What do you know about your operation?

Rosen also said that nothing has been invented to take the place of The Editor. So then, what are all,those Audience Engagement Coaches at Gannett?

 

My job is knowing my operation: I have much more of a macro view than a micro one at this point. And it's an operation subject to many of the ongoing industry issues while having some of its own. Each day remains an opportunity to screw it up while also finding small victories. Twas always thus, and always thus will be. Until it isn't.

 

My dad was a newspaper advertising salesman and manager. Understanding how and why he did what he did made me think twice before bitching about some things, but I don't think it really helped me in my career, not even when I was a glass office. A couple jobs ago when we finally got pagination and would be dealing directly with the pressmen, I bought a college text on how to operate presses so I wouldn't ask them to do the impossible. But the book was way beyond my ability to understand it.

It's good to know how it works, because it shows we care and it helps when interacting with other departments, so long as you don't think you know more about their jobs than they do. Beyond that, I can't say that anyplace I've worked has figured out the magic formula, and a couple places I've freelanced for -- and online is all they do -- are barely alive now. I don't really trust people who say they know what they are doing because I have yet to meet anyone who did. I have to think that if the academics knew how to make money online from news, they would be out making billions.