By Amy Zajac
Correspondent
CALHOUN, Ga. -- Terrence Adamson recalls riding his bike to downtown Calhoun in the 1950s to pick up the latest copy of National Geographic at the Gordon County Library, then housed in a former log cabin.
"I didn't really get it (the magazine) at home, but they did get it at the library, which was a good thing. It was part of my limited world at the time," said Mr. Adamson, now executive vice president of the National Geographic Society.
"When I had the opportunity, a long time later, to go be part of the administration to take National Geographic into the future, it was that special memory of that log cabin ... that sort of introduced me to that world and that was special," he said recently at a meeting of the Calhoun-Gordon County Friends of the Library.
The theme of his talk was "The Future of Media in the Digital Age."
"Print is not dead, but the business model will change," Mr. Adamson told the audience at the Harris Arts Center's Ratner Theatre.
"To maintain a bright future depends on agility," he said.
Although it's been around for more than 120 years, even National Geographic is having to deal with new technology and a changing landscape, he said.
"We don't know what the future will hold, but we're working on a strategy to take our English magazine international and how to take advantage of the Kindle and iPad technologies," he said. "We're cautiously optimistic to be creative with the new formula of digital."
Mr. Adamson was introduced by Bob Linn, Calhoun resident and former classmate from the Calhoun High School class of 1964.
"I've known Terry 39 years and he's done so much, but also, he's kept in contact with this community," Mr. Linn said.
Mr. Adamson opened his talk by asking members of his graduating class seated in the audience to stand.
Amy Zajac is based in Gordon County. Contact her at azajac10@yahoo.com.
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