The panel meets once a month in the conference room at the newspaper with Senior Editor Dan Barkin and Vice President of Marketing and Community Publishing Felicia Gressette. We have bagels and muffins and coffee. We talked about sports, Mary Easley, the comics, the editorials and how the N&O relates to the online space. We’ve met other editors and seen slide shows about demographics.

WELCOME TO THE UNDERGROUND

The Community Panel doesn’t exactly meet in a parking deck. But I’ve never seen any mention of the group in print or online.

Since I was never asked to sign an anonymity agreement, I guess it’s okay to blog about it. So here are my notes from the most recent meeting, Wednesday June 17, 2009.

“PARTING SHOTS”

Every meeting has its own flavor. In June, with several Community Panel members at the end of their one-year terms, we got to hear a little of what people really think. Call it “Parting Shots.”

The meeting started in the usual way - people milling around chit-chatting, getting their coffee, reading the day’s newspaper, fresh from the presses. Ruth and I discussed her imminent departure. “We have something to say,” she confided in me, indicating the senior panel members with her eyes.

The meeting began. We had previously discussed talking about “green” topics in the June meeting. But within moments, the senior panel members had steered the conversation to their own topic.

“I think the Community Panel is off-course,” said Jim. Ruth said about the same thing, as did Danny.

Ann said she “felt impotent on the panel.” I wrote in my journal “me too.” But mostly, the newer members kept quiet.

I watched Dan Barkin slowing eating his breakfast, eyes on the table, as the comments washed over him. I’m thinking, “this is awkward,” but I’m digging it, too. Not from schadenfreude, mind you. I think Dan Barkin is a good guy, a good newspaperman and in a position to need a thick skin. But I also think he needs to hear the criticism.

Someone on the panel worried about whether the paper will be here in another couple of years. Felicia Gressette assured us that “the N&O will be here in a hundred years.”

I admire her confidence.

WATCHDOG JOURNALISM AND OTHER KEY BRAND ATTRIBUTES

Both Dan and Felicia pointed out the key strategic attributes that guide the N&O:

• Watchdog Journalism
• Local Sports
• Editorials & Opinions

Ann added the N&O’s coverage of education issues to the list and some mention was made of “community.”

The News & Observer does a great job on investigative reporting. As Barkin points out, without a strong local newspaper, who will grind it out to do this stuff? Dan also mentioned that not every local newspaper uses its platform to keep an eye out for shady dealings in the public sphere. All true.

If I were the ad guy for the N&O, I’d push the watchdog journalism aspect in TV ads. It really is the brand equity and DNA.

STUMBLING INTO CYBERSPACE

The discussion shifted to the online site, newsobserver.com. Dan (or was it Felicia?) suggested that it might be interesting to have the panel read the paper for a month exclusively online.

Several members voiced anguish at this suggestion. Jim said he “couldn’t possibly read it all online.” He observed that the site was difficult to navigate.

Dan told us that the N&O is working on a new site and that he expects it will be live by the end of the summer. You heard it here first, people.

Felicia observed that the current site was like a “Rube Goldberg contraption.” This is not unusual in mega-sites that have grown for years without a major redesign. But I applaud her for saying it out loud. Later, she likened the website to “a giant kitchen junk draw.” Great phrase - pithy.

Dan followed up by mentioning that traffic to the website is robust and growing strongly (think he said 30% year-over-year). N&O blogs are driving one million page views per month.

I wondered why no one accepted my invitation to speak or attend WordCampRDU last week.

Dan also observed that the paper is continuing to create new blogs to meet community interest, including blogs about business, food and TV.

BLOGS NOT INDEXED FOR SEARCH

Panel member Danny noted that the search function on newsobserver.com doesn’t index the blogs. Dan complimented Danny on his web savvy and assured him that the N&O was working on a solution.

But, for me, that one fact sums up how far the N&O has got to go to really understand and benefit from social media.

NO GO ON GOLO

Interestingly, a couple of panel members pointedly disparaged WRAL’s GOLO portal and begged the N&O not to adopt a similar technique.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE COMMUNITY PANEL

Felicia acknowledged that the departure of Ted Vaden has left a void in the panel and the paper. She spoke sincerely and convincingly on the N&O’s need for community feedback and the value of the panel. Dan Barkin echoed her sentiments.

Earlier in the meeting, Ann and Jim had tossed out the idea of a Community Panel column online. This idea came back in a different way toward the end of the session.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR = MODERATOR

David, one of the junior panel members, had prepared a short report on mashing up climate news with the weather page. A self-avowed data junkie, David’s idea generated some enthusiasm from the panel. Dan joked that he should be an associate editor.

The other panel members carried the light chatter forward, suggesting a few humorous associate editor positions for panel members.

But, I thought, associate editor is not that different from the online function of moderator. Moderators can shape discussions, introduce topics and enforce rules and standards.

Looking beyond the Community Panel, wouldn’t a local paper benefit from training a force of “civilians” to help run the online operation? Imagine a moderator for each high school in the area, trained by the N&O to ensure a quality content stream. People are creating great content (how many dads have I seen at youth sports events with 1000mm lenses). What’s lacking is relevant organization.

It’s not share.triangle.com. It’s dozens, or even hundreds of local niche portals run by the N&O and supported by the communities.

Communities. Not community. The Triangle contains scores of communities, each with its own interests, news and events.

Maybe that associate editor gig isn’t such a joke after all. Call it Associate Community Editor and perhaps the journos could live with it.

REPLACING THE PUBLIC EDITOR

The panel has had no news that the N&O is seeking a replacement for Public Editor Ted Vaden. Maybe they shouldn’t.

What’s needed in 2009 is a Director of Social Media. Ford has one (@scottmonty). So does WRAL (@communitygirl).

The social web is the key to engaging audiences in the future (and, very rapidly, in the present). The social web is your feedback channel.

A DSM would explain why you should consider WordPressMU for your blogs (search is already baked in). The GarnerCitizen uses WordPress. So does The New York Times.

A Director of Social Media would build your Twitter stream. 1800 followers in a region with 1.3 million people could be improved.

A Director of Social Media would fit nicely under Felicia’s umbrella. The DSM could train community members to be moderators and help establish new channels.

THE LAST WORD

Panel member David had the last word. After listening to the debate about the role and nature of the Community Panel, he said “the most important thing is that it exists.”

Most people around the table seemed to agree with that notion.

GET INVOLVED

Past, present and future Community Panel members, readers of the News & Observer and people interested in Journalism 2.0 are invited to leave a comment or subscribe to this blog.