Modes of communication in a journalistic working environment

Journalists use communications techniques to provide a one way flow of information to the public through a print medium. Working as a journalist at the Newcastle Herald gave me a unique insight into the type of internal communications that contribute to the eventual external communication product - the daily news. The following is what I observed about the communications systems inherent at the Herald.

The modes of communication inherent at the Newcastle Herald are vast and varied, however there were several dominant methods of communication that came to the fore during my placement. This examination of communications within the structure of the Newcastle Herald will analyse an array of the most prominent technology based, verbal, and non-verbal communication systems utilised by the organisation.

The dominant communications tool used at the Herald is a computer application known as ‘Cyber’ which networks the organisation. Cyber is sophisticated print news specific software, which allows users to write stories through a word processor, and share those stories with the rest of the office by placing them in various ‘bins’ categorised by department. This allows editing staff immediate access to stories as they are completed. When articles are saved, the program provides a measurement of how much space the piece will occupy in the actual newspaper, which gives editorial staff the ability to plan the use of space and layout of the newspaper. The Cyber network connects the entire office, and also has a mail feature journalists use in a memo capacity, allowing users to send information, questions, opinions, jokes, conversation and so forth direct to the desired recipient’s computer. It also provides access to archived stories, and to all Fairfax, AAP and Reuters stories daily. This allows journalists to stay up to speed with new information and stories and provides editing staff with news for immediate release. Cyber is used for interpersonal communication, research, word processing, mail, editing, file sharing and much more, making it the ideal internal network communications tool for a newspaper, where speed and ease of access to information is imperative. Cyber, combined with the Newcastle Herald and Fairfax intranet, which enables access to cross-newspaper archiving, photograph(er) designation, important announcements and information, are the most prominent forms of internal communication.

While Cyber accounts for almost all internal communication at the Herald, there are other methods employed by staff for interpersonal and interdepartmental communication. Verbal communication is one of the dominant methods used to impart information, set professional tasks and direction, conduct story briefings, converse formally and informally, and so forth. Face to face communication is used in editorial meetings in order to construct the make-up of the newspaper and set the agenda for the following day. This direct form of communication allows for an open forum, whereby participants can actively debate and discuss important issues such as front page stories, photo selection, and inclusion and exclusion decisions.

External communication, such as interviews and correspondence with sources, are generally conducted by phone (most prominent for interviews) and email. Television news is viewed in order to establish the agenda, and to work towards providing new angles, as print is a day behind television and the internet, so there is a need to provide something ‘new’. While the Herald has a website which also disseminates news, it does not provide a 24 hour up-to-the-minute news service. As such, the Herald, as a print specialist, needs to find ways to engage audiences to stem the tide of “people increasingly turning to other media such as the Internet and 24-hour cable news networks for information.” (Shin, 2005). Their internet venture was borne mainly out of necessity, as Goggin (2006) outlines, “television, radio, newspapers, publishing and film all have online ventures and regard the internet as an integral part of the way they reach audiences.”

Sources

Goggin, G, “The Internet, Online and Mobile Cultures,” in Cunningham, S, & Turner, G (2006). The Media and Communications in Australia. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin.

Shin, A (2005). Newspaper Circulation Continues to Decline. (2005, May 3). Washington Post, p. E03.