Increasingly, news websites are the product of a converged newsroom operating as a content factory and delivering content to whatever device the user turns to in order to access information. The duty editor will usually have access to the main news feeds shared by other areas of the news operation, including external wires and stories, and scripts created by other journalists within the news organisation. The ideal website should be a ‘Window on the newsroom’.
The website's main aim should be to add value to the stories being covered by the news operation across all outlets. Its role is to exploit all the techniques the online news and social networking environment offers.
The online audience might be different from those watching TV, listening to the radio or buying newspapers, but they are still turning to your news organisation for their daily intake of news information. That basic diet must be available to users on whatever platform (or gadget) they turn to - and remember that mobile may be the most popular.
If the editor-in-chief of your news operation is out of the country, she or he must be able to log on to your site and have a good idea about what are the top ten stories being covered across all outlets and when they are likely to appear on air, online, or in print.
The website's main aim should be to add value to the stories being covered by the news operation across all outlets. Its role is to exploit all the techniques the online news and social networking environment offers.
The online audience might be different from those watching TV, listening to the radio or buying newspapers, but they are still turning to your news organisation for their daily intake of news information. That basic diet must be available to users on whatever platform (or gadget) they turn to - and remember that mobile may be the most popular.
If the editor-in-chief of your news operation is out of the country, she or he must be able to log on to your site and have a good idea about what are the top ten stories being covered across all outlets and when they are likely to appear on air, online, or in print.
Window on the newsroom
Your site will be their ‘window on the newsroom’. By reading it they should know what is going on in all areas. If they can’t, then you are doing something wrong.
The duty editor will also ensure that all the material that appears on the site will cross-promote other areas of the news operation’s output. If, for example, the website is part of a broadcasting organisation with TV and radio news output, it will be expected, by the user at least, that if a story appears online it will also be covered on-air.
The news website should flag up when that item can next be seen on TV or radio. This is particularly true where your news operation has uncovered valuable, exclusive information and has a special programme, or a special report running on TV or radio. More on this in the newsroom convergence module.
The cross-promotion can be shown as a simple text link signifying when the next opportunity for watching or listening to the news item is scheduled, or it can be the inclusion of a box offering some or all of the material from the TV and radio output.
For news websites offering on-demand audio and video (the user has the ability to choose when they listen to the item), cross promotion is essential.
Managing all these resources so that they enhance the news website and the stories that appear on it, is a real art. It is one of the key functions of the online duty editor.
It is also important that the user reads the same facts online as they hear or see on air or read in print. They must not be given mixed messages.
Your site will be their ‘window on the newsroom’. By reading it they should know what is going on in all areas. If they can’t, then you are doing something wrong.
The duty editor will also ensure that all the material that appears on the site will cross-promote other areas of the news operation’s output. If, for example, the website is part of a broadcasting organisation with TV and radio news output, it will be expected, by the user at least, that if a story appears online it will also be covered on-air.
The news website should flag up when that item can next be seen on TV or radio. This is particularly true where your news operation has uncovered valuable, exclusive information and has a special programme, or a special report running on TV or radio. More on this in the newsroom convergence module.
The cross-promotion can be shown as a simple text link signifying when the next opportunity for watching or listening to the news item is scheduled, or it can be the inclusion of a box offering some or all of the material from the TV and radio output.
For news websites offering on-demand audio and video (the user has the ability to choose when they listen to the item), cross promotion is essential.
Managing all these resources so that they enhance the news website and the stories that appear on it, is a real art. It is one of the key functions of the online duty editor.
It is also important that the user reads the same facts online as they hear or see on air or read in print. They must not be given mixed messages.
Liaising with other departments
It is important that the duty editor has a system for letting other departments know which stories the online team is investing time and resources in covering. The chances for cross-promotion on air, on screen, and in print, will be far greater if the person in charge of the editorial content on the website lets the editors of other news outlets know what the online team is creating.
Some news operations have a shared file, where the various elements of a story are added so that all are aware of what is being created and what is available. Some have a superdesk system where representatives of all outlets sit together and share knowledge. More information on the superdesk system in the newsroom convergence module.
Some newsrooms have a news organiser who is aware of every element being created and has responsibility for helping weave all this together.
Whatever the system, the duty editor in charge of the news website should tap into this resource on a regular basis.
