Mike Zenczak talks on the digital time capsule project

Canning-Dean:
Hello, this is Emily Canning Dean and I am here with Mike Zenczak, President and Publisher of MedinaCountyLive.com. And we’re here to talk about what everyone’s talking about: the new Medina County Digital Time Capsule. Mike, what can you tell us about this platform?

Zenczak:
Well, thank you, Emily. Thanks for your time and for the opportunity to talk about this truly unique program. You know, during my career, I’ve been in leadership positions with Northeast Ohio’s top media organizations and I’ve had the opportunity to work on many special initiatives. But nothing is matching the energy and depth we’re putting into this truly legacy project.

You know, Emily, it’s no surprise, our world continues to change. Artificial intelligence right now is impacting online search engines, things that, you know, folks are familiar with like Google’s Gemini and ChatGPT. And it’s impacting how content is represented on the web. Our Digital Time Capsule is just one example of how we’re meeting that technology, providing a new direction, and a new method of storytelling.

Canning-Dean:
That sounds interesting, Mike. Can you tell us about the stories which will be part of this time capsule?

Zenczak:
Well, it’s really about documenting the lives and tales of the members of our county. The families who help build our communities, you know, the many companies who help create opportunities for employment and growth, civic leaders, public organizations, nonprofits. This truly is a legacy project. There is no collection of content that will match the depth of this storytelling and broad representation. So, industries, residential industries, the industrial sector, the entertainment districts, we’re really intending to represent the flavor of our communities. Our writers are conducting interviews and some of the content is pretty interesting: historic tales, old photographs, commentary from leaders. We’ve launched a Live TALK feature where leaders actually add their voices and messages to the content. It’s really fun watching it all unfold.

Canning-Dean:
Mike, is the Medina County Digital Time Capsule a historical piece?

Zenczak:
Yes, Emily, but much more. It’s an opportunity to document the past, but also talk about the coming future. To tell where your organization is, but also where it’s going. We’ve got folks represented with 100-plus year history in the time capsule, as well as those who’ve just arrived, wishing to tell their story and become a part of our community. We’re taking this moment, the 250th anniversary of our country, and looking to document this key time in our townships and cities. And with our unique technical coding and hosting, this time capsule will provide a digital platform for future leaders, future readers—a digital platform for today with a message for tomorrow.

Canning-Dean:
I can hear the excitement in your voice, Mike. Any final message?

Zenczak:
It’s going to be a busy year, and we’re being very aggressive on communicating the opportunities. I’ve had decades of experience in working at news organizations and storytelling is what I’ve done. This is not my first rodeo, I like to say. When you take on such a project like this, my fear is always getting that phone call from a leader or organization saying, “We didn’t know about this.” For that reason, we’re doing all we can to connect.

Canning-Dean:
Mike, if someone is interested in learning more about participating in the time capsule, what should they do?

Zenczak: Emily, you know, they can visit MedinaCountyLive.com, look for the Time Capsule links, and submit a “Tell Your Story” form to my team. We’ll reach out to them and let them know how they can get involved.

Canning-Dean:
Thanks, Mike, and good luck with all of your work.

Zenczak:
Thank you, Emily, for your time and for also being a part of this special project.