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Out of Nowhere
Article

Out of Nowhere

What’s lost and won as newsrooms close their offices for good

Ruth Margalit
Columbia Journalism Review, 2020
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Concrete Examples
  • Insider's Take

Recommendation

Due to the economic pressures of the digital era and media consolidation, the demise of the traditional newsroom was well underway before the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing in the Columbia Journalism Review, journalist Ruth Margalit describes how the pandemic accelerated the process. The pandemic moved print and broadcast news staffers rapidly to remote work. But virtual reporting offers unique challenges – especially for novice reporters without existing sources and networks. Despite its pitfalls, remote work creates opportunities for talented people who might not have snagged newsroom jobs, thus expanding the diversity of reporting.

Take-Aways

  • News organizations were struggling before the pandemic. COVID-19 made many close their newsrooms and switch to remote work.
  • Remote reporting brings new challenges for reporters and news organizations.
  • The design of newsrooms has evolved in conjunction with technology and social expectations. The pandemic hastened another redesign.

About the Author

Ruth Margalit began her career at Haaretz and served as international news desk editor for Channel 10 News in Israel. She has been on the editorial staff at The New Yorker since 2011.   

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