This CJR story is truly an example of how little the Advance folks get about what real journalism is about. Truly sad. I'll have more to say about this later.
Thanks to a loyal reader for forwarding the link.
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8 comments:
First, this isn't a pay for performance system if reporters aren't truly performing themselves, unless performance no longer requires reporters to do their own real reporting. Second, such quotas are nothing more than gimmicks and artifice, falsely inflating numbers of clicks, page-views and reader comments for advertisers. Trouble is, thanks to coverage of these quotas, advertisers are well aware that reader interest metrics are seriously compromised and grossly exaggerated by the quasi internet marketing tactics management is now forcing upon reporters. Of course, such a system will further crush newsroom morale, further reduce reporters' pay, push even more of them out of the business and eventually implode, because it is simply unsustainable. It's things like this that make me glad to be out of the biz, but so sorry for those still trying to make a go of it.
Have you seen news of this?
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/star-ledger_njcom_and_affiliated_newspapers_announce_new_media_company_layoffs_likely.html
Have you seen this?
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/star-ledger_njcom_and_affiliated_newspapers_announce_new_media_company_layoffs_likely.html
Sad as a former FJ employee that the FJ's old printing plant is being replaced. But better with the new Farmer's Market, I suppose, than another bank to hold the $129,000 in mistakenly issued retirement benefits that Sheriff Pickell refuses to return. Wonder if the Farmer's Market vendors are using any funds left-over from the state tax credits the paper got to build the printing plant? Probably not.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140328/NEWS01/140329859/former-flint-journal-printing-plant-to-become-farmers-market
Ruth or others, isn't NJ.com the latest home of that former FJ and AA News editor and digital wunderkind? If so, I see no mention of him among the serveral editor/management names in the article.
What amazes me is that Mlive, and especially the Jackson Mlive site which is where I go now that I live in Jackson County, has so little real news. Half of the posts are links to stories that were posted earlier, or a compilation of comments from earlier stories. I guess it's not enough to get comments on a story, then they have to create a new story about the comments. Now people are commenting on comments. How insane is that? The other thing that bothers me is half of the posts are lists of community events or lists of inane stuff like birth announcements or new business filings to fill space. I used to work at the Kalamazoo paper before it became Mlive, and I have to say I'm embarrassed for the entire industry.
Anonymous 12:33 here again. Just a follow-up that lest one think I am an old-timer inured to change, think again. I may be an old-timer compared to most in the FJ "newsroom" these days but I am certainly used to change in my occupation. What's more, I have learned that often times change is good or at least a necessary evil. That said, some things should NEVER change. One thing that should remain sacrosanct is a reporter should not be a cheerleader or take sides. I know the argument that no one is truly objective, but reporters should still make every attempt at objectivity -- and certainly should make a good-faith attempt to avoid even the appearance of subjectivity. That means newsooms of reporters not applauding when a president is elected, no matter if he was the first black president or the first Socialist president, and it also means reporters not posting comments on their own stories egging on reader comments, especially not for the disingenuous sake of discourse when the real reason is that whip-cracking, profit-mad management demands increased comments to appease advertisers.
This one's interesting ... http://espn.go.com/new-york/college-sports/story/_/id/10743947/rutgers-athletic-director-julie-hermann-bashes-ailing-new-jersey-newspaper
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