The NUJ's Shaping the Future report on multi-media working is out this morning. Martin Stabe has some intial thoughts about it over on the Press Gazette blog. The NUJ has publishing a story on its new-look website, predictably attacking bosses.
I've downloaded it, and will be working my way through it later, once I've finished some work for our Computer Weekly and Electronics Weekly web editors…
However, I do want to highlight one aspect of an otherwise impressive website redesign of the NUJ website. This is just painful:
So, the good first: the ability to leave comments at the bottom of stories on the site is great. The bad? Well, that big "Blog It" is something to do with putting it on your own blog, right? Wrong. It's that horrible misuse of the word blogging that has found its way into some mainstream media sites: "blogging" is leaving comments on blogs, and "bloggers" are people who do so.
The report may be fantastic, but this just leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Thanks for that. Still grinning. Why do I pay my subs? Tell me?
Jaysus, Adam, jump to conclusions much? Firstly, you're a member, you're as much "the union" as everyone else. Secondly, as with all new website (and let me point out that I've had nothing to do with building the NUJ one) there'll be bugs, things that need changing and stuff that seems like a good idea that turns out not to be. Having been involved in building sites for years and currently up to my eyes in building a redesigned one at work, I don't expect the new NUJ site to be perfect. It's normally good manners to simply send a message to the people working on the site with your feedback, not plastering it all over your blog on the day a major report is launched.
Oh, for goodness' sake. It's called an open conversation, Donnacha, it's what's blogging's all about.
And I absolutely stand by the fact that I find it inordinately depressing that the people behind our (happy now?) website's redesign (and who are spending my subs) are so clueless about decade-old concepts, and I think I have every right to say as much on my blog.
Happy now?
Ah wouldn't it be so nice for the Union to have a closed shop for bloggers, Donnacha - then expert bloggers who disagree could be closed out and put down !