Quick Efficiency Organised Staff Work

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 2, 24 March 1927, Page 5 (Supplement)

Quick Efficiency Organised Staff Work

Since news is the life blood of a daily paper, no effort is ever spared to see that the vital stream is kept flowing all the time from dependable sources. To this end the whole field of supply is explored with untiring thoroughness. The process involves the highest standard of organisation and quick efficiency.

Thus, a newspaper office is divided up into distinctive departments, each under the control of a responsible administrator, but all working toward the same achievement—the direction of the flood of information into a compact journal, well-arranged, bright, reliable, and complete to the last possible item of news for distribution to the public without a. moment’s delay.

It may be said that the system of organisation is similar to that of an army, with th€> Editor as commander-in-chief, and his associates, leader writers, chief of staff, and: sub-editors constituting the headquarters staff. In each of he other main departments, the organisation ik planned much on the same lines and principle, the manager or departmental head filling a position corresponding to that of the Editor. Each must know his work and the precise extent to which that work must run smoothly in order to fit in and interlock with the service of all the other departments so that in the end, every day, everything moves as a complete machine.

It is a fascinating study to see what might be called the news machinery at work. To begin with every worker must be a good soldier, ready to do anything in the way cf service or go anywhere at a moment's notice. Every day each member of the literary staff is assigned to a specified duty on lines and in directions which years of experience have proved most likely to be productive of appreciable information. Practically nothing is left to chance, and there is no haphazard method of seeking and collecting news. No probable source is left unexplored. In addition to the daily dredging of routine channels of information, such as meetings of public bodies, law courts, shipping movements, and so on, special reporters are engaged in making important inquiries. These invariably are productive of interesting and popular news stories. Each of these avenues is carefully watched all the time, and should an extraordinarily important incident occur, additional reporters are hurried to the scene to handle it. Ordinarily, each reporter has instructions from the chief of staff as to the limits of his report. This approximate measurement of “copy” is essential; otherwise reports would so easily run to such great length as to invite merciless amputation. Knowing tv wise public men speak briefly and to the i and enjoy adequate publicity. Others >n talking quite unheeded by diacriminati ig reporters.