Does the continuous news-desk resolve the issue of web first v editorial quality?
Posted by Jodie Hopperton on January 17, 2007 at 2:54 PM
Web-first policies have come under scrutiny for the balance between getting a story published quickly and getting the right, fact-checked, edited story published. Newspapers often struggle through this delicate balance when deciding what goes on-line when. That’s to say nothing of the sometimes not so invisible division between print and on-line departments. Neil Chase, Continuous News Editor at the New York Times, talks to the Editors Weblog about their continuous news-desk and why it’s a model that works not just for the on-line product but benefits the print product and journalists too.
The print version of the New York Times has an average circulation of 1,142,464 and the website had 13.2 million unique users in December. They implemented a continuous news-desk (CND) seven years ago. It now has fourteen people working on it full-time, half editors and half reporters although everyone does a little of each job. Chase explains what this news-desk actually does and how it provides the editorial quality that is expected from the New York Times…
The Guardian in the UK posts business and foreign news to the web immediately in their new web-first policy. How does a continuous news desk differ from this policy?
“We do the same thing, but ‘immediately’ and ‘Web-first’ are terms that have different meanings on different stories.”
“We report, edit and publish articles all day long. We work directly with reporters in the field and with editors on the various news desks (Foreign, Business, National, Metro, Sports, Culture, Science, Obituaries and others). When something big happens, we get it on the Web site as best we can, as quickly as we can, but only when we know it’s right and well written and edited.”
“If a big news event happens at 9am and we publish a quick one-line alert about it, we have posted the story 'immediately'. If we then spend 30 minutes reporting, writing and editing a six-paragraph story and put it on the Web, was that 'immediate?' Or was it a half-hour late? Or was it 14 hours ahead of when it would have made the newspaper? “
“We are in the middle of a transition at The [New York] Times. Several years ago, the Continuous News Desk was pretty much on its own to contact reporters in the field for full or partial stories and write other stories itself. But every one of the news desks at The Times is now taking responsibility for its own news on the Web site. That does not mean CND goes away; to the contrary, CND is busier than ever with stories coming in all day from various desks. But it means the sports editors, when they hear about a big trade, are pushing the reporters to file quickly and sending that story to CND. All of the desks are now doing that to some extent, and it’s being done more often, with more stories, every week.”
“But publishing 'immediately' doesn’t mean a steady stream of news all day. The [New York] Times has been on a once-a-day newspaper schedule since 1851. Most of our reporters come to work in the morning and leave in the evening. Most of the people they call on the phone about a story will return a call, but sometimes not until later in the day. Clear analysis and storytelling is often not possible until the events of the day are winding down and people are reflecting thoughtfully on them.”
“So a significant number of the articles written for The [New York] Times are completed at the end of the day. For that reason, many stories still go up late in the evening, around the same time they’re being put into the newspaper.”
What kind of news does the continuous newsdesk handle? Do you use a lot of wire copy or does most come from NYT journalists?
“We will post a wire story on an important news development if we don’t have a staff story ready yet, but we usually work hard to minimize the amount of time before that wire story is replaced with our own copy.”
“We handle all kinds of news, but we work most closely with the Foreign, National, Business and Metro desks as most of the news that breaks during the day comes from their areas of coverage. We’re especially busy first thing in the morning with copy from our foreign correspondents who are in time zones well ahead of our own. Business stories often break early in the morning too, before the markets open. As newsmakers on the East Coast start to wake up and get busy, we see more local and national breaking news.”
Do you have a web first policy or does it depend on the story? If so, when was it implemented? Is it all desks or just the news-desk?
“Do we have a policy? Yes, we try to get breaking news up on the Web as quickly as possible. Does it depend on the story? Yes, of course. As to 'when' it was implemented, this has been a gradual evolution. Posting a policy is nice, but changing the way our hundreds of journalists think about deadlines and breaking news is an evolution, not an announcement.”
What are the main reasons that you now implement an Internet first strategy?
