Producing online news is a fast-paced job that involves snap judgement, a holistic view of news elements, special skills and an excellent eye for detail.
What skills are needed?
Though you’re most often working in a team, it’s always a small team and time is paramount. Digital producers need:
- Excellent sub-editing skills.
- The ability to graft stories together and rewrite quickly.
- Image-editing concepts and experience.
- Social media knowledge and networks.
- Understanding of search engine optimization.
- Working knowledge of content management systems.
How is the work changing?
Newsrooms are becoming increasingly digital. Journalists are now often expected to source and produce:
- Reports and updates.
- Opinion pieces.
- Image galleries.
- Video interviews and reports.
- Social media promotion pieces.
- Visual information like infographics and maps.
Why is an eye for detail important?
- Once it’s on the internet, it could be there forever – and internationally accessible.
- Fact-checking and sub-editing processes are cut down for online.
- Time pressures are paramount. Seconds matter.
For online news examples, see Lyndal Cairns’ digital journalism portfolio.