Comments for McClatchy Newsrooms

Comment on Digital lessons from the storm by Suzanne Levinson

Suzanne Levinson — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:43:26 +0000

Some great lessons here, thanks. Events like this one — if covered as well as you obviously have done — can change both reader habits and newsroom habits. It sounds like that’s exactly what is happening.

We launched what was then called HeraldLink in “beta” in May 1996, and then on May 11, ValuJet Flight 592 crashed in the Everglades. Suddenly everyone in the newsroom recognized the importance of our brand new website and its value to readers. Breaking news, especially the BIG story, is what pushes us to the next level in coverage and readership. (And I’m sure plenty of your readers were viewing your stories and video on tablets and phones, even as your reporters were using them to record the damage.)

Comment on Do we need social media guidelines for our journalists? by Jeff Kidd

Jeff Kidd — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:04:36 +0000

The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette put together guidelines and best practices when we assigned Twitter accounts to all news reporters and several other newsroom folks this past May. We, too, worked off of Charlotte’s policies and also borrowed from some other policies we found at Poynter and elsewhere.

Ours are posted on an intranet wiki, so the format isn’t great for sharing, but I could pull together something in a cleaner format if you’re interested in seeing it.

Comment on Do we need social media guidelines for our journalists? by Carolyn Murray

Carolyn Murray — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:42:03 +0000

We’re working on a set of guidelines as well, using Charlotte’s and others as a starting point. I’d love to see what others have come up with too.

Comment on Legal issues and social networking: an ASNE webinar by Sherry Chisenhall

Sherry Chisenhall — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:54:27 +0000

Rick and Jeff,
The topic of SM guidelines and policies is on our schedule for the monthly webinars. I’ve had the same thought, that legal and HR advice may be more useful, or at least as useful, as speakers sharing their policies. I’m supposed to handle this one, for July, and have just started thinking about the best way to frame the conversation.

Comment on Seeking policies for online ads/sponsorships by Sherry Chisenhall

Sherry Chisenhall — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:50:24 +0000

Joan, we look at everything on a case-by-case basis, if you’re talking about content and placement. We have pretty open discussion in our weekly digital meeting — me, digital editor, VP for advertising, digital sales mgr and the publisher. It’s been difficult to establish rules since we often don’t have precedent, so we talk it through as a group.

Comment on Legal issues and social networking: an ASNE webinar by Rick Thames

Rick Thames — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:25:14 +0000

I agree. Jeff, wondered if you were able to watch it. Or anyone else for that matter. Also, could this topic, and other legal issues, be the subject of a McClatchy webinar moderated by our legal counsel?

Comment on Do we need social media guidelines for our journalists? by Gary Funk

Gary Funk — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:24:55 +0000

Hi Laurie, I am interested in seeing your guidelines, too.

Comment on iPads & tablets: What’s working in newsrooms? by Peter Baniak

Peter Baniak — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:39:34 +0000

Laurie,
I’m a huge fan of iPads as reporting tools. We now have 8 in the newsroom. Reporters who have them love them, especially front-line breaking news and sports reporters. They use them for everything — writing stories, email, Twitter, video, photos — and they prefer them to smartphones because the size is more accommodating for typing. We have purchased keyboards for several of ours, which makes them even easier to use.
Our most digitally savvy sports columnist carries his everywhere, uses it to blog, Tweet, send out photos of stat charts from press row mid-game, you name it.
The iPads proved to be absolutely essential tools for field reporters during a recent tornado outbreak that killed 23 people in Kentucky. I describe that experience here: http://mcclatchynewsrooms.com/2012/03/08/digital-lessons-from-the-storm/
Three of our tablets are available for checkout to reporters, and our mutlimedia editor just held some mandatory iPad video training sessions for the whole newsroom. That, plus the ease of use, has really upped the amount of video we’re producing overall. Reporters also say they prefer using the iPad to shoot video over a smartphone, which I had not expected. They like being able to hold it with two hands.
Finally, the iPads are especially good tools for those who may not be as tech-savvy. Their size and ease of use keeps them from being intimidating. For example, our court reporter, who had not used Twitter previously, took an iPad to court during a recent big-deal two-week murder trial and live-Tweeted the entire thing, almost minute-by-minute. She loved it, and so did readers.
Photographers still prefer smartphones to the iPad because they already carry a ton of gear. Plus, up til now, the camera resolution has been much better on the iPhone. I’m eager to check out the new iPad to see how that has changed.
Be happy to hook you up with some of our folks using the iPads if it would be helpful.
Peter

Comment on Do we need social media guidelines for our journalists? by Jeffry Couch

Jeffry Couch — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:07:09 +0000

Thanks, Laurie.

Comment on Do we need social media guidelines for our journalists? by Laurie Williams

Laurie Williams — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:06:10 +0000

Yes, we just rolled out our social media guidelines for all the newsroom staff. I have it on Google docs if you’d like to look at it or I can send you an email.
We started with Miami and AP’s guidelines and also referred back to our own ethics guidelines.
-L