I was greatly encouraged last week when my boss, Dave Wenger (Director of Communications), sent our office a forward-thinking response to the news that the San Antonio paper, along with so many others, is drastically cutting jobs. Dave writes,

I mention this only to illustrate the importance of our shift to Search Engine Optimization, social media, the blogs, YouTube, etc. as alternative routes to information distribution…but times they are a changin’.

I applaud the efforts of the programs and departments that have begun blog initiatives, Twitter feeds, podcasts, etc. The quality of the content is quite good. Be patient in these efforts, because it will take time for these communication tools to gain audience and to find their niche in the overall marketing mix.

As the guy carrying the ‘social media’ mantle (and a Dylan fan) I was tremendously encouraged to have a Director of Communications who ‘gets it’ that “times they are a changin’.” But when our new Dean replied (to all: our program directors) with his endorsement of this philosophy, I was ecstatic. The Dean writes,

I agree with Dave’s assessment. People everywhere are becoming informed in new and different ways. I appreciate everyone’s efforts to adapt to the new platforms.

We’ve got a Dean who ‘gets it’ too. I mention all of this because it can often seem, to those of us learning to ride the social media wave, that our managers and coworkers still standing on the beach think that we’re just following fads, wasting time.

The truth is that while much of what we do is experimentation and adaptation to a rapidly changing landscape, we are opening lines of communication that are not just the future, they are rapidly being folded into the current communications mix, and at the behest of our Dean and Director of Communications.

Click “read more” to see Dave Wenger’s full email with the Dean’s response.

Thanks to Matt Hamm for sharing his picture through Flickr and Creative Commons.

(Note: My bolding below)

—–Original Message—–
From: Dean Gilligan
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:02 AM
To: David Wenger; Eric Hirst; Stephen Limberg; Paula Murray; Michael Rishell
Cc: Communications Department
Subject: RE: Express-News To Cut 135 Jobs

I agree with Dave’s assessment. People everywhere are becoming informed in new and different ways. I appreciate everyone’s efforts to adapt to the new platforms.

—–Original Message—–
From: David Wenger
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:41 AM
To: Dean Gilligan; Eric Hirst; Stephen Limberg; Paula Murray; Michael Rishell
Cc: Communications Department
Subject: Express-News To Cut 135 Jobs

I’m forwarding this article as an example of the state of major newspapers around the country. The San Antonio Express-News is cutting staff by 135 jobs, many from the news room. The Austin American-Statesman just offered early retirement to its senior staff, and many have taken up the offer. The paper is for sale, with no takers in sight.

As we’ve met with newspaper journalists in New York we hear the same things. Lots of angst and turmoil in the business.

I mention this only to illustrate the importance of our shift to Search Engine Optimization, social media, the blogs, YouTube, etc. as alternative routes to information distribution. Without the core of newspaper journalism to feed the rest of the news media, it will be necessary for us to develop our own news dissemination channels. I’ve noted of late that much of what I read in the local newspaper is lifted from online news feeds from the prior day, or even two days prior.

Of course newspapers will remain in the mix, and we will continue to focus on the major Texas dailies, the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, the Economist and BusinessWeek…but times they are a changin’.

I applaud the efforts of the programs and departments that have begun blog initiatives, Twitter feeds, podcasts, etc. The quality of the content is quite good. Be patient in these efforts, because it will take time for these communication tools to gain audience and to find their niche in the overall marketing mix.

The McCombs Web site home page will soon be reconfigured to provide more visibility and accessibility to the many blogs, newsletters, podcasts and videos that are being created around the school.

I’m happy to talk about how this trend impacts your own area of focus. Jason Molin conducts regular training and mentoring for programs, departments, units and individual faculty members who wish to launch social media initiatives (blogs, etc.). Please let us know how we can help.

David Wenger