I would argue that for the Entrepreneurial Community in Dallas the Dallas Business Journal is irrelevant. We don’t read it. We don’t advertise in it. Of course it doesn’t have to be this way.
Gary Hooker, who is one of the owners of Imaginuity, copied me on an email he sent the editor of the Dallas Business Journal. According to Gary, the Dallas Business Journal decided to stop publishing the “web development” category in the Dallas Business Journal book of lists. He explained that he had been told that the staff of the DBJ felt as though Gary’s business was no longer relevant to the Dallas community. In response Gary canceled his subscription to the DBJ and sent an email to Juan Elizondo the editor.
Gary copied me because he wanted me to write about the issue as he described me as “a leader in the Dallas Digital community”. I am not sure I am much of a leader, but I am very much interested in the success of the ‘Dallas Digital Community’ as well as the ‘Entrepreneurial Community in Dallas’. I am not sure my opinion on this topic matters much, but I am happy for the excuse to write a post.
First, the Dallas Business Journal has never really been about ‘business’ in Dallas. Generally the DBJ’s primary focus has been commercial real estate. The last time I counted more than 80% of the articles and 50% of the advertising were real estate related. The remaining articles and advertising were from financial services companies and law firms. I think it might make a lot more sense to call it the Dallas Real Estate Journal.
The DBJ has never really had much interest in covering technology. Sure there are tech stories in the Journal from time to time, but more often than not they have something to do with the fact that the tech company in question had rented office space. In the late 90′s I was in my 20′s and I had just raised $11MM in venture capital to fund my first startup. I offered the story as an exclusive to Jeff Bounds, but he told me that I should come back to him when I raised more money. Ultimately we raised $30MM or so for the business and I joked that Jeff would only write a story about our company if we went bankrupt. Of course when we filed for Chapter 11 in 2001 he did. When we emerged from Chapter 11 later that year he didn’t bother to write another story. My latest startup, ShopSavvy, has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post and Dallas Morning News – but never in the Dallas Business Journal. Last month my father’s 3D seismic company was sold to an NYSE listed company, but the Dallas Business Journal didn’t cover the story. Over and over again the DBJ ignores startups and emerging businesses in Dallas.
We host LOTS of startup events and every time we invite the DBJ to cover the events. Our Startup Happy Hour has been visited by every news outlet in North Texas EXCEPT the DBJ. Our Startup Weekend Event was covered by the Dallas Morning News and even in the national press, but again the DBJ chose to ignore the event. Over and over again the DBJ ignores the digital community. I am don’t know enough about the Book of Lists issue Gary is complaining about, but I think there is a chance to ‘fix it’.
The DBJ has NEVER contacted our company to run advertising. I have talked to several other successful startups and they say the same thing. I suspect a lot of us would be willing to support the DBJ through advertising if they would begin to cover the entrepreneurial and digital ecosystem here in Dallas. How about it Juan? How about coming to one of our events or happy hours? Lets come up with a solution…
Alex, as always thank you for a highly detailed review and commentary.
Your points are dead-on correct and as the past President of the Dallas Ad League and DFW Search Marketing Association I would agree that local coverage of the rich and diverse technology market we have created in North Texas has been severely un-reported by the DBJ.
In a nutshell – the DBJ has lost its voice. What once was a publication dedicated to the small business community has turned into a publication with an editorial focus to tightly aligned with advertising. Meaning, “what stories can we create that will get advertiser attention”. Certainly real estate spends money on advertising – hence the focus.
But in my opinion this is both short sighted and ultimately irrelevant. Great publications draw advertising and not the other way around. Look no further than the WSJ.
This recent example that Gary from Imaginuity pointed out is evident that once again the DBJ is letting an advertising focus skew its editorial efforts.
And while publications like the DBJ may bemoan the fundamental changes that blogs and other online sources are leading, the simple fact is that their editorial focus is what is hurting their publication and not the online revolution.
A great business newspaper will have a strong voice, especially for the small businesses that comprise this market. It will be the driver of conversations by actively seeking stories that champion the business community and not point, as in the example of your coverage, to its failure. It will recognize and promote the diversity of business – regardless of whether those businesses could be “advertisers”. In a nutshell – its voice will be that of the advocate and not the advertorial.
Obviously Dallas needs and deserves publications that represent the businesses of our great community. While DMN provides some coverage – there is room for more.
I truly hope the DBJ will once again find its voice. There are many leaders in our community that will support it once it does. And until that happens, I will continue on by reading the WSJ and the DMN every day.
Alex, Thanks for bringing attention to this topic and and we look forward to a response Juan at the DBJ.
You are so right! The DBJ is about commercial real estate and has been for many years. As a former manager of a competitor in the publishing field we used to easily beat them with our reporting of the commercial real estate market. They were a little more glamourous looking but unimpressive in content. They survive off of real estate advertising. None of the companies I have been associated with subscribe to the DBJ and have never felt the need to.
I gave up on old-school media in Dallas a long time ago. I couldn’t find any interesting original content amongst the advertising and national retreads.
If the DBJ wants to become credible, they have to earn it back. Developing an iPad app with decent local content might turn some heads.
I’m not holding my breath.
So true. Amazed it is still in business.
Dropped our sub 3 yrs ago…I have never felt they gave much attention to startups(unless they get major funding)…small business support is like 1 column, seems to me they are heavily reliant on advertising with Comm. Real Estate, Attorneys and since small entreprenuers don’t have $$ for advertising..it is what it is…
I agree with the other comments. I gave up my subscription to the Dallas Business Journal last year, but I really miss the book of lists. I wish they made that available for free on their site. I would recommend more focus on more growth and entrepreneurial companies.