Why newspapers must provide a unique voice

We all know by now that newspapers are hurting when it comes to bringing in advertising revenue. That story has been rewritten and repackaged dozens, if not hundreds, of times and spread across the Internet this year. We also know print circulation is down across the country and many newspapers are reducing the number of days they publish, going online only, or shutting down.

Where do these events leave the newspaper industry in terms of its future? Well, newspapers still represent a vital service to all who read them and even those who never read them. Why? Because you have trained professionals with the resources and support needed to inform the public and hold the government accountable. Right now, the newspaper industry's voice is quiet and being lost in a sea of sounds.

The other sounds are coming from blogs, online news sites and online-only newspapers. They spread and discuss the news. Twitter and Facebook allow all of us to distribute and discuss the news. We all participate in the news distribution process. With more voices present than ever before, the newspaper industry must stand out in order to remain relevant in the digital age of news distribution and consumption.

In order to remain competitive in the news industry, newspapers and the people who work for them must revise their vision of what journalism is all about. The fact that newspapers are losing advertising revenue is yesterday's news. It's time for new visions and fresh starts to emerge from the past six months of sad stories about the industry. There are two ways of thinking that will help newspapers craft a new vision.

Don't let your coverage be dictated by what other newspapers or television stations are reporting. Find stories that haven't been reported yet. Provide readers with an original product that will then get tweeted about. With blogs and 24/7 online news sources available, there are plenty of unique, original voices popping up along the digital news landscape. Consumers want something that adds to the knowledge they already possess. Tell us something new.

Learn how to investigate stories by researching the facts and finding sources with different backgrounds and different viewpoints to interview. At their very best, newspaper reporters are investigative journalists. Just because we live in a world of text messages and 140-characters-or-less tweets doesn't mean newspapers should stop producing in-depth stories. In fact, in this iPhone world we need in-depth, investigative stories more than ever before.

If newspapers can adopt these two ways of thinking, then they will preserve their role in this modern era of journalism. It's a sad day when newspapers layoff reporters, editors and other staff. It's even worse when you see newspaper Web sites that lack any real substance. The time has come for newspapers to revitalize an industry that once ruled the news arena. That's going to require a new vision.