I wanted to find out how all the guys are taking the issue of convergence, which was proposed and is being discussed at higher levels to take off here at the M&G.

I was taken aback when the print journalists told me they will not be forced into writing copy for online because that is extra work. I put to them that due to the global economic upset the newspaper (Mail and guardian) has been shrinking in pages. They nodded in agreement but said it was not their job to write daily since the M&G is a weekly.

One of them who took me aside told me that actually editors (print) have pointed out that some reporters are published once a month hence the need to have them work as well for the online or what this means is that when job cuts finally take root here as has been happening all over in South Africa, those people will be cut first. This has shocked some and a few stories are coming the online way but not enough in my opinion.

I ask Carlos what he thinks of this convergence. He is elusive: “I think leaving the M&G online as it is as its on company, making its own money and doing its onw staff is fine.” What he thinks should happen is that the online team and the print guys attend same diary sessions and see which stories can be done for online and which ones should be done for the print.

He is of the notion that print guys will always be print guys and the process of re-educating them and making them love the web takes so much time it might actual derail the momentum the M&G online already has.

I tell him that he does not have the online reporters to give him fresh copy, he agrees but quickly adds that the interns here are already being trained to write for the online and he will also always have some in the print department who will moonlight for him.

The battle continues.

This morning I also sort of gatecrashed a meeting between the online deputy editor, Matthew and the print deputy editor Drew Forest. The meetings are regular (actually every morning). They discussed the topical issues of the day. Encouragingly Forest talks of his reporter (print) who is working on a court case of the murder of reggae musician Lucky Dube and he figures the story can do well with the online since the dailys will obviously publish it before Friday when the M&G print hits the stands. Is this not convergence already I ask myself.

Tomorrow I will discuss way in which the M&G makes its money from mobile services, adverts and all.

Till then keep the new media alive…it is the future….and check the story I did for the M&G. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-02-24-zimbabwes-bloated-government

M&G editorial

The structure from the top includes an online general manager. He runs the M&G online which he says is a company on its on and makes its on money. Then there is the online editor, a news editor, deputy news editor. Three online sub-editors who are more like online journalists in my opinion.

The online subeditors have sections they monitor, by this I mean they are in charge of the content that goes in different categories. They monitor wire services and in consultations with the online editor they re-edit the copy to suit their style and upload it. They are particular about their blog forum called the thought leader. Its is very popular and they have employed a person who monitor and commissions these blogs. Contributors include academics as well as citizens. Staff unfortunately is taking time to appreciate this trend. In fact I have noticed that the print guys resist writing for the online which has a seperate newsroom.

However, every morning the online news editor meets the editor of the print side and they discuss stories they think can not survive until Friday the day the newspaper hits the street.  These include court stories and all.

How do the online subeditors make sure they do not upload the same story?

They have a work sheet with all the categories on the website. If one of them uploads a political story he ticks on it.  This way they all know which category has not been uploaded and make moves to rectify the distribution of copy to all categories. The online editor tells me they aim to upload at least 60 stories a day.

More tomorrow

Last Thursday President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe declared that his country’s cholera epidemic, which had made sensational headlines throughout the world, was now over. The danger had been “arrested”. There was now no more cholera in Zimbabwe.

Also last Thursday Pedzisai Munda, aged 47, died of cholera in her shack in Hopley, South Harare. She met her death in a sea of urine, faeces and vomit, overflowing from the temporary toilet – a one-metre deep pit just yards from her home – which had flooded in the heavy rains.Her death came two weeks after the similar death of her neighbour, also from cholera. Attempts had been made to get the neighbour to Budiriro Hospital, 15 kilometres away, but they failed. Pedzisai had nursed her neighbour as best she could. There was no-one to nurse Pedzisai, and she died in squalid misery.

Last Friday Zimbabwe’s information minister, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu explained that the cholera epidemic – which no longer exists, see above – was being spread by British agents, who were deliberately infecting the population with the disease, and with anthrax. Their aim was, he said, to weaken the country ahead of an armed invasion. Despite the succcess of the agents’ efforts, as evidenced by the chronic weakening of the country, Mr. Ndlovu had no information on when we might expect the armed invasion.

Also last Friday Taurai Siza, aged 10, died of cholera. An Aids orphan, Taurai lived on the streets of Hopley, and slept at night wrapped in an old blanket, under a piece of plastic sheeting. There was no money for a coffin, so they buried Taurai in his blanket, some 100 metres from his plastic shelter.

Last Saturday I spoke to the Zimbabwe Minister of Health, David Parirenyatwa. The minister told me: “Cholera has been managed in the area you are talking about. You and your handlers in the West can wish it to continue, but it’s no longer there. Period.”

Also last Saturday, in Glenview, Harare, three people, all of whom lived in a street called 13 Avenue, died of the cholera which, according to Mr. Pairenyatwa, is no longer there. Period..

One of the three was Tonderai Chapeyama, aged 18. Tonderai had nursed her friend Elizabeth Mutodzaniswa when Elizabeth had the disease. Elizabeth recovered. Tonderai sickened and died.

Last Friday, British home secretary Jacqui Smith warned that Zimbabweans, fleeing their country and buying false passports, might bring cholera with them to the West.

A personal thought for today, Monday:  If Mr. Mugabe’s non-existent cholera does reach Britain and the rest of the world, perhaps then, at long last, Britain and the rest of the world will grow genuinely concerned about what is happening in Zimbabwe, and come to our aid. Perhaps.