My top five predictions for 2023

Robin Blinder | Editor & Publisher

I’m excited about turning the corner and starting 2023 in our new home in Brentwood, Tennessee. Our move was not as smooth as we’d hoped, but we’re here and aspire to get our boxes unpacked and furniture in place sometime in the next year. The week after we landed  in the Nashville area, I was deep in putting the January issue to bed and thinking about the upcoming year.

I love to read everyone’s predictions at this time of year. Many are thought-provoking, but some have me giving a virtual eye-roll. So this year, I thought I would try my hand at my top five predictions for 2023:

1. The pace of business and life will continue to be swift and incessant.

The older I get, the more I yearn for a slower pace and more time. This month, our quick read about Slow News and the corresponding documentary answered that need for me. Born in the place and time of the slow food movement, slow news could be an answer to our “always on” mobile news culture.

2. Trust will continue to be crucial to the health of news media.

This is an ongoing issue, and there is no magic bullet. However, this month’s vodcast with the Journalism Trust Initiative offers a remedy that any news publication can work toward.

3. Working together will be the way forward.

Alyssa Choiniere’s stories about nonprofit collaborations and her profile on the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists will inspire you with their collaborative efforts and outstanding results.

4. Entrepreneurs and disaffected workers will continue to plug the holes in the news dike.

Journalists and those in news media are remarkably resilient and passionate about their craft. As the industry has taken a beating over the past years, entrepreneurs, citizens and those frustrated with the current state of media have stepped up in small and large ways to fill those holes that have arisen in local media. Our inspiring story about Hell Gate in NYC is an example of a group of journalists seeing a need and filling it in a unique way.

5. Gen Zers will continue to be a conundrum that news media companies must address to stay relevant.

I am the parent of a young adult from Generation Z, and I can tell you absolutely that we look at the world and life very differently. Growing up glued to mobile devices and in an ever-changing world, Gen Zers are taking charge and making their mark. Reaching them with news and information may be a dilemma, but it’s one we have to solve to remain relevant and sustain our industry.  So I doubt that any of my predictions are monumental, but my final thought for 2023 is that you continue to impress us, inspire us and drive us to better days ahead. We here at E&P wish you each a year filled with joy, peace and success.

Robin Blinder is E&P’s editor-in-chief. She has been with E&P for three years. She can be reached at robin@editorandpublisher.com.