Comments on: Gannett explodes the newsroom http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: gulfsprite http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-245363 gulfsprite Fri, 22 Dec 2006 06:57:39 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-245363 As an ex-employee of Gannett (New Media Manager at Fort Myers) I'm laughing over my decision to get out. If you read the Washington post story, specifically the content the "mojo" was reporting... you will see a crappy story written in an irreverent and insulting tone and posted under the wrong community. That is not news, in fact, it's gossip and it's sloppy. As an ex-employee of Gannett (New Media Manager at Fort Myers) I’m laughing over my decision to get out. If you read the Washington post story, specifically the content the “mojo” was reporting… you will see a crappy story written in an irreverent and insulting tone and posted under the wrong community. That is not news, in fact, it’s gossip and it’s sloppy.

]]> By: goodenuff http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-206673 goodenuff Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:02:25 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-206673 As an employee of Gannett, I was shocked to hear an editor speak of corporate's new mantra, "Good enough is good enough," during a recent staff meeting regarding the coming shift in newsgathering. As an employee of Gannett, I was shocked to hear an editor speak of corporate’s new mantra, “Good enough is good enough,” during a recent staff meeting regarding the coming shift in newsgathering.

]]> By: Dee Blind Mice » Blog Archive » BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Gannett explodes the newsroom http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-205596 Dee Blind Mice » Blog Archive » BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Gannett explodes the newsroom Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:16:25 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-205596 [...] BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Gannett explodes the newsroom [...] [...] BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Gannett explodes the newsroom [...]

]]> By: Web 2.0 Television » Sourcing the Crowdsourcing Critics: The Gannett Shift http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-189655 Web 2.0 Television » Sourcing the Crowdsourcing Critics: The Gannett Shift Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:14:43 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-189655 [...] Since some of my usual suspects — Editors Weblog, which breaks down Gannett's seven-desk plan, Dan Gillmor at CitMedia and of course Jeff Jarvis' BuzzMachine — are already in Howe's working compendium, here are some more reactions: [...] [...] Since some of my usual suspects — Editors Weblog, which breaks down Gannett's seven-desk plan, Dan Gillmor at CitMedia and of course Jeff Jarvis' BuzzMachine — are already in Howe's working compendium, here are some more reactions: [...]

]]> By: Komunikacii » Gannett - Information Center http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-189129 Komunikacii » Gannett - Information Center Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:40:38 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-189129 [...] Forget the Task Forces, Just Do It. Gannett Does It. (Newassignment) Info at the center (Rundom Mumblings) Gannett explodes the newsroom (Buzzmachine) Technorati Tags: Information Center, Gannett, Crowdsourcing, journalism, newsdesk, news, newspaper, newspapers, online, mobile, publication, feeds, newsroom. [...] [...] Forget the Task Forces, Just Do It. Gannett Does It. (Newassignment) Info at the center (Rundom Mumblings) Gannett explodes the newsroom (Buzzmachine) Technorati Tags: Information Center, Gannett, Crowdsourcing, journalism, newsdesk, news, newspaper, newspapers, online, mobile, publication, feeds, newsroom. [...]

]]> By: rdlobel http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-188599 rdlobel Wed, 08 Nov 2006 02:24:05 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-188599 Sounds like Gannett is trying to run a newspaper more like a blog. Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Sounds like Gannett is trying to run a newspaper more like a blog. Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

]]> By: Newsghost http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187324 Newsghost Mon, 06 Nov 2006 20:45:42 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187324 Not surprised by the 'no new staff' committment from Gannett mentioned by innovative, but. I saw enough of that. Newspaper groups have to recognise that you can't keep putting out the same daily product while just bolting on top future-proof innitiatives unless you put in the staff investment. Don't forget Gannett made $1.2bn last year and Dubow himself picked up a $15m package on the back of his brave new world ideas (http://www.sweeble.com/story/view/1082). Not surprised by the ‘no new staff’ committment from Gannett mentioned by innovative, but. I saw enough of that. Newspaper groups have to recognise that you can’t keep putting out the same daily product while just bolting on top future-proof innitiatives unless you put in the staff investment. Don’t forget Gannett made $1.2bn last year and Dubow himself picked up a $15m package on the back of his brave new world ideas (http://www.sweeble.com/story/view/1082).

