News

Have photo staffs become a luxury for newspapers?

The Chicago Sun-Times laid off its 28 staff photographers Thursday, prompting an outcry from photojournalists. But, putting aside grave proclamations about the industry (we’ll get to those later), will the newspaper be able to function without dedicated photographers? Analysts disagree.

Der Spiegel rethinks its strategy, aiming for synergy between print and digital content

German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, one of the powerhouses of international opinion journalism, is on the quest for a new medium between its paper and digital strategies, having suffered recent blows from internal conflicts, stiffening competition and the general economic crisis within the media world.

Business disruption is the norm, says Wired UK Editor David Rowan (with video)

We need to reframe the conversation around journalism and business models for news, without just talking about ‘digital’ and ‘paywalls,’ said David Rowan, editor of Wired UK, at the World Editors Forum in Bangkok. Wired is about the future, about people who are changing the world, about startups and entrepreneurs, and Rowan said he hoped to channel some of that mindset to “explain why we need to think bigger.”

Web allows politicians to sidestep journalists, craft their own coverage

Journalists have long complained that the Obama administration’s distance from the press is a “disgrace,” as veteran White House reporter Ann Compton wrote in February. But, fueled by the ease of web publication, the worrisome trend is catching on despite protests.

Paywalls are good for journalism, believes Globe and Mail’s John Stackhouse

“Paywalls work if they are supporting good journalism,” said John Stackhouse, editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail, presenting in the Paywalls: To charge or not to charge session at the World Newspaper Congress in Bangkok.

Africa is changing fast, and the news industry with it

Africa is changing, said Amadou Mhatar Ba, CEO of the African Media Initiative, at the Around the World Session at the World Newspaper Congress in Bangkok. The average GDP has increased from about $400 at around the turn of the century to more than $1000 now, and the middle class is starting to grow.

Using data to move beyond news to building tools

There is an abundance of creative ways to use data to tell stories and build tools that will help you cultivate a loyal, engaged audience, said Knight International Journalism Fellow Justin Arenstein at today’s Editors Masterclass on the data revolution, at the World Editors Forum in Bangkok.

Erik Bjerager Re-elected President of World Editors Forum

The Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of the Danish national daily Kristeligt Dagblad was re-elected for a second two-year term.

How is L’Opinion faring after its first two weeks?

Two weeks on from the launch of his new “liberal, pro-business” daily newspaper, Nicolas Beytout describes his state of mind as “satisfied and realistic,” while sales figures have shown that the newspaper is slowly picking up speed.

The Financial Times launches rapid-fire news service, fastFT

The Financial Times has launched a digital breaking-news platform to facilitate the rapid delivery of “market-moving news and views 24 hours a day” in the form of 150-300 word stories. By providing up-to-the-minute reporting, it is hoped that this new application will encourage the “active news consumer” to stay loyal to the FT for their daily fix of financial news.