Views of the Newsroom(s)

the register (168) 1993  newsday 1993

Looking at the end result of journalism — newspaper front pages, Web sites, news broadcasts — is important.  It is interesting to look at the rooms where all of the magic happened.  Each newsroom has its own feel, its own smell, its own sense of history. Almost all have piles of stuff — files, tapes, whatever.

It is also sad to note that many newsrooms have become big, empty places.  Some have had their history ripped out to make the newsroom more modern with new cubical  furniture and computers.  Others have too many empty chairs.

Looking at back at our recent past show very different places.  Even though news meetings in the past weren’t models of gender diversity, they were some of the most important daily gatherings for the creation of journalism. As part of the Day of Design project in 1993 we requested images from each newspapers.  Those images are linked to each newspaper within the collection. (And we hope newspapers will send us new photos.)  We have also gathered all of the 1993 newsroom pictures into a gallery.

We also have some photographs from two newsrooms where I worked, the Chicago Tribune (1970s and 1980s) and The Arizona Republic (1980s and 1990s).  Do you have images of a newsroom that you would like to share?  The older the better.  Send us an email at hfinberg(at)newsroomhistory.com.

 

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