This may be a first, but it may not be the last.
In an honest admission of his capabilities and his passion (or lack thereof), Wilkes-Barre Times Leader‘s executive editor, Joe Butkiewicz, recently stepped aside because the paper’s new design direction “doesn’t fit my style.”
Butkiewicz noted that while it was an emotional decision after 30 years on the job, “…I do think that in my old-fashioned way, I’m in the way of progress.”
But his decision doesn’t just resonate within the changing print industry. It’s a reminder that not everyone who has helped make radio the industry it is today has the right mindset in which to survive and thrive moving forward. Like Billy Beane’s dyed-in-the-wool scouts in Moneyball who could not adjust to new statistical methods of evaluating baseball talent, Butkiewicz’s frank admission about his own inability to adapt very likely did himself, his staff, and his company a favor.
Radio is not the same business it used to be. It has changed. And consumers and advertisers are driving even faster change.
Everyone in radio – from its CEOs to its market managers to its DJs to its sales reps – has probably (and quietly) undergone this same form of self-analysis. There is nothing for Butkiewicz to be ashamed of. In fact, he leaves the paper with a sense of pride that he honestly evaluated his skill set – and his mindset – and moved on.
The rapid disruption that has impacted the media business – along with countless other industries – closes some doors, but opens many others.
Give Butkiewicz credit for walking out the front door of the Times Leader knowing full well that it was his call.
And very likely the right one.
Thanks to Lori Lewis for the tip on this story.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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