PRODUCERS AND MANAGERS...ARE THEY NOW THE SAME THING?

Online journalism has changed the face of the industry. Those working in the field now have to keep abreast with technology and satisfy an ever-demanding readership hungry for new slants and insights to a story. But just how much have the roles and responsibilities of the modernday journalist really changed?

An online survey of people working for online news sites was administered in November and December of 2005. It sought to identify the elements that distinguished the 'new world' of online journalism. In preliminary interviews, online journalists said that rather than a reliance on technical aspects it was the requirement for a different way of thinking that made online journalism different. The online survey sought to identify the requirements and beliefs of both managers and producers of online content. From the survey responses the following was gathered:
- 84.8% of producers of online content reported that an awareness of new technology was important.
-88.4% of producers and 78.4% of managers suggested that news judgement was vital.
-49% of producers said they used photo editing frequently. This response was higher than 'reporting and writing original stories' and 'audio' or 'video production'.
-Both managers and producers were required to, and used, programs such as Photoshop. However, almost 72% of producers reported a daily use of HTML. This was significantly higher than managers.

The survey findings suggest that managers and producers have quite different job requirements. However, online journalism and traditional journalism still share similar traits. Copy-editing skills and knowing what makes a good story remain important for all employed in the industry. The difference between the traditional and modern day journalist seems to lie in the broad competence now required of each professional. Rather than a reliance on expertise in one field, journalists must be capable of utilizing new technologies and have an understanding of the expanding demands of the consuming public.