Editor's Notes: Much More than Ink on Paper

As you hold this magazine, turn the pages, read the words and admire the images, be assured that Columbus CEO is a whole lot more than just a monthly publication.

That reality hits home every time we engage in activity that is separate from our print publishing responsibilities, and it constantly reminds me how much journalism has changed since I first began practicing the craft four decades ago.

I recently had the opportunity to reflect on the changes during a lunch meeting of the Westerville Chamber of Commerce. Of course, making presentations on behalf ofColumbus CEO is one example of what we do beyond putting out the magazine-but that expectation isn't so new.

What is new is the 24/7 digital presence that all media must embrace in today's hyper-connected business world. In our case, that is primarily via ColumbusCEO.com.

Some readers know us just by our online content. They only read features from the print publication after they are posted. Being able to access stories online allows readers to share our features even farther than we can distribute them by mail or from bookstore shelves. Even better, online readers can easily retrieve stories from several issues or even several years ago.

Through our website, we can offer online-only content including videos and behind-the-scenes photos from some of our reporting. Our web feature, CEO Live, is a vehicle for blogs from staff and guest columnists as well as a space for daily news feeds.

Twitter is another important platform forColumbus CEO-so much so that we tweet from two accounts. I use @CEO_editor and we also use @ColumbusCEOmag-deftly handled by Editorial Assistant Julie France.

Both accounts were busy at the Columbus Chamber of Commerce's recent CEO Insights presentation by Tanny Crane, CEO of the Crane Group, with 10TV's Kristyn Hartman. During future CEO Insights, the Chamber has invited me to continue trolling Twitter to gather a couple of questions to pose to the speakers at the end of their conversations with Hartman.

Live tweeting isn't exclusive to journalists, but I think we have a knack for using it quickly to lift up an event's key takeaways. And when breaking news relates to someone or something we've covered previously, Twitter is also a great way to add context to the dialogue.

Increasingly, our readers use Twitter, too, to comment on our coverage, share our stories with their followers and offer new insights. We welcome the feedback.

Facebook is another platform we use daily to reach audiences that may not be on our free subscriber list. Some people, after all, are only reading content they can pull up on a smartphone, tablet or PC.

Our digital presence is also enhanced with a weekly e-newsletter, Columbus CEO Insider, distributed by email Tuesday mornings to deliver a mix of content from our current issue with news updates and announcements to keep readers on top of local business developments.

I used to marvel at wire service reporters who dealt with several deadlines a day while I had just one. Now there are no such distinctions. In a news-hungry, ultra-connected world, we all use every channel we can to share and access information endlessly. I wouldn't have it any other way.

This month we say farewell but not goodbye to Associate Editor Kitty McConnell as she leaves for another opportunity. Her work will continue to appear inColumbus CEO as a freelance writer, and we're happy for that.