The New York Times has shaken up its digital staff in an attempt to keep pace with a constantly changing media landscape, saying the “newsroom will likely be in a continuing state of evolution and change for the foreseeable future.”
New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet and executive vice president Kinsey Wilson announced the changes in a joint memo to the staff.
“Today, we’re announcing a number of organizational changes … They fall in three areas: visual and interactive journalism; audience development; and the tools and products we build to support our journalism,” the memo said. “Visual journalism is quickly assuming a bigger role in our daily report, and with time we expect to have a far greater number of reporting and storytelling forms at our disposal.”
Graphics, digital news design and interactive news are now one team, which will be overseen by assistant editor Steve Duenes, while audience development is being integrated into the main newsroom under assistant editor Cliff Levy. Associate editor Matt Ericson will be given an expanded portfolio of responsibilities.
The Times executives also took a moment to mention recent achievements in the memo.
“Our 11 million Facebook fans and 28 million Twitter followers, along with countless more on desk and reporter accounts, give us a reach and influence few can rival,” they said. “That work is becoming even more important as these services become a platform for our journalism.”
The memo concludes: “The newsroom will likely be in a continuing state of evolution and change for the foreseeable future. These changes are a reflection of that reality and a recognition of the remarkable progress we’ve made in the last two years.”