CMD Blog

Space Management In A Newsroom

31st, January 2012

The newsroom is the hub of any journalistic organisation, whether is it is a local newspaper, a national radio station or an international news website. The newsroom is a busy place, filled with journalists making phone calls, researching stories, typing up news articles and doing everything they can to get a breaking news story delivered on time. Journalists must deliver news as quickly and as accurately as possible to remain competitive in a cut throat industry. The newsroom must be powered effectively and be free from clutter so journalists can operate quickly and efficiently.

Most newsrooms are now non-linear and operate around a series of hubs, where a number of journalists will sit around computers in different areas. These hubs which will usually have two screens per person as it is vital that a journalist is able to monitor other news outlets and news feeds while going about their own work. If a competitor breaks a story before they do, they must begin work on it immediately or risk losing the story altogether. Each hub usually has at least two phones as well. One phone will be used for ringing out to conduct interviews and at least one other phone will be specifically designated for freelance journalists to call the news hub if they find a breaking story.

A small newsroom will consist of at least three or four of these small hubs. To remain efficient, these hubs must have a good desktop cable management system so journalists can work in a neat environment. Journalists have enough scraps of paper, notepads and press releases on their desk without having to worry about cables as well. Desktop cable management will help keep the desk clear of computer and phone cables. The cables are directed through a hole in the middle of the hub into the floor.

Desktop computers in a news hub will be attached to an adjustable monitor stand. Adjustable monitor stands will allow a journalist to move both of their computer screens freely. This means that if they want to focus on the screen they are working on and have other news outlets on a screen in their peripheral vision, they can adjust the screens accordingly for their comfort.

Bigger newsrooms usually have television screens on the walls so journalists can see a variety of different news channels at once. This allows them to monitor breaking news from different regions and even different countries depending on the size of the organisation. An effective system must be in place to manage cables from these television screens so cables are not falling on the floor and tripping people over.

A 21st century newsroom is a very busy environment to work in and it is filled with modern technology. Effective cable management systems are vital to help manage space in a newsroom and allow journalists to complete their work quickly and deliver breaking news to the public.