a survey of editors & reporters april 29, 2009 is multimedia journalism better journalism?
TRANSCRIPT
The study
√ To examine status of multimedia journalismPrimary duties of editors & reportersFuture newsroom staffing Impact of multimedia on editorial productAdditional training for Web publishing
√ 970 interviews with daily newspaper editors869 interviews with daily newspaper reporters
√ Conducted by Center for Advanced Social Research of RJI in December 2008 & February 2009
Status of Continuous News Desk
Would you say your organizationhas a continuous news desk?
Yes No
59%
41%
67%
33%
Editors
Reporters
Primary reasons for not having CND
√ Staffing / Small size of organization
√ Budget / Funding / Resources
√ In the process of converting to 24/7
Status of CND by editors & reportersStatus of Continuous News Desk
Do you operate your Web site & newspaper as an integrated product or … separate & distinct entities?
Status of Continuous News Desk
Integrated Separate DK/not sure
84%
15%
1%
83%
17%
EditorsReporters
Status of Continuous News Desk
Does your continuous news desk staff blog?
Yes No
63%
37%
65%
35%
EditorsReporters
Does your continuous news desk staffdo other multimedia story telling?
Status of Continuous News Desk
Yes No
75%
25%
82%
18%
EditorsReporters
How would you describe the primary duties of those on continuous news desk?
Primary duties of those on CND
Writing 73% 69% Reporting 65% 63%Blogging 34% 38%Editing 68% 69%Updating 72% 75%Taking video 48% 50%*Photos 9% 7%
[Check all that apply]
Editors Reporters
Most important priority of CND
Primary duties of those on CND
Breaking news 49.4% 46.0% Updating 10.6% 13.5%Accuracy 7.6% 9.1%Local community 4.1% 3.4%Timeliness 2.8% 2.9%Grow readership 1.4% 4.5%Speed 1.4% 7.7%
Editors Reporters
Multimedia journalism
Field Question:
Even though it may be difficult to predict, do youanticipate that the overall number of full-time editorial staff in your newsroom, including both print and online, will increase, decrease, or remainstable in the next 12 months? And in the next threeyears?
Future newsroom staffing
Future newsroom staffing in next 12 months
Future newsroom staffing
Increase Remain stable
Decrease DK/not sure
5%
60%
33%
2%6%
46% 45%
3%
EditorsReporters
Future newsroom staffingin next 3 years
Future newsroom staffing
Increase Remain stable
Decrease DK/not sure
16%
42%
36%
6%
19%
29%
45%
7%
EditorsReporters
Your ability to cover breaking news
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
73%
23%
4%
73%
23%
4%
EditorsReporters
The depth of your newsroom’s reporting
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
31%
51%
18%
26%
45%
29%
EditorsReporters
The accuracy of your newsroom’s reporting
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
40%
52%
8%
33%
53%
14%
EditorsReporters
The quality of your newsroom’s reporting
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better
No noticeable ch
ange
Worse
33%
54%
13%
28%
52%
20%
EditorsReporters
The comprehensiveness of your news coverage
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better
No noticeable ch
ange
Worse
52%
34%
14%
48%
31%
21%
EditorsReporters
The culture of your newsroom
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
52%
37%
11%
29%
45%
26%
EditorsReporters
Your ability to report with analysis
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
26%
52%
22%
29%
40%
31%
EditorsReporters
Your ability to report withbackground information
Impact of CND on editorial product
Better No noticeable change Worse
51%
40%
9%
42% 41%
17%
EditorsReporters
Have the demands of Web publishing or CNDincreased … the deadline pressure you face?
Impact of CND on editorial product
Increased No change Decreased
66%
33%
1%
69%
30%
1%
EditorsReporters
Impact of increased deadline pressureon quality of news coverage
Impact of CND on editorial product
Hurting Helping Just changing
No effect
13% 12%
73%
2%
18%
7%
73%
2%
EditorsReporters
Overall quality of news product
Impact of CND on editorial product
Not as good
Different but same
quality
Better DK/Not sure
10%
33%
54%
3%
20%
37% 34%
9%
EditorsReporters
Impact of CND on journalism
Impact of CND on editorial product
Made worse
Hasn't made Made better
DK/Not sure
19% 19%
56%
6%
20%18%
55%
7%
EditorsReporters
The emergence of the Internethas made journalism …?
Impact of CND on editorial product
Made worse
Hasn't made
Made better
DK/Not sure
25%
12%
56%
7%
18%
10%
64%
8%
EditorsReporters
Has provided training … for Web publishing?
Additional training for Web publishing
Yes No DK/Not sure
65%
33%
2%
53%
40%
7%
EditorsReporters
How effective is the training?
Effective Neutral Not effective
37%
44%
19%
30%
45%
25%
EditorsReporters
Additional training for Web publishing
Comfort level of writing for the Web
Comfortable Neutral Not comfortable
56%
32%
12%
55%
32%
13%
EditorsReporters
Additional training for Web publishing
Capability of newsroom staff to write for the Web
Capable Neutral Not capable
65%
28%
7%
64%
29%
7%
EditorsReporters
Additional training for Web publishing
Importance for newsroom staffto receive training for Web publishing
Important Neutral Not important
71%
20%
9%
74%
18%
8%
EditorsReporters
Additional training for Web publishing
News budget on training for Web publishing
Higher Same as before
Lower DK/not sure
39%
34%
19%
9%
35%
23%
12%
30%
EditorsReporters
Additional training for Web publishing
Multimedia journalism
Summary:
√ Multimedia news coverage, including blogging, isnow the norm in most newspaper newsrooms;
√ More editors than reporters thought all the changes newsrooms have made in the past three years have helped the overall quality of their news products;
√ Both editors (56%) and reporters (64%) thought the Internet has made journalism better generally;
What have we learned?
Multimedia journalism
Summary:
√ Unique features of the Internet, e.g., breaking news,comprehensive coverage, background information,were well understood by journalists;
√ No matter how formats change, journalism principles remain unchanged. “The Elements of Journalism”
Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenstiel
What have we learned?
Multimedia journalism
√ Why do you think that news on the Web is making journalism better?
√ Why is it that the impact of multimedia journalism on depth reporting is less than on breaking news?
√ What needs to change to make additional training for Web publishing more effective?
√ The results seem to suggest that strong journalism is needed more than ever before. Do you agree?
Can you tell me …