]]> By: innovative, but http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187295 innovative, but Mon, 06 Nov 2006 20:16:28 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187295 While all of the changes Gannett promises are forward-thinking, grand and warranted in these dying days of print journalism, the way they are approaching it is less than realistic. As a Gannett employee at a mid-size daily, we are seeing these changes, and in the company's memo that outlined the plan, they specifically said they will not hire new employees to produce any of this new content, which will add tremendously to the workload of everyone. What you'll likely see are new types of media online, but you'll see even lower quality to the products and just less reporting as we all strive to produce snappy videos and flashy new-media content, in addition to everything that was required of our jobs before this initiative. The ideas are great, but with no new bodies to produce it, don't expect a high level of quality. While all of the changes Gannett promises are forward-thinking, grand and warranted in these dying days of print journalism, the way they are approaching it is less than realistic. As a Gannett employee at a mid-size daily, we are seeing these changes, and in the company’s memo that outlined the plan, they specifically said they will not hire new employees to produce any of this new content, which will add tremendously to the workload of everyone. What you’ll likely see are new types of media online, but you’ll see even lower quality to the products and just less reporting as we all strive to produce snappy videos and flashy new-media content, in addition to everything that was required of our jobs before this initiative. The ideas are great, but with no new bodies to produce it, don’t expect a high level of quality.

]]> By: Newsghost http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187038 Newsghost Mon, 06 Nov 2006 13:26:45 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-187038 I'm sure Gannett is serious about this at the top, and especially when it talks to its shareholders. And I think Dubow probably genuinely believes in his vision, as does Roger Ogden et al. But I think it stops there. The bread and butter operations - the local newspapers (and I only know about the UK ones here) are still cash cows being forced to run on shoestring budgets with editorial and print rooms seeing the biggest cutbacks in recent months. Of course the journos are suspicious - they see this rush to UGC as another way of getting news on the cheap. In the meantime, as Delia and JD suggest, you've got a whole tribe of ego-heavy newspaper editors who still they think should determine what is defined as 'news' in their city by setting the news agenda for their paper and controlling what stories are published, both in print and online. Gannett may be welcoming the "community" into the office, but it isn't handing them any keys. I agree wholeheartedly with you Jeff about the importance of UGC (enough to have left Gannett and put my savngs where my mouth is) but I believe local newspapers can only play a part in building journalism's new frontier if the culture change goes way beyond jumping on the citizen reporter bandwagon. I’m sure Gannett is serious about this at the top, and especially when it talks to its shareholders. And I think Dubow probably genuinely believes in his vision, as does Roger Ogden et al. But I think it stops there.
The bread and butter operations – the local newspapers (and I only know about the UK ones here) are still cash cows being forced to run on shoestring budgets with editorial and print rooms seeing the biggest cutbacks in recent months. Of course the journos are suspicious – they see this rush to UGC as another way of getting news on the cheap.
In the meantime, as Delia and JD suggest, you’ve got a whole tribe of ego-heavy newspaper editors who still they think should determine what is defined as ‘news’ in their city by setting the news agenda for their paper and controlling what stories are published, both in print and online. Gannett may be welcoming the “community” into the office, but it isn’t handing them any keys.
I agree wholeheartedly with you Jeff about the importance of UGC (enough to have left Gannett and put my savngs where my mouth is) but I believe local newspapers can only play a part in building journalism’s new frontier if the culture change goes way beyond jumping on the citizen reporter bandwagon.

]]> By: Karl http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186972 Karl Mon, 06 Nov 2006 11:43:54 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186972 This sounds really, really exciting. I'm happy to see a news organization start to realize that it's newsroom isn't bounded by physical space and that the entire web is a potential source of coverage. This sounds really, really exciting. I’m happy to see a news organization start to realize that it’s newsroom isn’t bounded by physical space and that the entire web is a potential source of coverage.

