When I rolled up to the Las Vegas Convention Center the Gold Lot where I parked was about 1/3 full. It was a little surreal, considering this is typically one of the most important shows for the city.
Although an abundance of elbow room was no surprise given the sorry state of the economy, it was definitely an eye-opener. And not just for me.
There was a lot of frank talk among the exhibitors and the attendees -- something that's becoming more common these days.
When people are worried about the future, existential discussions can break out on any corner.
The big one I encountered at MAGIC was about the show specifically and conventions in general.
Everyone is wondering if advances in online publishing will make meeting in person passe, like fedoras on reporters or phone booths.
Most of the genuine optimism I ran into came from small business people in attendance.
The reason for their confidence is they feel they have good products people want and are small enough to slip between the cracks as the big guys crumble.
It tells me agility and authenticity are two key ingredients for success in the new, contracting economy.
I think that applies to publishing, too.
Agility for a newspaper means shifting resources from internal bureaucracy to news gathering and reporting and delivering news not just in time for the presses to roll, but in a continual IV drip hard-core consumers crave.
Authenticity means breaking down the wall between readers and news gatherers.
We need to show readers more than the story. We need to show them how we gathered the story and be willing to explain why we chose to tell it.
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