Tom Doerr
As a young media consultant many years ago, nothing frightened me more than a client asking, “What will my business look like in five years?” Twenty-five years later, the question is even scarier. Today’s question should be, “What will our business look like in six months?”
Predicting the future of journalism is, at best, only a guess. Still, one thing is sure: The journalism industry will never return to the glory days of esteemed legacy newspapers and robust daily broadcast journalism.
That much is obvious.
As members of the Press Club of Southwest Florida, what is our direction in 2025? With so much uncertainty, how do we remain true to our mission of advocating for quality journalism across all platforms, defending the First Amendment, and upholding the public’s right to know?
Our exceptional membership, with its collective wealth of past and present experiences, can help guide us. Here are a few areas to consider:
1. Support Local Journalism
We are fortunate to have excellent local media outlets and a mix of experienced and emerging journalists who provide outstanding service, informing and protecting the Southwest Florida community. Supporting local journalism means more than just consuming local news—it requires us to understand journalists’ challenges and celebrate their successes.
2. Be Vocal About Barriers to Journalism
Florida was once a leader in open records and transparency. State and local governments must be challenged in their attempts to conduct people’s business behind closed doors.
3. Champion the Public’s Right to Know
How can we reignite the importance of the public’s right to know as a fundamental right for all? We must help our communities understand that any effort to silence journalists is, ultimately, an effort to silence everyone.
These are just a few critical issues we must address in the coming year. While we may not be able to predict what journalism will look like in six months or a year, our priorities should remain clear: access, transparency, and accountability in the public interest.
Looking forward to working with you! Happy New Year!