“The Internet lets us deliver news to our millions of online readers quickly, and we want to do that just as we’ve wanted to do it in print for 150-plus years. Journalists have always worked quickly to meet deadlines; 15 years ago it was the drive to get the news into tomorrow’s paper instead of the next day’s, to be the place the reader learned about it first and/or learned the most about it, to beat the competition and to do it better than anyone else. That hasn’t changed.”
“We also have the ability to bring the sensibility of Times journalism to a world where too much news is reported too quickly without verification. I will occasionally get a call from a foreign bureau chief who says something like, “I know the wires (or TV networks) are reporting such and such, but we don’t think that’s right and we’re checking it out, so please don’t post the wire or cite those reports.” A half-hour later, that bureau will tell us what’s really going on, and we can report it accurately. That’s a vital function. We don’t report things we can’t confirm if they’re at all questionable. We don’t parrot the breathless screaming about anything that happens in view of a TV station’s helicopter. We go fast, but we get it right. People should expect that from the Times on the Web.”
“And here’s another possible reason, one we’re just starting to explore: The traditional crunch of getting everything ready for the paper in the evenings means there are a few hours when a huge volume of editing and production work has to be done. By encouraging everyone to report, write, file and edit earlier in the day, we spread out the workload through the day and perhaps allow more time for thoughtful editing, more time to ask and answer questions that come up in the editing process, more time to prepare and typeset pages and, of course, more chances to put copy on the Web site more quickly.”
“One more related benefit: We publish the International Herald Tribune from newsrooms in Hong Kong and Paris, and of course their deadlines come in the middle of our morning and afternoon. So if stories are finished earlier in New York, they’re ready for those deadlines too.”
Does it heighten the sense of competition between newsrooms?
“Yes, definitely. We’re always watching the Web sites of our competitors, and we know they watch ours. Imagine yourself as a correspondent in a war zone; you have access to the Web, but not to the newspaper. So your entire competitive perspective is based on what you see on our site and what you see on the sites of those competitors who are reporting around you. In fact, it’s often our reporters who push hardest to get stories online quickly, so that they can break news when they hear competing footsteps close behind them and so that they can take credit for publishing first.”
Is it still possible to sufficiently fact-check and vet a story in the age of rapid online publishing? How does printing online first affect the quality of your work? Has the philosophy of the newsroom changed to put the news up, correct later?
“It’s not only possible, it’s mandatory. Otherwise, we’re not The New York Times anymore. We won’t publish things that aren’t properly edited, confirmed and vetted. Sometimes that means a delay, but we try to handle it this way: We publish a shorter story first that reports what we do know, then build it out as more facts are confirmed.”
What has been the general reaction in the print and online newsrooms favourable or reactionary? How has the Internet-first policy affected the relationship between the print and online newsrooms?
“Because the change has been gradual, the reaction has been gradual. Most reporters, when asked to give us part of a story early or call in some facts from the scene or file early, are happy to do so. Sometimes they’ll say they can’t, usually for a very good reason. Some have really embraced the Web; they call in all the time, file early, offer to work on multimedia pieces and share the enthusiasm we have for publishing online. Others see it as something new and important, but still confusing or offputting, It’s a big newsroom, and the change is gradual, and different in each person.”
“The Web and print newsrooms were very separate for a number of years. They were seven blocks apart, the staffs didn’t know each other and they had few opportunities to work together. That has changed recently; we now have some of the Web journalists sitting in the print newsroom, and they’ll all be together when we move into the larger newsroom in our new building later this year. Physical proximity has made a tremendous difference, and the relationships are improving quickly.”
How has the logistics change this year affected the integrated newsroom?
“The presence of some Web journalists in the newsroom has been a tremendously helpful change because they’re now part of the conversation about how every desk covers its stories.”
Do you think that newsrooms at other papers will eventually institute the same policy? Why or why not?
“When you say “the same policy” …. we don’t have a specific policy. We have the knowledge that some of our readers see us in print, some online and some both, and we have to serve them all well. Do I think most newsrooms will start posting more of their news online during the day? Yes, certainly; most of them are already doing it. Will they move more people to daytime shifts to help make that happen more quickly and with more stories? I imagine so.”
