Comments on: Tear down barriers to convergence http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/2007/12/15/tear-down-the-barries-to-convergence/ Random musings from a technologist Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: editor on the verge http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/2007/12/15/tear-down-the-barries-to-convergence/comment-page-1/#comment-1499 editor on the verge Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:24:24 +0000 http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1499 <strong>Journalism bloggers, remember who has the power...</strong> Recently Howard Owens, Jeff Jarvis, Pat Thornton, and many, many other journalism/media bloggers have crafted posts about what newspaper journalists are or are not doing, about what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong and about what they... Journalism bloggers, remember who has the power…

Recently Howard Owens, Jeff Jarvis, Pat Thornton, and many, many other journalism/media bloggers have crafted posts about what newspaper journalists are or are not doing, about what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong and about what they…

]]> By: pat http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/2007/12/15/tear-down-the-barries-to-convergence/comment-page-1/#comment-1493 pat Sun, 16 Dec 2007 05:01:30 +0000 http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1493 Yoni, that's an interesting point. I've seen what you are talking about where a lot of editors and writers still don't include "print" staffers like designers in the process very early. I think a lot of them still don't realize how helpful a strong infographic or package can be for a story. If a paper can't even get its print ducks in a row, it won't have a clue on the Web. Marc, I think it is a delicate balance to strike. I'm one of those people who doesn't believe in good enough. I think we have to put out high quality journalism, no matter the format. But I also think it's important to have employees who can do more than one thing in the 21st century. The best photographers should be concentrating on getting pictures for audio sideshows, photo essays, photo galleries and other multimedia projects (and know how to make audio slideshows and other multimedia packages). For a lot of the more basic photography tasks, a lot of other journalists would be fine. Training is very important. If I give an employee a camera, they have to know how to adjust the ISO, white balance, read the histogram and work the camera in manual mode. Without training, none of our employees will reach their potential. You'll never see me advocating giving journalists cameras, audio recorders, etc without proper training. I've seen what giving random people random equipment does, and it is always a waste of time and money. We cannot sacrifice quality, but we need employees with more than one skill. Yoni, that’s an interesting point. I’ve seen what you are talking about where a lot of editors and writers still don’t include “print” staffers like designers in the process very early. I think a lot of them still don’t realize how helpful a strong infographic or package can be for a story. If a paper can’t even get its print ducks in a row, it won’t have a clue on the Web.

Marc, I think it is a delicate balance to strike. I’m one of those people who doesn’t believe in good enough. I think we have to put out high quality journalism, no matter the format.

But I also think it’s important to have employees who can do more than one thing in the 21st century. The best photographers should be concentrating on getting pictures for audio sideshows, photo essays, photo galleries and other multimedia projects (and know how to make audio slideshows and other multimedia packages). For a lot of the more basic photography tasks, a lot of other journalists would be fine.

Training is very important. If I give an employee a camera, they have to know how to adjust the ISO, white balance, read the histogram and work the camera in manual mode. Without training, none of our employees will reach their potential. You’ll never see me advocating giving journalists cameras, audio recorders, etc without proper training.

I’ve seen what giving random people random equipment does, and it is always a waste of time and money. We cannot sacrifice quality, but we need employees with more than one skill.

]]> By: Marc Matteo http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/2007/12/15/tear-down-the-barries-to-convergence/comment-page-1/#comment-1492 Marc Matteo Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:01:45 +0000 http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1492 Pat, I think it makes a lot of sense for newsroom staffers to "get" more about the other silos in their own newsroom. They need not be master, but they should have at least a conceptual understanding. My only concern, however, to the whole "tear down the silos" mantra is that there's is often - not necessarily always - a certain fine-tuned focus in a "siloed" staffer. Yes, there are photographers who can write and there are writers who can get a good shot with a point and shoot camera, but it's a very fine line between this and just "working on the cheap." When newspapers start sacrificing quality for the bottom line, it's over. It becomes then a matter of time until that newspaper shuts it's doors forever. This is not black and white of course, spending gobs of money on a prima dona photographer/writer/web programmer doesn't make sense either - especially if they can't back it up. But I think sacrificing quality to save some pennies is not a long term strategic win. Pat, I think it makes a lot of sense for newsroom staffers to “get” more about the other silos in their own newsroom. They need not be master, but they should have at least a conceptual understanding.

My only concern, however, to the whole “tear down the silos” mantra is that there’s is often – not necessarily always – a certain fine-tuned focus in a “siloed” staffer.

Yes, there are photographers who can write and there are writers who can get a good shot with a point and shoot camera, but it’s a very fine line between this and just “working on the cheap.” When newspapers start sacrificing quality for the bottom line, it’s over. It becomes then a matter of time until that newspaper shuts it’s doors forever.

This is not black and white of course, spending gobs of money on a prima dona photographer/writer/web programmer doesn’t make sense either – especially if they can’t back it up. But I think sacrificing quality to save some pennies is not a long term strategic win.

]]> By: Yoni Greenbaum http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/2007/12/15/tear-down-the-barries-to-convergence/comment-page-1/#comment-1491 Yoni Greenbaum Sun, 16 Dec 2007 03:31:25 +0000 http://patthorntonfiles.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1491 Pat - Great point. Sadly, I think this issue predates even the web. I can recall hearing design folk making similar arguments about not be included early enough in the process and reporters and photographers not providing them with enough material. I would like to believe that in newsrooms that tackled that thorny issue, convergence is coming more freely. Pat – Great point. Sadly, I think this issue predates even the web. I can recall hearing design folk making similar arguments about not be included early enough in the process and reporters and photographers not providing them with enough material. I would like to believe that in newsrooms that tackled that thorny issue, convergence is coming more freely.

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