An internal memo at the Oregonian laying out plans for the paper’s future has found its way to Oregon Media Central this morning. Following the paper’s second buyout offer last month:
“We will not abandon our foundation of beat reporting,” the memo says, “but beats will be redefined along areas of expertise of most interest to our readers. Some beats will be eliminated because with fewer people we cannot cover everything that we have in the past.”
Here’s the real juice:
Our focus in print:
* Reveal how power is used, decisions are made and the impact on citizens.
* Explain how all manner of things really work.
* Question and explore relevant issues in depth, and explain their substance and context.
* Introduce people to others worth knowing and to new ideas and innovations.
* Tell compelling stories of community.Our focus online:
* Break news.
* Encourage, engage and collaborate with communities of interest (both geographic and subject).
* Serve as the center and catalyst for community conversations (both geographic and subject)
* Aggregate information in broad swaths across topics and provide information on topics of greatest interest/utility
* Tell stories with tools unavailable for print.
I love the line, “explain how all manner of things really work.”
That line jumped out at me, too – what the heck does it mean?
Perhaps they’ve poached “Dr.Know?”
i actually heard that they got bill nye the science guy
Their focus online should shift to “not having the worst website on the entire internet.” I would start there if I were them.
What BGJ said.
I also really liked the commenter on that post who worked for the Sun. He’s got some great points.
I hope the paper evolves into a small, rolled up Eyewitness book they deliver to your house every day. Man I loved those books.
Dear Oregonian, where do babies come from?
I will actually give them a dollar for every time they answer a question with the words “Yes, Virginia …” regardless of the name of the asker.
Their website filters comments critical of the paper/stories/editors. Pretty shameful. Why bother having a comment section?
Worst website in the world comment, seconded.
Not only is the website truly atrocious, but it is the same as a series of other regional news websites. A company called Advanced Internet runs them all. If you look at http://www.NJ.com (New Jersey), http://www.pennlive.com (Central PA) and several others, the layout, advertising, and some of the national content is the same as http://www.oregonlive.com
For all the O prognosticates about advancing technology in the region, keeping work local, and being unique, their website is a total embarrassment.