By Rick Waghorn: (My thanks to Paul for this opportunity to ‘cross-post’; this is from OutWithABang yesterday… http://outwithabang.rickwaghorn.co.uk/?p=153 – I have to say being granted access to someone else’s blog is very weird; it’s like tip-toeing through someone else’s bedroom… Anyway, we digress.)

Much has already been made of the Daily Express’ decision to slash away at its cost base by asking its reporters to place their stories on the pages themselves – in an instant wiping out the sub-editors’ craft.

Self-written, self-subbed pages – that’s the future, say the suits. Before introducing the nice man from Sweden whose new, multi-platform CMS system can make it all happen…

Clearly what’s good enough for Richard Desmond is good enough for the Epping Forest Gazette – and, indeed, reportedly the Welwyn & Hatfield Times as Archant mirrors Newsquest’s thinking in multi-skilling and multi-tasking their local news reporters for this new digital world.

What’s interesting is the job descriptions that follow in technology’s wake; there are 300 journalists across the Midlands already applying for a job with the word ‘multi’ well to the fore… many, many more will be asked to follow suit as the suits upstairs desperately seek to match revenue to editorial process. Continue reading →