Much of what we will inevitably focus on here at The Laurel is the rise of the New Media in Connecticut.  That is, the glacial move away from traditional print and radio toward a more digital and networked way of gathering and disseminating the news.  

I bring this up because one of the recent casualties of the New Media in Connecticut was someone who recognized and embraced it: Colin McEnroe.  Yes, Colin still writes columns for the Courant and (until this week) had an AM radio show – two basic forms of Old Media.  Yet he also used and investigated many forms of New Media.  For example, he is the author of several blogs and even teaches classes at Trinity Collegeon blogging and media. 

Colin also utilized the interactivity of New Media.  He coordinated an on-air interview with two curators from the Wadsworth Atheneum with an online video of their exhibit.  He also learned to use Twitter on the air, educating his listeners on this up and coming technology.  These are perfect examples of how he helped bridge the gap between Old and New Media.

The rise of New Media is a significant factor in why print, radio and television news outlets are cutting back.  What is frustrating – and almost ironic – is that Colin became a casualty of something he embraced more than most members of Connecticut’s media.  However, he has adapted to this New Media which is why he will continue to succeed.  Other casualties of this Media Darwinism may not be so lucky.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the changes at WTIC-AM is that the station is now dominated from 6 am to 3 pm by right-leaning hosts: Ray Dunaway will broadcast from 6 to 9, Jim Vicevich from 9 to 12, and Rush Limbaugh till 3 pm. What’s wrong with this picture? Connecticut’s 50-thousand watt powerhouse radio station needs to offer some balance.

MaryEllen Fillo reports that a few local shows are being replaced by national syndicated shows.  This is yet another loss for the state’s local media.

Imagine that the ladder of “print” is getting slowly pulled up. Which mother ship is it getting pulled up into? We wonder if new chief Schiller will expand the part of NPR online that simulates print. And locally, they have the advantage of a strong reporting/anchoring staff. John Dankosky is becoming a brand name for them. Four years from now, all news operations will be somewhat similar — some blend online multimedia plus broadcast. NPR and its Connecticut affiliate might be very good at that.