Published Friday, April 6, 2001
The Buzz
BY ICESS FERNÁNDEZ
ASNE Reporter
Today's question: What one idea would you suggest to improve retention in the newsroom?
“Work on development. Oftentimes we recruit staffers at job fairs, and we recruit hard. Minority reporters get rushed harder than Anglo reporters in terms of being courted. This is especially true of experienced journalists of color. There is a lot of attention placed on recruiting. Development, too often, comes to a screeching halt.”
– Susan Bischoff, deputy managing editor, Houston Chronicle
“They should invest in training. Programs like the Maynard Institute, Newspaper Association of America, and Chips Quinn (Scholars program) have a high retention rate. If they run the numbers, they’ll get the results.”
– Dori J. Maynard, president, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
“(Editors should) talk to their employees. Research studies have shown that reporters don’t leave newspapers, they leave editors.”
– Michael P. Smith, managing director, Media Management Center, Northwestern University
“We need to recognize talent, nurture it and be willing to create a newsroom culture where all journalists feel valued.”
– Phil Bailey, editorial page editor, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
“The two most important things are career development and understanding the importance of news (to the individual). Career development (is important) because many people come into the business, and they come to feel it is not the business for them. Many minorities come into the business to cover certain kinds of stories. If those people don’t get to do them, the numbers will dissipate.”
– Milton Coleman, deputy managing editor, The Washington Post.
“Attention to reporter needs, more mentoring and bigger pay scales. Attention and mentoring come from the immediate supervisors and upper level editors.”
– Talmage A. Campbell, executive editor, San Gabriel Valley (Calif.) Newspaper Group
“One thing editors need to do is to keep reporters in the loop. Take them to lunch. Network with them. Highlight the path to promotion. Don’t just hire a small population but the entire staff needs to be more diversified. Form collegial relationships. They should be mentored in not just professional life in the newsroom but professional lifestyle in the newsroom.”
– Joe Urschel, executive director and senior vice president, Newseum
“Don’t be afraid to change. Learn something from our friends in TV. They change and renew viewers all the time.”
– John Vivona, vice president, Universal Press Syndicate
