Comments on: The next buzz http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/ Blog and Portfolio Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:25:18 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Kiyoshi Martinez http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15571 Kiyoshi Martinez Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:11:33 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15571 I think that the technology isn't there yet for this to work well enough for collaboration to be the same. I'm all for getting out and getting the story, and I see the economic upsides to kicking everyone out and tossing their desks. But the specific problem I see is that for smaller newspapers where resources are tight and you have people doing multiple jobs (editing and reporting) then you kind of want them to be around your designers or web editors for presentation considerations. Personally, I relish the idea of not having to come into an office and just being equally productive from home, but I think the group dynamic you'd lose would hamper the final product. However, I will say that for a web-only product (ie, no newspaper) this would probably work. It seems to work pretty well for Gawker or other networks that have a high amount of freelancers/stringers. I think that the technology isn’t there yet for this to work well enough for collaboration to be the same.

I’m all for getting out and getting the story, and I see the economic upsides to kicking everyone out and tossing their desks. But the specific problem I see is that for smaller newspapers where resources are tight and you have people doing multiple jobs (editing and reporting) then you kind of want them to be around your designers or web editors for presentation considerations.

Personally, I relish the idea of not having to come into an office and just being equally productive from home, but I think the group dynamic you’d lose would hamper the final product.

However, I will say that for a web-only product (ie, no newspaper) this would probably work. It seems to work pretty well for Gawker or other networks that have a high amount of freelancers/stringers.

]]> By: Rich Cameron http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15515 Rich Cameron Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:41:55 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15515 At the college level you also have the problem that some students are new to working on a publication and need some modeling. Certainly, some of the modeling SHOULD be 1) Getting out into the field rather than just sitting in the newsroom waiting for something to happen and 2) learning to post online immediately, but I sometimes see students take the better part of the semester to "get it." And they get it by being there. Working on a student newspaper is not a full-time job --though for some students who enjoy it, it is-- and it takes some of that face-to-face and some patience for some students to come around. At the college level you also have the problem that some students are new to working on a publication and need some modeling. Certainly, some of the modeling SHOULD be 1) Getting out into the field rather than just sitting in the newsroom waiting for something to happen and 2) learning to post online immediately, but I sometimes see students take the better part of the semester to “get it.” And they get it by being there. Working on a student newspaper is not a full-time job –though for some students who enjoy it, it is– and it takes some of that face-to-face and some patience for some students to come around.

]]> By: Innovation in College Media » Blog Archive » Virtual Newsrooms http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15508 Innovation in College Media » Blog Archive » Virtual Newsrooms Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:20:04 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-15508 [...] about “virtual newsrooms,” and explains some of the concepts. Check out her writings here and here, and drop in to comment. I’ve been promoting a reconception of the newsroom workflow [...] [...] about “virtual newsrooms,” and explains some of the concepts. Check out her writings here and here, and drop in to comment. I’ve been promoting a reconception of the newsroom workflow [...]

]]> By: Megan Taylor http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14838 Megan Taylor Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:06:29 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14838 Yoni, there are always communication problems. I don't think that the mode of communication necessarily affect whether reporters communicate. The problem is in the people/the system, not the tools. Yoni, there are always communication problems. I don’t think that the mode of communication necessarily affect whether reporters communicate. The problem is in the people/the system, not the tools.

]]> By: Yoni Greenbaum http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14796 Yoni Greenbaum Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:58:42 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14796 Hey Megan - The problem I see is that virtual newsrooms would exacerbate the problems that we have in brick and mortar newsrooms such as not enough conversations between reporters and editors, not enough collaboration and not enough coaching. While I think a reporter could and should spend the bulk of their time in their beat, they need to have a base of operation and that really should be the newsroom. Hey Megan – The problem I see is that virtual newsrooms would exacerbate the problems that we have in brick and mortar newsrooms such as not enough conversations between reporters and editors, not enough collaboration and not enough coaching. While I think a reporter could and should spend the bulk of their time in their beat, they need to have a base of operation and that really should be the newsroom.

]]> By: Megan Taylor http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14677 Megan Taylor Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:21:06 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14677 Angela, an astonishing amount of troubleshooting can be done remotely. I'm thinking the server allows collaboration and everything through a "WebOS" of sorts, which would limit the need for individual computer upgrades. Angela, an astonishing amount of troubleshooting can be done remotely. I’m thinking the server allows collaboration and everything through a “WebOS” of sorts, which would limit the need for individual computer upgrades.

]]> By: Angela Grant http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14663 Angela Grant Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:59:38 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14663 I'd enjoy working from a "virtual newsroom." Much of the work I do requires a high-powered computer that's better as a desktop though. So I may need to have my main office at home instead of just using a laptop. I bet the IT guys would think it was a big pain in the ass if they had to travel around to do software upgrades and troubleshooting. I’d enjoy working from a “virtual newsroom.” Much of the work I do requires a high-powered computer that’s better as a desktop though. So I may need to have my main office at home instead of just using a laptop.

I bet the IT guys would think it was a big pain in the ass if they had to travel around to do software upgrades and troubleshooting.

]]> By: Megan Taylor http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14640 Megan Taylor Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:52:16 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14640 The big thing I haven't figured out is how to account for extroverts (people who are energized by other people). Certainly you would almost have to have a company-wide IM system or social network. But there is something about sitting in the newsroom and swapping jokes and stories while working, that I'm not sure can be duplicated online. The big thing I haven’t figured out is how to account for extroverts (people who are energized by other people). Certainly you would almost have to have a company-wide IM system or social network. But there is something about sitting in the newsroom and swapping jokes and stories while working, that I’m not sure can be duplicated online.

]]> By: Ryan Sholin http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14635 Ryan Sholin Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:10:49 +0000 http://www.megantaylor.org/wordpress/2007/12/17/the-next-buzz/#comment-14635 As someone who constantly urges reporters to step away from their desks and hit the streets with multimedia reporting gear to get to know their beats in person, I should be pretty gung-ho about a, uh, distributed newsroom. But... As a reporter, I love bouncing ideas around a newsroom, getting feedback from my editors, seeing a printout of my story with physical, pen-drawn arrows and lines giving me advice of where to move a quote. Of course, there are online equivalents of a lot of this - IM is one way to get things done. An internal social network (or even an internal white-label Twitter) might be another. As someone who constantly urges reporters to step away from their desks and hit the streets with multimedia reporting gear to get to know their beats in person, I should be pretty gung-ho about a, uh, distributed newsroom.

But…

As a reporter, I love bouncing ideas around a newsroom, getting feedback from my editors, seeing a printout of my story with physical, pen-drawn arrows and lines giving me advice of where to move a quote.

Of course, there are online equivalents of a lot of this – IM is one way to get things done. An internal social network (or even an internal white-label Twitter) might be another.

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