Hope for the Media Industry
By Tracey Robinson-English
Media Management Center Associate
Hope for the future is the new nectar—forged by Barack Obama's "hope over fear" ascent to the White House—that people all over the world are craving in these times of teeth-clenching uncertainty and economic downturn. Nowhere is that craving stronger than in the media industry as it goes through seemingly endless rounds of blood-letting.
Fortunately, in the midst of it all, some signs of hope and innovation are appearing. And, some of that change is being led by McCormick Fellows. Just look at two members of the McCormick Fellows Class of 2006 - Julian Posada and Donna Rogers.
Posada, the former general manager of the Tribune's Hoy, bet on a new magazine for the next generation of Chicago Latinos, rolled up his sleeves and founded Café Media during a recession with the first issues rolling out late last year.
"I didn't think there would be a huge recession," says Posada. "But on the flip side, I've been pleasantly pleased by finding a silver lining in this. There is massive displacement in media. We're very young and new, but I think we might be able to figure out a way to take advantage of that. You can challenge the status quo in times like this because people are looking for unique ways of getting to an audience, and at the end of the day we're a niche publication."
Written in English with Spanish idioms throughout, the free bimonthly magazine (Posada says it will turn monthly with the March 2009 edition) Posada started with his wife, Gina Santana, along with a small group of experienced Latino media professionals, whom are a generation or two removed from the old country, are educated here, and have a strong but diffused sense of Hispanic culture.
Posada is the publisher; Santana, with a background in marketing for Leo Burnett, is managing editor. The magazine reflects affluence, elegance and a blended cultural identity—a duality—of Chicago's upscale and urbane Hispanic community. » more
The McCormick
Fellowship is a community of multicultural
senior media managers and executives.
Our goal is to increase both the number and
impact of influential minority executives
in the media business.
We offer the benefit of
our experience and insight on media management
and diversity issues to Fellows and
the media industry.
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