Overall, do you think that online-first publishing is better or worse for journalism?
“Better. Much better. Some reporters say that filing quickly in the morning helps them think through the way the story will evolve later in the day. Our readers get more, faster. If it’s bad for journalism, it’ll be because we drop our standards. And we can’t possibly afford to do that.”
Source: Interview with Neil Chase, and NYTimes.com
The Guardian in the UK posts business and foreign news to the web immediately in their new web-first policy. How does a continuous news desk differ from this policy?
“We do the same thing, but ‘immediately’ and ‘Web-first’ are terms that have different meanings on different stories.”
“We report, edit and publish articles all day long. We work directly with reporters in the field and with editors on the various news desks (Foreign, Business, National, Metro, Sports, Culture, Science, Obituaries and others). When something big happens, we get it on the Web site as best we can, as quickly as we can, but only when we know it’s right and well written and edited.”
“If a big news event happens at 9am and we publish a quick one-line alert about it, we have posted the story 'immediately'. If we then spend 30 minutes reporting, writing and editing a six-paragraph story and put it on the Web, was that 'immediate?' Or was it a half-hour late? Or was it 14 hours ahead of when it would have made the newspaper? “
“We are in the middle of a transition at The [New York] Times. Several years ago, the Continuous News Desk was pretty much on its own to contact reporters in the field for full or partial stories and write other stories itself. But every one of the news desks at The Times is now taking responsibility for its own news on the Web site. That does not mean CND goes away; to the contrary, CND is busier than ever with stories coming in all day from various desks. But it means the sports editors, when they hear about a big trade, are pushing the reporters to file quickly and sending that story to CND. All of the desks are now doing that to some extent, and it’s being done more often, with more stories, every week.”
“But publishing 'immediately' doesn’t mean a steady stream of news all day. The [New York] Times has been on a once-a-day newspaper schedule since 1851. Most of our reporters come to work in the morning and leave in the evening. Most of the people they call on the phone about a story will return a call, but sometimes not until later in the day. Clear analysis and storytelling is often not possible until the events of the day are winding down and people are reflecting thoughtfully on them.”
“So a significant number of the articles written for The [New York] Times are completed at the end of the day. For that reason, many stories still go up late in the evening, around the same time they’re being put into the newspaper.”
What kind of news does the continuous newsdesk handle? Do you use a lot of wire copy or does most come from NYT journalists?
“We will post a wire story on an important news development if we don’t have a staff story ready yet, but we usually work hard to minimize the amount of time before that wire story is replaced with our own copy.”
“We handle all kinds of news, but we work most closely with the Foreign, National, Business and Metro desks as most of the news that breaks during the day comes from their areas of coverage. We’re especially busy first thing in the morning with copy from our foreign correspondents who are in time zones well ahead of our own. Business stories often break early in the morning too, before the markets open. As newsmakers on the East Coast start to wake up and get busy, we see more local and national breaking news.”
Do you have a web first policy or does it depend on the story? If so, when was it implemented? Is it all desks or just the news-desk?
“Do we have a policy? Yes, we try to get breaking news up on the Web as quickly as possible. Does it depend on the story? Yes, of course. As to 'when' it was implemented, this has been a gradual evolution. Posting a policy is nice, but changing the way our hundreds of journalists think about deadlines and breaking news is an evolution, not an announcement.”
What are the main reasons that you now implement an Internet first strategy?
“The Internet lets us deliver news to our millions of online readers quickly, and we want to do that just as we’ve wanted to do it in print for 150-plus years. Journalists have always worked quickly to meet deadlines; 15 years ago it was the drive to get the news into tomorrow’s paper instead of the next day’s, to be the place the reader learned about it first and/or learned the most about it, to beat the competition and to do it better than anyone else. That hasn’t changed.”
