When it comes to editorial management, we read about digital-first, mobile-first, or even mobile-only strategies, but most of us are looking at newsrooms still steeped in the traditions of print publishing. This is where a robust content planning software like Kordiam can make all the difference in editorial content planning.

Staff must be weaned away from work practices and workflows rooted in daily deadlines and overnight printing that still smell of hot metal and wet ink. So what do you do?

Implementing Modern Tools for Editorial Management

Your thought leaders research the state-of-the-art tools that others around the world are using to revolutionize their production. You read the research and the articles about great leaps ahead. Then the time comes to bring the staff onboard with the new approach, and you find yourself suddenly bogged down in a long grinding campaign of attrition fought with a mixture of cajolery, bribery, and the occasional old-fashioned threat.

Learning from Leading Newsrooms

So, what do other newsrooms do? The famous ones that have the eyes of the world on them? We got a taste recently when the New York Times abruptly decided to remove the front page from its morning meetings. The thinking was that by focusing on the front page, the mindset was staying resolutely stuck in a paper-first mode. Pushing that off the top slot and into a side meeting made it clear this was not now the way of the Gray Lady.

There were a few raised eyebrows about this, but for many, it was seen as largely symbolic. Now we hear that the latest move has been to block access to the homepage for NYT employees. Yes, you read that right. New York Times workers, including all the journalists, cannot see the homepage of their news site when they log on. This means they can no longer use their desktops to catch up on news or see what the site is currently running as its leads.

Embracing Mobile-First with Kordiam

So why would a world-leading newsroom seemingly blindfold its own staff? Simple; to force them to get out their smartphones and see the homepage or catch up on news on the small screen. Because that is what the readers are increasingly doing, and the NYT is intent on changing the venerable culture of its organization.

As such, it is prepared to force staff to see 'mobile first' as more than a buzzword – it is how much of the world works, and so it is how they expect their newsroom to work. Kordiam's content planning software can play a crucial role in this transition by streamlining workflows, enhancing coordination, and ensuring that all team members are aligned with the digital-first approach.

Overcoming Resistance to Change

Would you dare do the same? We'll be looking at some more examples of how newsrooms have begged, beguiled, or bullied their staff into change. Feel free to send us your own observations and experiences. By leveraging Kordiam's content planning software, newsrooms can modernize their editorial management processes, overcome resistance to change, and achieve a seamless transition to a digital-first strategy.