Your local news…via India
December 17th, 2008 by Mark Perry
The 15,000-plus US journalists recorded by the Paper Cuts blog that have lost their jobs this year are facing a new threat.
Not only are traditional newspapers facing the growing popularity of news portals on the web – but one site which describes itself as a daily magazine - is offshoring the writing to India.
Pasadena Now sends press releases, web video or transcribed interviews to India to be turned into news stories. The obvious benefit is the cost - they pay just $7.50 (£5) per 1000 words. As newspapers in the US cut costs in a bid to stave off bankruptcy the concern is that the traditional media may see a benefit in adopting the same model. It does beg the question as to how that would impact on the relationship between the media and PR. What happens in the US usually finds its way to the UK in some form or other. Could we have the situation where newsrooms, could merely become clearing houses for sending stories to be written offshore.
We have already seen the attempts by the Daily Express to sweep away sub editors, who are in essence the gatekeepers of newspapers. If the journalists are ‘offshored’ you would lose the knowledge of, and empathy with, the readership. If that happens the essence of why a reader buys a particular newspaper is lost. That could be a cost saving too far.
Tags: , Daily Express, India, news portals, offshoring, Paper Cuts blog, Pasadena Now, traditional media
December 17th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Its already started creeping in - a lot of the news feeds on websites are re-hashed press releases from India and even Sri lanka
December 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
The advertising pre-press for the T&A in Bradford is now done in Mumbai. Subbing next? It’s similar to Trinity Mirror having a super-subbing desk in Liverpool that even takes in the daily paper in Huddersfield. So much for local knowledge. Conversely the York Press is set to close its, erm, press down and print in Bradford instead. Shedding 22 jobs in favour of an increase road traffic.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
If it wasn’t so sad, it could become very funny. Have you ever tried to get a sensible train route from a call centre these days? Hilarious, if it wasn’t so frustrating when you know very well where the trains run.
Tragically, for those few doughty souls still remaining in regional newspapers, the writing is on the accountants’ spread sheets. Will it be left to the PR industry to uphold the basic standards of journalism? A cruel irony there, methinks.