Over the course of the last several months, as I have tried to make the most of the privilege of serving as a TPA officer, I have been involved with many of you in discussions about the future of the newspaper industry.

And I would like for all of you to become a part of that discussion — and eventually, a part of the changes that those discussions might spawn.

During the 29 years I have spent in this business, it has changed dramatically, to say the least. Technology has had a lot to do with that.

We watched as the Mac replaced those behemoth blue Compugraphic machines in the ’80s and digital cameras replace film (when’s the last time you processed a negative?). We saw the Internet become a necessary extension of our newspapers, and in many cases, give us the ability to scoop ourselves and get important news “on the street” without having to publish an “extra.” (Anybody do one of those lately? Roger Estlack’s marriage edition notwithstanding.)

But in considering how all this fits together and how we can best serve our members by disseminating information about the changing face of the newspaper business, it occurs to me that we have perhaps — as an industry — been a little too slow to adapt to some of these changes.

Just look at the record. How many years did it take for everyone to join the desktop publishing revolution? Some folks resisted adding faxes, or at least separate lines, for going on two decades (waiting almost until it was an obsolete technology). How many years has it taken for newspapers, especially in smaller markets, to add Web sites to the mix (and how many still have not taken the plunge, or don ’t use them to their full capabilities — I know we don’t do as much as we could with ours)?

As we have battled with the post office for better service to our most distant readers, one fact has become evident: Every newspaper is not using good postal software, further complicating the already growing problem. Why not? How can you not justify the expense and effort to give your newspaper its best opportunity to arrive at its destination timely? Isn’t that just good customer service?

We should be an industry that embraces change, especially when it involves technology. Instead we tend to lag behind in some areas.

And so it is with that thought in mind that I want to help steer TPA into the direction of something known as future casting.

Why should we be only on the trailing edge of changes and advances, reacting? Why not be out front instead, being proactive?

We have the experience, the expertise, the manpower and resources. We have a group synergy that far transcends the individual abilities of our separate businesses.

We may not come up with the next Google or YouTube. But we can bounce around some ideas that can help us to do our jobs even better and perhaps these “What Ifs?” can become reality some day.

I look forward to your input.

I want to add my congratulations to Lynn Brisendine and Jerry Tidwell for receiving the Harold Hudson and Dewane Kelly awards at the recent West Texas Press Association convention. I ’m not sure WTPA could have selected two more deserving recipients for the association ’s top two honors. Both have continued their exemplary service outside WTPA, at the state and national levels. It was a privilege to be there and celebrate with two longtime friends.