An Industry In Flux

When I first attended one of the GWU publishing program’s information sessions back in 2009, Dr. Grossblatt asked those of us in attendance whether we thought social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter qualified as “publishers.” A few years ago, while earning my undergraduate degree through a traditional print-based newspaper journalism program, I would have said “no.” When I was editor in chief of the campus daily, we had a website, but that was about as technologically advanced as we dared to become.

Today, I would unquestionably say “yes,” and that I am fascinated by how dramatically technology is changing the face of publishing and transforming the way consumers receive information. While this is in part due to the explosive growth of such advancements as smart phones, social networking and blogging over the past few years, it is also due to the increased awareness among publishers that these technologies hold the future of the industry.

Get Married, a wedding-focused company I write for as a featured blogger, utilizes Microsoft Tag technology in its quarterly magazine to connect readers instantly to video feeds and online material. The company also publishes a daily “Wedding Dish” video as part of its popular blog, and attracts readers by featuring interactive quizzes, polls and contests as part of its online media platform.

As a congressional aide, I’ve worked with Government Printing Office and Legislative Information System staff members to ensure that our constituents, staff and congressional members have accurate, up-to-date information regarding legislation. Though slower to adapt than many other outlets, I am witnessing firsthand how the government is at last embracing online technology to streamline and quicken the ability of both staff and the public to get the legislative information they need.

This fall, as a graduate student, I hope to build upon my solid editorial background to develop the business prowess needed to succeed in the publishing field. From studying the methods publishers rely on to best collaborate with an editorial and advertising staff, to exploring in-depth the ways in which technology is changing and improving the way publishers package information, I hope to obtain the competitive, real-life skills I need to branch out into such a rapidly changing industry.