Jody Calendar is president of Calendar Communications, Inc. in Tinton Falls, N.J., a writing, editing, and management consulting firm. She is a former deputy executive editor of The Asbury Park Press, Neptune, N.J., and former managing editor of the Record of Bergen County, Hackensack, N.J.

A New Jersey daily is selling its building to make way for a brave new world of mobile reporters publishing directly to the Web

THE RECORD OF BERGEN COUNTY, a respected independent newspaper in New Jersey, is embracing the idea that change spurs innovation and is strategizing for the future by creating a virtual newsroom.

Owned by North Jersey Media Group, the Record has put its 44-year-old, 325,000-square-foot building up for sale and is changing the way it responds to news. The property is located on 19.6 acres, some along the Hackensack River, and houses about 100 employees on any average day.

“This is clearly inefficient, said Frank Scandale, The Record's editor. “Selling is a logical business decision.”

Some see the virtual newsroom as a fascinating approach to maintaining superior coverage in tough times. Others question if it will diminish quality.

The Record currently employs 30 mobile journalists (mojos), and once the building is sold, reporters and editors alike will have to find new homes. No one can predict when that sale will take place in a difficult real-estate market.

When asked where and how the reporters and editors will be housed, Scandale said the newspaper is looking at all options — possibly working from a sister paper, The Herald News of West Paterson, from the printing plant, from remote locations, from one of the 45 weeklies owned by North Jersey Media Group, or even from home.

Will there be physical news meetings?

“This is all being worked on,” Scandale explains. “We will try many different approaches and adjust to what works and what does not.”

It has been estimated that the sale of the building will save $1 million to $2 million a year. The Record declined to disclose financial terms and stressed that this is not an experiment. Nor is it motivated just to cut costs, Scandale said.

“There is a cost to arm these reporters with the right equipment, and there will be more mileage. But we won't need as much space for rent in the new location as the reporters will be in the field, more like television trucks are with a crew,” he said. “The net effect is positive, but it is a secondary benefit. The prime objective is to improve newsgathering capabilities.”

The mission is “to become more live with webcasting,” according to Scandale. “The goal is to decrease the time between a news event occurring and its being reported. Having people in the field, armed with the ability to publish directly on the Web will make a big difference.”

Noting the competitive environment in New Jersey, Scandale said it's important to provide compelling content with a diverse set of media assets and a willingness to innovate and adapt.

Circulation is not the driving force. According to the September ABC audit, The Record's circulation increased by 542 Sunday to 191,944 and by 1,106 daily to 156,828 daily. The only other paper to show an increase in the state was the Trenton Times, with Sunday up by 1,140 to 54,896 and daily by 2,701 to 53,303.

“Classifieds are the main issue,” Scandale said. “We are working tirelessly for new print and Web approaches. One thing has not changed: our ability to provide news you can't find anywhere else in northern New Jersey.”

The North Jersey Media Group has already combined the copy desks and photo departments of The Record and the Herald News, cutting the workforce by about 12 and saving about $800,000 a year. The group also imposed a 12-week severance cap.

The Asbury Park Press in Neptune, owned by Gannett, offered buyouts in May and experienced layoffs in August and September. Sections have been condensed and coverage realigned, and, like all Gannett papers, with the exception of USA TODAY, the Press has announced another round of layoffs in early December.

The Star-Ledger of Newark, which is losing $30 million to $40 million a year, offered voluntary buyouts and wanted one-third of the newsroom eliminated by October. The owner, Advance Publications, shocked the industry when it announced it would sell the newspaper if that number wasn't reached. Ultimately, the buyout was successful with 151 of 334 newsroom staff accepting the offer.

The Times in Trenton, also owned by Advance, has eliminated bureaus and cut jobs as well.

And finally, The New York Times this summer closed its two bureaus in Trenton, the state's capital, and in Newark, where the federal courts are housed.

All that said, maintaining excellence will be the first priority of the virtual newsroom and “expense savings are a benefit, but it is the secondary benefit.” Scandale said. “The Record, like all daily newspapers, is facing both economic and secular pressures. Layoffs have and can occur as we work on being as efficient as possible.”

And so we change. It's the given, and as difficult as it is, it does continue to spur gutsy innovation. Even the AP Stylebook has added “iPhone” and “outsourcing” to its newest version, and the renowned Oakland (Calif.) DeLauer's 24/7 newsstand, which sold newspapers and magazines from around the world, recently closed its doors after 101 years. *

Calendar was deputy executive editor of the Asbury Park Press and managing editor of The Record of Bergen County.

Other recent movements and developments in our industry ...

David A. Zeeck, past ASNE president, has been appointed president and publisher of The News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash., replacing Cheryl Dell. He was the longtime executive editor at the paper, known for his passion and commitment to journalism's mission. Karen Peterson has been promoted to executive editor and senior vice president to succeed him. Peterson had been the managing editor of the paper since 2005.

Caesar Andrews, ASNE board member and respected executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, accepted a voluntary buyout and left the paper Nov. 10. Resigning as treasurer of ASNE, he will remain on the board and continue to chair the Audience Development Committee until April. A past APME president, Andrews served as top editor of the Gannett News Service, helped launch USA TODAY and held important roles throughout the Gannett organization for 30 years. He said he may seek a career in journalism education.

Sharon Rosenhause, ASNE board member, has retired as managing editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, effective July 31. Nationally respected for her commitment to diversity, Rosenhause was recently honored by Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism Let's Do It Better program. Editor Earl Maucker said her position was eliminated and he, along with senior editors, will assume her duties.

Ellen Foley, a known innovator who cherished the newspaper-community connection, a Pulitzer juror and a respected editor at both the Philadelphia Daily News and the Wisconsin State Journal, is now director of development for Madison Area Technical College. She will remain on the ASNE board until April. Managing Editor Tim Kelley has been moved to a new job in online services.