(Re)Structuring Journalism

This site:

(Re)Structuring Journalism explores the evolution of information in a digital age – how it’s changed how people access it, how it’s created, and how it’ll be paid for.  It looks at how journalism needs to adapt – from the ground up – and fundamentally rethink what journalists do and what they produce.

And it suggests one new approach, in particular: A melding of story and structure that speaks both to the way users want to access information as well as the traditional strengths and virtues of professional journalism.  The working title for this is Structured Journalism.

The goal is to add to the discussion on the future of journalism, and hopefully offer elements that might contribute to the sustainability of the craft and its mission.

If you need help navigating the site, go to Getting Around.

Me:

I’ve been a journalist for more than three decades, working in print, electronic media, television and radio.

I’m currently Executive Editor of Semafor, a new news startup founded by Justin Smith and Ben Smith.  Previously, I was Executive Editor of Reuters, based in New York.  From July 2009 to March 2011, I was Editor-in-Chief of the South China Morning Post, responsible for the editorial operations of the Hong Kong-based news media company. 

Prior to that, I had a 16-year run at The Wall Street Journal, including as a Deputy Managing Editor in New York, where I managed the global newsroom budget, supervised the graphics team, and helped develop the paper’s computer-assisted reporting capabilities.   I also ran the Journal’s Hong Kong-based Asian edition for eight years, opened the paper’s bureau in Hanoi, and was its correspondent in the Philippines.

I learned how to splice reel-to-reel audio tape and edit video on U-matic cassettes at the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corp, and embarrassingly anchored a few TV shows. In an earlier stint at Reuters in the late 1980s, I witnessed the speed at which information flashes through the financial system and the impact a single piece of news could have.  And, when we created Connected China, I’m saw how the world of journalism could evolve and – hopefully – advance.

I’ve taught graduate-level classes at Hong Kong University, New York University and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore on the business models of journalism, using Excel as a reporting tool, and numeracy in the newsroom. I also set up and found funding for a fellowship that brings promising journalists from Asia to study business and economic reporting at New York University.

The views expressed here are my personal opinions and don’t reflect those of any of my employers.