything....we shall see how it goes

[jacksfan29]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

That would be a horrible idea, IMO. The Argus bought Prairie Publications from Jim Wilber (Matt Wilber's dad) several years ago. Within the span of a few years, the Argus shut down the Baltic Beacon, the Garretson Weekly and the Harrisburg weekly paper. Only the Brandon Valley and Dell Rapids papers are still around and even then there seems to be more re-hashed Argus stories than original stuff.

I think the problem with what happened to Jim's papers can be traced back to the same source which most are complaining about, the Argus Leader. A combo of the larger eastern SD papers would be an excellent idea, if done by an organization that understands their readership want content. The reality is that the Baltic Beacon and Dells Tribune could have been combined into one publication without losing the local feel many enjoy with their small town papers if the new ownership had wanted it to happen, they didn't.

[jackrabit1]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Spot on. It would be as if Daktronics reduced production of scoreboards to save overhead. Not viable as a long term solution. One would think that a smarter move would be consolidation in an area, combining say the Argus, American News, Daily Republic and Press and Dakotan. That could yield lower unit costs (more coverage area with less staff) and increase size of the ad market (hit half the state in a single ad buy).

That would be a horrible idea, IMO. The Argus bought Prairie Publications from Jim Wilber (Matt Wilber's dad) several years ago. Within the span of a few years, the Argus shut down the Baltic Beacon, the Garretson Weekly and the Harrisburg weekly paper. Only the Brandon Valley and Dell Rapids papers are still around and even then there seems to be more re-hashed Argus stories than original stuff.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

And the post TV era begins. Normally there would have been some kind of post weekend story from Saturdays games. Will miss Tuesday tidbits too. From the comments with Terry over the weekend I don't get the impression Zimmer is too fired up about the new position and higher expectations from a larger and more engaged fan base. I was surprised he did not accompany TV to Saturdays games and sit in on post game interviews to get feel for how it's done. I have a feeling the Jacks coverage is going to plummet significantly from Argus.

[Prairiehaas]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

This is the trend. More and more organizations like Sanford have their own "media" staffs. Why waste your time catering to traditional media when you can tell your story without them and get it to people so easily today. That is part of my message to potential comm majors here at WSU (as it was when I was at SDSU). Mainstream media is committing suicide, slashing content creators to maximize profit (apparently failing to understand that content is what attracts readers and advertisers), but there are more professional storytellers out there today than ever before in human history. Tomorrow, there will be even more. People like TV are valuable and are in demand. I'm surprised he wasn't snatched up sooner.

Spot on. It would be as if Daktronics reduced production of scoreboards to save overhead. Not viable as a long term solution. One would think that a smarter move would be consolidation in an area, combining say the Argus, American News, Daily Republic and Press and Dakotan. That could yield lower unit costs (more coverage area with less staff) and increase size of the ad market (hit half the state in a single ad buy).

[JimmyJack]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Suggesting that a busy sports or entertainment venue have its own reporter/writer on staff is not a bad idea. Some businesses do that. However, most mainstream media outlets probably wouldn't publish or broadcast the full stories, as submitted, for ego or ethical reasons. So, to be worthwhile as a marketing tool, the venue probably would have to publish the stories on its own website or newsletter, in addition to giving the stories to the general media for free use. There's nothing wrong with that.

This is the trend. More and more organizations like Sanford have their own "media" staffs. Why waste your time catering to traditional media when you can tell your story without them and get it to people so easily today. That is part of my message to potential comm majors here at WSU (as it was when I was at SDSU). Mainstream media is committing suicide, slashing content creators to maximize profit (apparently failing to understand that content is what attracts readers and advertisers), but there are more professional storytellers out there today than ever before in human history. Tomorrow, there will be even more. People like TV are valuable and are in demand. I'm surprised he wasn't snatched up sooner.

[GopherHole]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

I just realized that next Wednesday is Signing Day and TV won't be there. I'm flummoxed.

I'm sure that Zim will do a good job, but there is no relationship there with the staff at SDSU or with even some of the recruits. The depth and drama that can happen on signing day can be so much fun, but TV just won't be there......

[Jacked_Up]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Suggesting that a busy sports or entertainment venue have its own reporter/writer on staff is not a bad idea. Some businesses do that. However, most mainstream media outlets probably wouldn't publish or broadcast the full stories, as submitted, for ego or ethical reasons. So, to be worthwhile as a marketing tool, the venue probably would have to publish the stories on its own website or newsletter, in addition to giving the stories to the general media for free use. There's nothing wrong with that.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

The Denny Sanford Premier Center (public facility) has zero ties w/ Sanford Health (except for the donation of the naming rights for T. Denny), whereas the Sanford Pentagon (private facility) is owned and operated by Sanford Health. Just curious why you put the two together.

Sorry meant a facility like the Pentagon or Premiere Center. Or an organization like SDSU or USD. Did not mean to lump them together, I understand there are no ties.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

I figured they had media relations staff, but I'm talking more about a staffer who can spoon feed newspaper-quality articles directly to the media that they can just reprint on a regular basis. No Argus sports reporters needed, they are the publisher only. If you want your story in the Argus, you better have an Argus-quality writer on staff. My uneducated view of media relations is that their job currently involves setup/takedown as well as answering general questions from reporters/media. This hypothetical person I'm talking about would act exactly like an Argus reporter but would be a paid employee of the Pentagon/Premiere Center (yes there would be a HUGE conflict of interest).

The Denny Sanford Premier Center (public facility) has zero ties w/ Sanford Health (except for the donation of the naming rights for T. Denny), whereas the Sanford Pentagon (private facility) is owned and operated by Sanford Health. Just curious why you put the two together.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Our own Cadsev, Paul Seville, typically is in charge of events at the Pentagon. Tim Gerszewski has been the typical point of media relations at the Pentagon.

And for the hell of it, I might throw my hat into the running for Argus beat writer!

I figured they had media relations staff, but I'm talking more about a staffer who can spoon feed newspaper-quality articles directly to the media that they can just reprint on a regular basis. No Argus sports reporters needed, they are the publisher only. If you want your story in the Argus, you better have an Argus-quality writer on staff. My uneducated view of media relations is that their job currently involves setup/takedown as well as answering general questions from reporters/media. This hypothetical person I'm talking about would act exactly like an Argus reporter but would be a paid employee of the Pentagon/Premiere Center (yes there would be a HUGE conflict of interest).

[SidelineObserver]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Honest question for those that might know, could a facility like the Pentagon use a full time writer on staff covering all their events? There are games going on there 3-6 nights a week during the fall/winter/spring, plus all the AAU type stuff in the summer. I would not be surprised at all to see organizations employing their own writers to put out "news" about their teams/events.

Our own Cadsev, Paul Seville, typically is in charge of events at the Pentagon. Tim Gerszewski has been the typical point of media relations at the Pentagon.

And for the hell of it, I might throw my hat into the running for Argus beat writer!

[Jacked_Up]

Re: TV taking job at Sanford Health

Who were the full 3 time employees?

Is the argus looking to cut down its sports section or what?

Ron Hoffman was a very good, behind-the-scenes member of the sports staff at the Argus Leader for a long time. Wade LaRouche, I understand, was a relatively new but talented sports staffer who came to the Argus Leader from Pierre. Their positions were eliminated. Meanwhile, Stu Whitney got moved from sports to the news section. I'm guessing those are the sports positions that people are talking about. These are the kind of staff cuts that have been hitting the mainstream media, including TV and radio, for several years. Everybody tries to keep doing the same with less.