TV and radio producers will need to know when an interactive element is likely to be ready so that they can promote it in their programmes. They will want to know when the interactive team are in place to take feedback from users online. They will need to know when a guest is being lined up for a chat room discussion with the online audience.
All these elements need to be brought together by the duty editor and offered to all outlets in good time for them to include a mention of them in their output. It is pointless for a news website to organise a talking point on a key issue if the duty editor hasn’t informed those editing the other outlets of the news operation.
As you inform these outlets, be ready to consider their suggestions. The other editors might have excellent ideas about what should be created online. Have an open mind. Be prepared to try new ideas if they are aimed at enhancing the users’ experience.
It is important that the duty editor has a system for letting other departments know which stories the online team is investing time and resources in covering. The chances for cross-promotion on air, on screen, and in print, will be far greater if the person in charge of the editorial content on the website lets the editors of other news outlets know what the online team is creating.
Some news operations have a shared file, where the various elements of a story are added so that all are aware of what is being created and what is available. Some have a superdesk system where representatives of all outlets sit together and share knowledge. More information on the superdesk system in the newsroom convergence module.
Some newsrooms have a news organiser who is aware of every element being created and has responsibility for helping weave all this together.
Whatever the system, the duty editor in charge of the news website should tap into this resource on a regular basis.
TV and radio producers will need to know when an interactive element is likely to be ready so that they can promote it in their programmes. They will want to know when the interactive team are in place to take feedback from users online. They will need to know when a guest is being lined up for a chat room discussion with the online audience.
All these elements need to be brought together by the duty editor and offered to all outlets in good time for them to include a mention of them in their output. It is pointless for a news website to organise a talking point on a key issue if the duty editor hasn’t informed those editing the other outlets of the news operation.
As you inform these outlets, be ready to consider their suggestions. The other editors might have excellent ideas about what should be created online. Have an open mind. Be prepared to try new ideas if they are aimed at enhancing the users’ experience.
News Agenda
The duty editor of a news website must check every decision to ensure it is in the best interest of the news brand and its users. Examining motives is essential. There have been hand-over meetings where the incoming duty editor has decided to change the front page completely.
This is justified if the previous front page was an inadequate reflection of the news, but it is not justified if it is to try to make the incoming duty editor look good. There have been stories that have taken hours to create, removed from the front page after appearing there for less than an hour.
This is justified if there is so much breaking news that there is no room for everything, but it is not justified if it is a cosmetic exercise to try to show that the incoming duty editor has made his or her mark on the site.
The basic news agenda must:
include all the main stories being covered by the rest of the news operation
exploit all existing resources being committed to covering the news
maximise existing effort already allocated to covering a story
reflect the strengths of your organisation’s newsgathering effort.
The basic news agenda is not the chance for the in-coming duty editor to look good an opportunity to play with news to appear clever a display of online interactive gimmicks a news product isolated from the rest of the news operation an exercise in one-upmanship with the previous duty editor a game, or a bit of fun.
The duty editor of a news website has an enormous responsibility. She or he needs to be clear about why news items appear, and why changes are made.
David Brewer
The duty editor of a news website must check every decision to ensure it is in the best interest of the news brand and its users. Examining motives is essential. There have been hand-over meetings where the incoming duty editor has decided to change the front page completely.
This is justified if the previous front page was an inadequate reflection of the news, but it is not justified if it is to try to make the incoming duty editor look good. There have been stories that have taken hours to create, removed from the front page after appearing there for less than an hour.
This is justified if there is so much breaking news that there is no room for everything, but it is not justified if it is a cosmetic exercise to try to show that the incoming duty editor has made his or her mark on the site.
The basic news agenda must:
include all the main stories being covered by the rest of the news operation
exploit all existing resources being committed to covering the news
maximise existing effort already allocated to covering a story
reflect the strengths of your organisation’s newsgathering effort.
The basic news agenda is not the chance for the in-coming duty editor to look good an opportunity to play with news to appear clever a display of online interactive gimmicks a news product isolated from the rest of the news operation an exercise in one-upmanship with the previous duty editor a game, or a bit of fun.
The duty editor of a news website has an enormous responsibility. She or he needs to be clear about why news items appear, and why changes are made.
David Brewer
The author, David Brewer, set up and runs this site, Media Helping Media. He also runs Media Ideas International Ltd and tweets @helpingmedia.
http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org/training-resources/advanced-journalism/227-how-to-set-news-priorities
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