]]> By: Andy Dickinson.net » Blog Archive » Everything is blowing up http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186864 Andy Dickinson.net » Blog Archive » Everything is blowing up Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:31:56 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186864 [...]  http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/ Exploding by-lines [...] [...]  http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/ Exploding by-lines [...]

]]> By: JD http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186587 JD Mon, 06 Nov 2006 05:12:03 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186587 If Gannett's truly serious, they will sack some of their senior editors and put some visionary folks in their place who don't have editorial experience but have a solid history of leadership and creating customer-centric products. Working your way up through the ranks and recruiting your leadership only from within the industry may nominally work for a police department or the military, but it's a pretty 18th century way to run a newsroom, er, information center. The worst thing about newsroom are those holier-than-thou editorial types who think that their jobs can be done by similarly ink-stained wretches. If Gannett’s truly serious, they will sack some of their senior editors and put some visionary folks in their place who don’t have editorial experience but have a solid history of leadership and creating customer-centric products. Working your way up through the ranks and recruiting your leadership only from within the industry may nominally work for a police department or the military, but it’s a pretty 18th century way to run a newsroom, er, information center. The worst thing about newsroom are those holier-than-thou editorial types who think that their jobs can be done by similarly ink-stained wretches.

]]> By: Dan Blank: Publishing, Innovation and the Web » Blog Archive » Newspaper Restructuring in Four Easy Steps http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186242 Dan Blank: Publishing, Innovation and the Web » Blog Archive » Newspaper Restructuring in Four Easy Steps Sun, 05 Nov 2006 23:29:15 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-186242 [...] Jeff Jarvis can barely contain his excitement at the changes, but of course, remains skeptical: [...] [...] Jeff Jarvis can barely contain his excitement at the changes, but of course, remains skeptical: [...]

]]> By: Delia http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-185733 Delia Sun, 05 Nov 2006 17:26:12 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-185733 re: "and finally, use crowdsourcing methods to *put readers to work* [my emphasis] as watchdogs, whistle-blowers and researchers in large, investigative features" Jeff, That falls in the arrogant (and ignorant) category as far as I see it: you can certainly draw readers into particular projects (provided they have a special interest in them) but you CAN'T "put readers to work"... That's the wrong conclusion on Gannett's side (that because people didn't mind helping when they had an immediate financial interest in the outcome they could just be handed work... and the dummies would just do it for free... (way to cut your operating costs)... And to restructure your WHOLE operation on that premise? Makes me wonder just how bad things *were* at Gannett... Delia P.S. Unless they want to be *completely* community driven (only do stories where enough people with a special interest also have the ability and the willingness to help). That *could* work... but it would take time and figuring-out... Bad idea to "explode" anything BEFORE you have it figured-out! -- I think it would have been much smarter to just add an "experimental branch" and give it plenty of time to figure out what works and what doesn't. D. re: “and finally, use crowdsourcing methods to *put readers to work* [my emphasis] as watchdogs, whistle-blowers and researchers in large, investigative features”

Jeff,

That falls in the arrogant (and ignorant) category as far as I see it: you can certainly draw readers into particular projects (provided they have a special interest in them) but you CAN’T “put readers to work”… That’s the wrong conclusion on Gannett’s side (that because people didn’t mind helping when they had an immediate financial interest in the outcome they could just be handed work… and the dummies would just do it for free… (way to cut your operating costs)…

And to restructure your WHOLE operation on that premise? Makes me wonder just how bad things *were* at Gannett…

Delia

P.S. Unless they want to be *completely* community driven (only do stories where enough people with a special interest also have the ability and the willingness to help). That *could* work… but it would take time and figuring-out…

Bad idea to “explode” anything BEFORE you have it figured-out! — I think it would have been much smarter to just add an “experimental branch” and give it plenty of time to figure out what works and what doesn’t. D.

]]> By: PoliticalCritic http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-185586 PoliticalCritic Sun, 05 Nov 2006 14:28:16 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/11/05/gannett-explodes-the-newsroom/#comment-185586 I think everyone should follow Gannett's lead and blow it up. Many have become tabloid newsrooms. I think everyone should follow Gannett’s lead and blow it up. Many have become tabloid newsrooms.

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