“We also have the ability to bring the sensibility of Times journalism to a world where too much news is reported too quickly without verification. I will occasionally get a call from a foreign bureau chief who says something like, “I know the wires (or TV networks) are reporting such and such, but we don’t think that’s right and we’re checking it out, so please don’t post the wire or cite those reports.” A half-hour later, that bureau will tell us what’s really going on, and we can report it accurately. That’s a vital function. We don’t report things we can’t confirm if they’re at all questionable. We don’t parrot the breathless screaming about anything that happens in view of a TV station’s helicopter. We go fast, but we get it right. People should expect that from the Times on the Web.”
“And here’s another possible reason, one we’re just starting to explore: The traditional crunch of getting everything ready for the paper in the evenings means there are a few hours when a huge volume of editing and production work has to be done. By encouraging everyone to report, write, file and edit earlier in the day, we spread out the workload through the day and perhaps allow more time for thoughtful editing, more time to ask and answer questions that come up in the editing process, more time to prepare and typeset pages and, of course, more chances to put copy on the Web site more quickly.”
“One more related benefit: We publish the International Herald Tribune from newsrooms in Hong Kong and Paris, and of course their deadlines come in the middle of our morning and afternoon. So if stories are finished earlier in New York, they’re ready for those deadlines too.”
Does it heighten the sense of competition between newsrooms?
“Yes, definitely. We’re always watching the Web sites of our competitors, and we know they watch ours. Imagine yourself as a correspondent in a war zone; you have access to the Web, but not to the newspaper. So your entire competitive perspective is based on what you see on our site and what you see on the sites of those competitors who are reporting around you. In fact, it’s often our reporters who push hardest to get stories online quickly, so that they can break news when they hear competing footsteps close behind them and so that they can take credit for publishing first.”
Is it still possible to sufficiently fact-check and vet a story in the age of rapid online publishing? How does printing online first affect the quality of your work? Has the philosophy of the newsroom changed to put the news up, correct later?
“It’s not only possible, it’s mandatory. Otherwise, we’re not The New York Times anymore. We won’t publish things that aren’t properly edited, confirmed and vetted. Sometimes that means a delay, but we try to handle it this way: We publish a shorter story first that reports what we do know, then build it out as more facts are confirmed.”
What has been the general reaction in the print and online newsrooms favourable or reactionary? How has the Internet-first policy affected the relationship between the print and online newsrooms?
“Because the change has been gradual, the reaction has been gradual. Most reporters, when asked to give us part of a story early or call in some facts from the scene or file early, are happy to do so. Sometimes they’ll say they can’t, usually for a very good reason. Some have really embraced the Web; they call in all the time, file early, offer to work on multimedia pieces and share the enthusiasm we have for publishing online. Others see it as something new and important, but still confusing or offputting, It’s a big newsroom, and the change is gradual, and different in each person.”
“The Web and print newsrooms were very separate for a number of years. They were seven blocks apart, the staffs didn’t know each other and they had few opportunities to work together. That has changed recently; we now have some of the Web journalists sitting in the print newsroom, and they’ll all be together when we move into the larger newsroom in our new building later this year. Physical proximity has made a tremendous difference, and the relationships are improving quickly.”
How has the logistics change this year affected the integrated newsroom?
“The presence of some Web journalists in the newsroom has been a tremendously helpful change because they’re now part of the conversation about how every desk covers its stories.”
Do you think that newsrooms at other papers will eventually institute the same policy? Why or why not?
“When you say “the same policy” …. we don’t have a specific policy. We have the knowledge that some of our readers see us in print, some online and some both, and we have to serve them all well. Do I think most newsrooms will start posting more of their news online during the day? Yes, certainly; most of them are already doing it. Will they move more people to daytime shifts to help make that happen more quickly and with more stories? I imagine so.”
Overall, do you think that online-first publishing is better or worse for journalism?
“Better. Much better. Some reporters say that filing quickly in the morning helps them think through the way the story will evolve later in the day. Our readers get more, faster. If it’s bad for journalism, it’ll be because we drop our standards. And we can’t possibly afford to do that.”
