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RJI Research

Journalists felt "24/7 newsroom" improved journalism

Executive summary

With more people and newspapers moving online, is journalism getting better in today’s multimedia news environment? How do journalists feel about the impact of the growing prevalence of the Internet and continuous news desk on their editorial products? How are various newsrooms handling the pressure associated with 24/7 news cycle? These research questions were addressed in a recent study by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE). The Center for Advanced Social Research of RJI surveyed 970 daily newspaper editors and 869 reporters in December 2008 and February 2009. Some of the findings were presented at an ASNE webinar on April 29, 2009.

The study shows that the practice of 24/7 newsroom has made journalism better. The key findings are:

• Fifty-six percent of editors and 55 percent of reporters thought the Web as a publishing platform, or continuous news desk, has made journalism better, whether in print or online. Similarly, 56 percent of editors and 64 percent of reporters felt that the emergence of the Internet has improved journalism. Fifty-four percent of editors and 34 percent of reporters said that the quality of their news product, whether in print or online, was better than three years ago.
• Although 66 percent of editors and 69 percent of reporters agreed that the demands of Web publishing or continuous news desk had increased the deadline pressure they now face, journalists seemed to have handled the challenges of multimedia journalism well. Sixty-five percent of editors and 64 percent of reporters reported that their newsroom staff, including both print and online, was capable of writing for the Web. Seventy-three percent of both groups reported that their ability to cover breaking news was better than three years ago; 52 percent of editors and 48 percent of reporters felt the comprehensiveness of their news coverage has improved; and 51 percent of editors and 42 percent of reporters thought their ability to report with background information has become better than three years ago. Forty percent of editors and 34 percent of reporters also said that the accuracy of their newsroom’s reporting was better; and 53% of editors and 29% of reporters felt that the culture of their newsroom has become better.
• An overwhelming majority of the journalists (84 percent of editors and 83 percent of reporters) said that their organizations operate Web site and print newspaper as an integrated product tailored to different formats, rather than treat them as separate and distinct entities. Fifty-nine percent of editors and 67% of reporters reported that their organization has a continuous news desk. In addition, the study shows that multimedia news coverage, including blogging, is now the norm in most newspaper newsrooms. Sixty-three percent of editors and 65 percent of reporters (among news organizations that reported having a continuous news desk) said their staff blog; 76 percent of the editors and 82 percent of the reporters also said their continuous news desk staff do other multimedia storytelling.
• With regard to training, 65 percent of editors and 53 percent of reporters told researchers that their news organizations have provided training such as writing, graphics, layout, or design for Web publishing during the past three years. Although nearly three-fourth of the journalists interviewed agreed that it is important to receive the additional training, 19% of editors and 25% of reporters noted a need for more effective training.
  
• Circulation size clearly made a difference in the journalists’ responses to the survey questions. For example, 92 percent of editors with circulations 75,000 or more, and 85 percent of those between 25,000 but less than 75,000 reported having a continuous news desk, compared to 49 percent of editors with circulations less than 25,000 saying so. In addition, 77 percent of editors with circulations 75,000 or more, and 83 percent of those between 25,000 but less than 75,000 said their continuous news desk staff blog, compared to 52 percent of editors with circulations less than 25,000.
• Ninety-five percent of editors with circulations 75,000 or more, and 83 percent of those between 25,000 but less than 75,000 said their organizations have provided additional training for web publishing during the past three years, compared to 59% of editors with circulations less than 25,000.

The sample of the journalists interviewed was drawn from the newspaper database maintained by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. It closely represented the composition of current daily newspapers in the United States. Nine percent of the sample was from newspapers with circulations 75,000 or more, 17 percent between 25,000 and 75,000, and 74 percent less than 25,000.

A complete report of the study findings will be available in September 2009 on the Web site of RJI and ASNE. RJI is also planning to survey the American public with the same questionnaire in its 2009-10 fiscal year.

For questions or more information about the study, please contact Kenneth Fleming, PhD, at flemingk@missouri.edu.

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