Media Helping Media

Tips for running a successful news agency

Published on Monday, 10 January 2011

Written by David Schlesinger

  

[span class=approved]Note: This is a guest contribution from David Schlesinger Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News. MHM asked David to write some tips on running a successful news agency after an approach was made to this site for a training module from a regional news agency in Africa.[/span]

Know what you're about

You can't be everywhere and do everything. You have to rely on your people to do the work, but they have to know the right direction and they have to know the ethics and standards that are vital to you.

Having clear ethics and standards is vital

Communicate your vision

It isn't enough to have a vision or a system of values; your journalists have to hear it, believe in it and internalize it.

Everyone involved in the process must share the vision

Be inclusive and visible

Journalists are loners; your job is to make a team out of individuals. You do that by being around, by talking and by listening - it can be in person or it can be by digital social networking. The important thing is it happens.

You need to be a team builder and learn to listen your staff and the audience

Know who you're writing for

We aren't in this for ourselves. We are providing a service, and if we want to get paid for doing this, we have to keep the customer in mind.

Know your audience and ensure you focus on its needs

Prioritize ruthlessly

There's enough work for an infinite number of journalists working an infinite number of hours. But that is an impossibility. Know what's important and do that - jettison the rest

Be selective and focused and don't be distracted by the unimportant

Make sure you're adding value in what you deliver

The enemy is commoditisation. Add value, make every story really count,

Don't just recycle information, ensure what you produce is distinctive and adds value

Be relevant, be unique

No one pays for boring. No one buys routine.

We are not there to bore the audience, we are there to inform

Have fun

Sure these jobs are important, but there's no point in doing them unless they're a lot of fun too.

If you are having fun producing your journalism that will come through in what you deliver

[important color=green title=David Schlesinger]David Schlesinger is the Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News at Thomson Reuters, where he oversees all of Thomson Reuters editorial operations and strategy. He was appointed Reuters Editor-in-Chief in January 2007, and before that, was the company’s Global Managing Editor for three years. David is active in the World Economic Forum, where he has been selected as a member of the International Media Council and the China Agenda Council. [/important]

  

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