Source: Interview with Neil Chase, and NYTimes.com
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![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.editorsweblog.org%2Fanalysis%2F2007%2F01%2Fdoes_the_continuous_newsdesk_r.php&bodytext=<p><img width="78" height="106" border="2" align="left" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/R-%20Chase.jpg" /></p><p>Web-first policies have come under scrutiny for the balance between getting a story published quickly and getting the right, fact-checked, edited story published. Newspapers often struggle through this delicate balance when deciding what goes on-line when. That’s to say nothing of the sometimes not so invisible division between print and on-line departments. <strong>Neil Chase</strong>, Continuous News Editor at the <em>New York Times</em>, talks to the <strong>Editors Weblog</strong> about their continuous news-desk and why it’s a model that works not just for the on-line product but benefits the print product and journalists too.</p>&title=Does the continuous news-desk resolve the issue of web first v editorial quality?){kind=link}
excellent article and congratulations to the editorial staff of Sakal, particularly to the Chief editor Mr. Mahesh Mhatre.
Realistic picture of indian newspaper industry. Congratulations. SAKAL,means MORNING in Marathhi, this article shows new trend in Marathi journalism
Sound knowledge of the socio-cultural
infrastructure of the surroundings,Perfect attitudes to look at the job,Skill of
catchy interpretation (for which he is spl.known)
and lively enjoyment of the
skilled hardwork has made Mr.Mhatre
an important part of Sakal.
He in fact began his career in
Mumbai Sakal and has vidarbh sakal to a presigeous
count of ABC 51000 in absolutely new area.
He deserves it.Congrats to him and
his team!
That was a very down-to-earth piece, extremely relevant to the current newspaper scenario, i was very happy to know the developments, so very positive, in Nagpur Sakaal.
superb information about regional papers... Marathi paul padate pudhe....
it's a great achivement for any of the 'MARATHI'newspaper.Sakal & perticulaly the editor Shri.Mahesh Mhatre have done a proudy job for all Marathi's. we ae also thankful to editorswebiog.com.
"ZAKkAs". Yala mhantat MARATHI-BANA.ABHINANDAN.
Mahesh,
The editorial democracy is your trademark, as one can see from the records.
NOW MY REQUEST-- do write a booklet about your experience of this experiment and include the experience of your work fellows. that would be a text book to all editors. PLEASE DO THIS.
congratulations on setting a trend and I am sure you will set many more.
Everybody like open environment in work culture but frightened to do so, The reasons are :
1. Senior fills that they will lose their Importance.
2. Ego does not allow them to do so.
Doing so Mahesh had gone step further. Congratulation to You.
Keep it up.
Hi Mahesh,
I Know You have it. I mean Creativity. It was evident from your book 'Manmogara'. Now your innovative approach to 'Newsroom' concept suggest that you are applying it in your profession as well which normally is considered to be dominated mostly by Politics.Though I am layman for Newsroom but at least can tell that its something which will help in tapping talent in young journalists who are considered inexperienced and thereby pushed to corner.
Best of Luck to you and Sakal. Milestone is not faraway!
i have read mr mahesh mhatre's article with interest. i have been operating from mumbai for the past many years. but what mahesh has conveyed is something new for me. i wish such atmosphere truly comes into existence in all the newspapers. but one wonders why journalists from major newspapers chose to join Sakal ? what were the compulsions ? were they attracted by money or did other reasons prompted their decision ?
kindly explain the situation to me and others against this backdrop.
thanks and awaiting
Dear Mr.Mahesh Mhatre
You have given a voice to wildlife of Vidarbha region. We have three Tiger RESRVES in Maharashtra state, all are situated in Vidarbha, that too around Nagpur.There are many issues which our wildlife reserves are facing today.
But Sakal has started giving space to these issues. As we all know "Jungle nadi Ki Maa Hai" (Forests are the mother of river".And forests can be regenerated by birds, pollinating insects,forest plougher Wild Boar, sloth Bear etc. In short we must protect wild fauna for protecting the forests, source of rivers.
SAKAL has given a wide coverage to this issue and I am sure, people will now start feeling that it is their duty to protect these natural resources of Vidarbha.
Kishor Rithe
Amravati.
