Newsroom Structure at The Post

Online Journalism Symposium / March 30, 2007

The Washington Post / washingtonpost.com

• The print and web newsrooms remain separate, both organizationally and physically.

– The CEO of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (WPNI), Caroline Little, reports to Don Graham, as does Bo Jones, the publisher of The Washington Post.

– Washingtonpost.com’s newsroom is in Arlington, Va.; the print newsroom is in downtown D.C.

A History of Cross-Platform Communication at The Post

• 1995: Absolutely none• 1996: Slightly more than none• 1997: “What the hell is Digital Ink?”• 1999: “You lost how much money last year?”• 2000: “See, the web was just a fad.”• 2001: 9/11 starts to change things• 2003: Continuous news desk formed• 2007: CND partially disbanded; web editor

model introduced

Advantages• Web site has developed its own culture

and DNA, and is freer to try new things because of independence.

• The responsibility of building up our Web audience and revenue base lies with folks with long careers in Web journalism.

• The responsibility for addressing print circulation and revenue issues lies with folks with long careers in print journalism.

Disadvantages• Communication between the newsrooms is

complicated by being in different buildings.• Our independence sometimes leads to

conflicting priorities and tension, i.e. comments on articles, home page play, etc.

• Print newsroom staffers don’t always feel like they have a dog in the hunt, even though we’re all on the same team.

Thank You