What Jeff Bezos’ Newspaper Shakeup Means for Associations

The nation’s newspapers are being snapped up by unexpected owners, and that could make an impact on your association and the content you send to members. Find out how.

The details, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup:

NEWS FLASH

Blockbuster week for newspapers: what it means for trade associations. http://t.co/GIYb18dPqi  (opens in a new tab)

— Steve Drake (@causeaholic) August 8, 2013  (opens in a new tab)

Read all about it: The newspaper business had a big week. Red Sox owner John Henry bought The Boston Globe for a fraction of the amount the New York Times Co. paid for it in 1993. Then, in a move that shocked media watchers, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post. What does all this mean for associations? Four things, writes Steve Drake at SCDdaily  (opens in a new tab). Here’s one of them: New ownership may lead to fresh types of content and distribution for these publications, and you may find your association competing with them. Yes, as an association, you’re a content generator. Just imagine if the Post started covering your industry every day. Would your association’s newsletter become obsolete? (ht @causeaholic  (opens in a new tab))

GAUGING BEZOS

Evaluating Jeff Bezos’s Washington Post letter, by @jenamcgregor  (opens in a new tab) http://t.co/yMyrT21pAX  (opens in a new tab)

— Post Leadership (@PostLeadership) August 6, 2013  (opens in a new tab)

What’s Bezos like? After agreeing to buy The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos sent a letter to its employees, and association leaders may glean some management lessons from it. Like many C-level suits, Bezos is an able communicator, says Post columnist Jena McGregor in her evaluation of the letter  (opens in a new tab). But what sets him apart is the humor and sincerity he included. McGregor writes, “He conjured up an amusing image of himself in order to show both his admiration for the paper’s history and his apparent intentions to continue its reporting traditions.” His humorous take may have endeared him to his new employees. McGregor should know; she’s one of them. (ht @post_lead  (opens in a new tab))

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