I read it throughly, it's an interesting experiment done by mr.mhatre, it could be succesful in any part of the world, i would like to know more about it... thanks to editorsweblog
Dear Sir,
pranam,
Its really heartening and joyful to see our front page flagged on the prestgious website alongwith your article. It has given a different sort of confidence to our team. Although you credited everything to your `young and enthusiastic team`, I must underline a fact that its `WE` (including you) that made a difference. I`m in this profession since one and half decade. I`ve worked with many editors. I learnt a lot from them. But the spirit of newsroom that you created is something that I have never seen in the past. Maybe because of your being of our age group, we responded positivly or maybe because of so many youngsters, barring few exceptions like me, at your disposal, you could interact with us all very freely and frankly. I think, its both ways. Editors with a drive has become a rare `commodity` nowadays. Editors in `IVORY TOWERS` are out of fashion. English newspapers in India experienced a first Ice Breaking and initiated a process for better atmosphere in the their newsrooms. I`ve seen English Editors sitting beside a cub reporter and getting a copy written properly. I`ve seen them enjoying working together, thus leading to a different sort of affinity, where to err did`nt necessarily mean punishment. For them, it meant a chance to interact, chance to share and a chance to learn and improve. If necessary, juniors were scolded. But, still, there was no heartburn as such, since the intentions were clear and a motive transperent. Language Editors took long time to follow. In this background you emerge as a pioneer in the vernacular media. Newsroom is a place where most of the journalists (in true sense of the term! Ha Ha!) spend most of their time. Its a place from where they earn and learn. Its a place where they are `burn`...day and nights, silently...without complaints. Its a place wherein they befriend someone, quarrel with someone, sometimes fell in love with...(please don`t ask, with whom?). Its a place where they are up in arms against social evils or sometimes take rescue being afraid of being exposed to the evil world, which someone of them has attacked. Its a place where all work silently to create sensations. Its a place where all are deeply involved in something and still it boomranged on them. This place gives solace to everyone of the fraternity. Newsroom is a `world` where we all have come to remain as long as possible. You started making it better...I appeal my colleageues... Let`s make it even better.
Shailesh Pande
Dear Shri Mahesh Mhatre. Congratulations. I am very proud of you. You are setting excellent standard in journalism. " sa yat pramanam kurute lokastadanuvartate " The standards you set will be emulated by others. Bye Yours Shrikant Jichkar
The article about NRS is interesting. I would like to know where would NRS-03 data be available? We are interested to buy it.
Dear Mahesh ji,
Your article "How the newsroom management works at an Indian regional newspaper" is a good lesson for every journalist of every age who is working in this field. I got this great experience from you when you was Chif Editor of TARUN BHARAT, Nagpur. You are energetic, enthusiastic, innovative & eternal. Nobody can hide the smell of eucalyptus. He who goes through becomes fragrant.
Shriram Joshi
Dear Mahesh,
I am a regular surfer of editorweblog.But any how missed your thoughts based on practicle experiance to read quite late . Its good that you contributed on this site and encouraged other fellows to express. Though I differ on some points you raised, and barring some factual mistakesin your expression, overall I liked your thoughts on Newsroom Management. It was LIVE full of enthusiasm and offbeat.Do participate on this sitein future, so my fellow journalist will get some idea about Regional Newspapers.Mahesh, may I suggest to you and all those who responded to your thoughts, that to carefully go through articles on WAN website about Freedom of Press pays.. particularly Mr Amartya sen. Mr.Dalai Lama,and others.Regrets to note that even those newspaper who are member of WAN in india hardly notice 3rd May freedom of press day, Forget vernacular press. One more point I think we all (At present I am with Daily Deshdoot, published from Nashik, North Maharashtra, India) journalist, editors should interact with each other on some common points, to break the iceberg of Vernacular Press in India. Look at forgin media and their joint efforts through WAN, Editors forum, its really give entire new professional view of our Industry. I wish you all best luck in your efforts.
Nishikant Bhalerao
Using an online ID site like www.FingerVerified.com helps a lot and more and more people with jobs with purpose use the "online calling cards" to gain a degree of truth and clarification in a situation requiring speed and tact.