New Haven Register Newsroom Reorganization Focuses on In-Depth, Investigative and Digital
Engagement Team Named to Lead Audience-Focused Initiatives
Monday, November 28, 2011
NEW HAVEN, CT – Journal Register Company, a leading local news and information company managed by Digital First Media, announced today that The New Haven Register has formed an investigative team and engagement team as part of the Digital First newsroom reorganization.
“Quality journalism and digital journalism are not mutually exclusive,” said Jim Brady, Editor-in-Chief of Digital First Media. “Our audiences demand quality stories and they expect to be able to consume those stories on the device and platform of their choosing. The structure we are putting in place in New Haven is one that will allow us to react to breaking news, dedicate journalists to in-depth reporting and to deepen the relationship with our audience.”
The changes to the Register’s newsroom included the creation of:
Investigative and In-Depth Reporting Team: Led by Michelle Tuccitto Sullo, a 14-year newsroom veteran who led coverage of FBI investigations into corruption in community government, and Mary O’Leary, who has 32 years as a reporter and editor at The Register, this team marks the first time in 20 years that The Register will have a formalized beat dedicated to investigative reporting. O’Leary will also devote time to in-depth “explainer” format reporting to address topics facing the community and “fact check” style reporting to determine the truth in statements made by public officials and newsmakers.
Audience Engagement Team: Angela Carter and Ed Stannard have been named Community Engagement Editors and will lead outreach efforts to listen to and partner with readers, including local organizations and neighborhood groups – as well as growing The Register’s Community Media Lab. Carter, a Register staffer for 16 years, has spent much of her career as a city-side and business reporter and is also a member of Journal Register Company’s ideaLab. Stannard, who has worked at the Register for 21 years, has most recently served as Metro Editor and has covered religion and transportation issues. Angel Diggs, the Register’s librarian, will also join the Engagement Team as her role shifts from archiving the newspaper’s content to opening up those archives – for the community to access and enrich and for the newsroom to bring to life on the web. Diggs has worked at the Register for 31 years.
Breaking News Team: Led by Cara Baruzzi, The Register’s former business editor, the Breaking News Team will serve all platforms including SMS, mobile and social media to meet audience demands that breaking news be delivered across all platforms. The Breaking News Team will also deliver a Connecticut-wide curated breaking news report by linking out to other information sources – including The New Haven Independent, members of The Register’s Community Media Lab and sources traditionally viewed as competitors.
In addition to the creation of these teams, The Register is creating beats dedicated to coverage of Yale University and land use, business climate and environmental health of the Long Island Sound.
“With our digital audience being larger than our print audience we have to increase the number of audience touch points. Digital is real time and the audience expects us to respond in real time but being fast does not excuse you from the basic tenets of journalism,” said Matt DeRienzo, Connecticut Group Editor. “The focus of this reorganization is to craft an agile, digital newsroom that focuses on journalism and creating content that is relevant to the lives of our readers.”
The staff reorganization follows other changes implemented by DeRienzo since being named as Connecticut Group Editor. The Register recently launched an expanded Fact Check Initiative where every article published on NHRegister.com includes a submission box where readers can report inaccurate or missing information. Corrections are published to The Register’s Fact Check Blog — as well as noted in the original story.
“Digital is our primary publishing platform and we have to make sure we’re holding ourselves to the journalism’s standards,” said Mr. DeRienzo. “We don’t want to make mistakes but when we do we will be transparent about them. Our audience deserve as much and demands as much.”
About Journal Register Company:
Journal Register Company is a leader in local news and information in 10 states. The Company’s more than 350 multi-platform products reach an audience of 21 million people each month. For more information visit the company website at www.JournalRegister.com.
About Digital First Media:
Digital First Media is headquartered in New York City and jointly manages MediaNews Group and Journal Register Company. Digital First Media reaches 57 million Americans each month through more than 800 multi-platform products across 18 states.
For more information contact:
Jonathan Cooper
Vice President
215-867-2022
jcooper@digitalfirstmedia.com
