Requirements of a journalist in the digital newsroom.

1. Requirements of a Journalist in the
Digital Newsroom

2. Introduction
• Defining the “digital newsroom” might be to firstly
consider some of the requirements and processes
brought on by this interesting new era in an industry
traditionally dominated by the print and broadcast forms
of media.
• This presentation will seek to outline a number of the
requirements and processes faced by the journalist in the
digital age.

3. A Different Approach for a New Age
• With newspaper circulations declining, journalists must
adopt a new approach to succeed in today’s digital
newsroom
• However, simply replicating information published
from newspapers is not nearly enough; journalists must
train, innovate and create to meet the demands of the
digital newsroom

4. Consequences
• For journalists and publishers alike, competition is
fierce – especially given the advent of citizen
journalism – meaning opportunities to make
substantial amounts of revenue are far more limited
than they were during the emergence of the print press
• For older ‘hacks’, retraining to suit the requirements of
the digital age might be a step too far
• “The vast amounts of information found on the
internet can be confusing for readers – especially
because of, as previously mentioned, the growth of
citizen journalism” - Grueskin, Seave, Graves (2011)

5. An Exodus to the Digital Platform
• The internet, as well as tablets and smartphones, are
becoming increasingly more popular than their
traditional counterparts

6. Consequences
• “There is potential to build bigger audiences with lower
marketing costs” - Grueskin, Seave, Graves (2011)
• Readers can interact with the author of a particular article or
other like-minded members of an audience when
contributing in comment boxes, message boards, etc.
• This interactive experience could be the catalyst for
attracting audiences back to a particular website time and
time again
• There are also opportunities for more targeted content and
advertising
• However, simply attracting audiences to a website doesn’t
necessarily mean higher revenue

7. Aggregation: enemy or ally
• The concept of taking other authors’ work, writing your
own version of it (but crediting the original author) and
publishing it as your own article
• Aggregation is a widespread practice in the digital
newsroom
• Minimises the arduous task of collecting original
material and content
• Content can be gathered to appear in one place to
meet the needs of a specific audience
• Aggregation can benefit both originators and
aggregators

8. Consequences
• Not everyone agrees with the concept. Bill Keller, former editor on the New
York Times, says “too often it [aggregation] amounts to taking words written by
other people, packaging them on your own website and harvesting revenue that
might otherwise be directed to the originators of the material.”
• However, aggregation just appears to be the online equivalent of newspapers
combining content from staff, freelancers and news services – so is it really
that deplorable?
• If there is a need to curate content, then, obviously, the process of pulling
information together becomes slightly more toilsome given the need for
human intervention in deciding what material should and should not be
published
• Even if your work is taken by another author or website (and it is of course
credited), then there is a good chance, having been credited in the rendition
with a hyperlink, that you will receive additional hits from viewers surfing
from one website to another
• However, there is always the danger that viewers may prefer the aggregated
version
• There will always be debate whether or not it is ethical

9. Recognising the Internet as an
important tool
• Tools such as
Twitter, Facebook, blogs, forums, discussion
boards, chats, podcasts and RSS feeds all provide
journalists with the means to attract audiences
• Publishing on the internet means content is available
around the world at moment’s notice – usually at lower
costs – to a much larger audience
• Tracking which and how many people view your
content – for example using Omniture or Chartbeat –
allows journalists to realise who their audience is, and
make necessary alterations to their work to capture the
largest readership possible

10. Consequences
• You are always competing against other journalists
who employ similar methods in distributing their own
work
• Reaching a larger audience can have the opposite
impact: a journalist’s work could reach many but, also,
be criticised and portrayed negatively as well
• Are tracking services, such as Omniture and Chartbeat,
really that reliable?

11. Conclusions
• Journalists must be quick to embrace the rapidly changing digital landscape
or run the risk of being left behind
• Print organisations should strive to produce different content on the online
platforms than that found in the print versions of their product –
podcasts, blogs etc. are all credible tools in attracting larger audiences
• However, it should be recognised that smaller organisations may find it
difficult – when considering the costs of retraining staff, financing separate
online divisions - to meet the requirements of the digital newsroom
• Journalists must continually seek to identify their audiences so that the work
they produce continually captures and retains an audience
• Journalists must recognise those tools that will enhance the experience of
working in the digital newsroom
• Journalists must recognise the need to credit others’ work when employing
the process of aggregating
• Journalist must realise that aggregation can work in two ways: it can hurt you;
but it can also help you as well

12. References
Grueskin, B. Seave, A. Graves, L. (2011). The Story so Far: What we know
about the business of Digital Journalism. Available at: The Story So Far: What
We Know About the Business of Digital Journalism. Accessed: October
2012

13. Bibliography
The Guardian (2011). ABCs: National daily newspaper circulation July 2011. Available
at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/table/2011/aug/12/abcs-national-newspapers.
Accessed 17th October 2012
Graves, L. and Kelly, J. (2010). Confusion Online: Faulty Metrics and the Future of
Digital Journalism. Available at:
http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/system/documents/345/original/online_metrics_
report.pdf. Accessed 17th October 2012
Pew Research Centre Publications (2011). Internet Gains on Television as Public's Main
News Source. Available at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1844/poll-main-source-
national-international-news-internet-television-newspapers. Accessed 20th October
2012
Isbell, K. (2010). What’s the law around aggregating news online? Available at:
http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/09/whats-the-law-around-aggregating-news-online-
a-harvard-law-report-on-the-risks-and-the-best-practices/. Accessed: 24th October
2012
Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism (nd). The State of the News Media. Available
at: http://stateofthemedia.org/2010/special-reports-economic-attitudes/nielsen-
analysis/. Accessed 24th October 2012