It should be easy to motivate journalists in print and broadcast newsrooms to think Web-first, right? They know the growth of online and the decline of traditional media use. They see opportunities that Web journalism provides -- immediacy, interactivity, innovation. They know their organizations want them to move to a multimedia approach to producing and delivering news. Still, transitions lag.
I don't believe the delays are fueled by arrogance, ignorance or laziness. I think the answer is much more basic:
1. They have learning anxiety about the new skills required, hate being temporarily
incompetent, and don't want to fail.
2. They're still doing their current jobs in a do-more-with-less world and feel swamped.
Newsroom bosses who are asking journalists to post early and often need to work through those issues. Cure the anxiety and fear with training and coaching. Do realistic assessments of workloads and be clear and fair about expectations.
Additionally, those who manage online news operations have a great motivational tool to help encourage journalists-in-transition. It's feedback. Precise, measurable data that gives people a sense of their impact. Done well and by good managers, it's not a report card; it's a growth chart.
On this SuperVision video, John Jackson, Online Editor for the creative
Roanoke Times Web publication,
Roanoke.com, explains how data can make a difference:
Here's part of the transition issue. The "internet walks on...
