Friday, January 7, 2011

Going Retro, with a New-Age Twist

In case you haven’t seen the memo(s), this particular news bureau has managed to stir up a bit of a tempest with a couple of recent stories about the application of coatings to asphalt shingles (see Cool-Roof Coatings Generate Some Heat for Florida Utility Company and Industry Group Sees Dangers in Coating of Asphalt Roofing).

Opinions voiced on the reporting in these two stories have varied somewhat, but the message heard most clearly and loudly is that the application of cool-roof coatings to asphalt-shingle roofs was being unfairly maligned in a lawsuit filed by a handful of Florida homeowners and in an article published by a national roofing-industry trade group.

The comments can be read at the end of the two stories but, essentially, those posting the comments offered some well-grounded opinions on the performance merits of these types of coatings applications, if executed properly.

We’d like to thank the readers for sharing their expertise and knowledge, and for making sure that all sides of this story are told. We are also at work on follow-up reporting on the issue, where we’ll talk further with those in the know about the technology and these kinds of applications.

Seeing all these comments also led this news bureau to ponder how the Internet has so drastically altered the business of publishing. Actually, publishing is something of a misnomer nowadays; I suppose we’re really part of the “information” business.

We found ourselves in the position of pondering as we went about the job of finishing up our very first print edition of Durability + Design, which will “hit the streets” later this month.

We mulled a number of weighty issues as the team went through the process of editing, selecting artwork, writing headlines, formulating layout and design, proofing—all those retro tasks from the days when print ruled the day.

But we came away with perhaps one powerful idea, or theme: that the internet, with all its attributes—the instant distribution of news and information, the immense contribution to productivity, the miracle of interactivity—owes a debt to its precursors, the conventional print and, later, broadcast media.

Sure, the Internet has taught us that publishing will never be the same. One only need see the effects on publishing companies great and small to realize that the old business models were left in the ashes of the print world as we once knew it.

That said, the electronic-media age might have something to gain from its print predecessor, in journalistic terms. The Internet is very good at instant distribution of news and information. Its contributions to productivity, in a host of ways, are unquestioned.

But one area where electronic media comes up short, in the humble opinion of this particular news bureau, is in the development of original journalism. Electronic media is great at passing news around, but has it picked up the cause of journalism as leaner, financially strapped magazines and newspapers are no longer able to fill this crucial role at the same level?

With Durability + Design, our mission is to seek to synergize the strengths of print and electronic communication in an integrated fashion. New-age communications will be a key driver of the enterprise, while at the same time we will emphasize the importance of old-fashioned, journalistic reporting and article development.

Durability + Design, print version, will seek to give readers what they continue to value in this time-honored medium—the familiar look and feel of a magazine, with its visual aesthetic and readability—while sharing top billing with the immediacy, interactivity, and information-rich attributes of durabilityanddesign.com.

Whether it’s online or in print, Durability + Design will primarily be driven by active engagement with people in the industry and the trades, the sharing of opinion and expertise, and “conversation“ with and among our friends in this exciting world of building, design, and materials technology.

Subscriptions are available at www.durabilityanddesign.com/subscribe.