Journalism

Digital soon

Bernie Russell digital first, Journalism

The Guardian launched a five-year plan in 2011 to move “beyond the newspaper” to an 80/20 digital/print split.

The Daily Telegraph (the first British newspaper on the web) announced plans in 2014 for a new editorial structure designed to use “digital content as the backbone of each printed edition” of the newspaper.

Said to be an acceleration of Telegraph Media Group editor-in-chief Jason Seiken’s “vision to transform the organisation’s print-focused mindset into a digitally led approach”, the new structure will have five main elements:

  • One integrated print/digital newsroom.
  • Two shifts worked each day, one from 6am and one ending at midnight.
  • Three speeds to work at, from fast for breaking news to slower for a feature.
  • Four key skills for each journalist: social, video, analytics and search engine optimisation.
  • Five deliverable ideas required from each desk each day: including one video, one shareable and one interactive.

We’ll get there.

The Telegraph model seems like a good place to start.

Beyond the printed page

Bernie Russell digital first, Journalism , , ,

There’s a lot to think about in this upbeat report from mediatel newsline from the annual PPA conference on Thursday (21 May) – with the headline theme being that “magazine brands will continue to move far beyond the printed page”.

  • Condé Nast International president Nicholas Coleridge told the conference that the company is still launching magazines around the world, but it’s taking on staff with a much wider skillset: it’s hired one hundred people to work in Camden on a new e-commerce business, and is is also investing in an “enormous” new video team.
  • Hearst Magazines UK CEO Anna Jones warned of the effects of ‘digital disruption: “It’s like white water rafting and you have to be prepared to pivot and change not on a quarterly basis – but a week-by-week basis.”
  • Time Inc UK’s CEO, Marcus Rich said “digital disruption was ruthless to the businesses that could not adapt to change.”

And to j-schools?

Reuters handbook online

Bernie Russell Media
Another useful resource – and it kicks off with a strong statement on journalist ethics.
There’s a separate style guide for sports journalism as well.
http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php/Main_Page

Another useful resource – The Reuters Handbook of Journalism – and it kicks off with a strong statement on journalist ethics.

There’s a separate style guide for sports journalism as well.

FT puts on the style

Bernie Russell Media, Teaching
FT puts on the style
Press Gazette reports that the FT has put its style guide/lexicon online.
http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/wire/5530
This looks like a great resource, and should probably be added to reading lists for all the writing and production units?

Press Gazette reports that the FT has put its style guide/lexicon online.

This looks like a great resource, and should probably be added to reading lists for all the writing and production units?

Citizen journalism: here to stay, says Northern Echo

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Press Gazette reported on September 4 that the Northern Echo wants to hire “30 members of the public as contributors to its ultra-local websites“.

Long-term plan
The recruitment drive is part of a long-term plan by the Echo to “increase the amount of ultra-local content on its websites”,  according to assistant editor Nigel Burton.

The new recruits, who range from 17 to 70, will file about three stories a week. They’ll get training in photography, story structure and the site’s content management system.

Each correspondent usually has a journalist mentor, who will be a staffer with several years experience, as a point of contact if they have any problems. And, yes, they get paid.

Not about cost
Nigel Burton was adamant that the project is not about cost, saying “this is definitely not a move to replace our writers with so-called citizen journalists”.

“I cannot see a time when a paper like The Northern Echo would resort to using news submitted by reporters who have no formal NCTJ training.”

Augmented actuality
He makes the point that the Echo has the largest circulation area of any regional newspaper in the country, and that the staffers just couldn’t cover an area that size in detail. The network of local correspondents will augment news coverage by providing “ultra-local news on our community micro-sites”.

And the community has responded positively, though he concedes that there’s a problem with churn, and the Echo needs to keep pushing for new blood.

But, hearteningly, he says that people are keen to write for their local paper.

Talent-spotting
He also said that this is another way to find good journalists, saying that “we have identified three correspondents who have the talent to go all the way, and have held discussions to see if they are interested in the NCTJ pre-entry course”.

J-schools
What about the implications for journalism education? Does it mean we should look more closely at developing networking  and communication skills, maybe even training and project management skills, as well as production skills?

Maybe, says Nigel Burton. But the production skills remain key, especially internet and multimedia skills:

“I think it’s more important to make certain students have a really good understanding of the internet and multi-media. The Echo always looks for people capable of filming and editing video/podcasts etc, as well as crafting a neat turn of phrase or two!”

Next move?
This is obviously a development we need to monitor and respond to in our curriculum development. Note also the stress on NCTJ standards and web skills.

Perhaps we need a brief survey of other local newspapers which could include looking at content, talking to correspondents, etc.?

Full interview
You can read Nigel Burton’s answers in full here: Continue reading →