Sunday 12 October 2008

iht.com, information hierarchies, the wires versus the NYT conent and the daily article index

What I'm going to do now is try and kill multiple birds with one stone.

This post stems from the following:

a) My use of the daily article index on iht.com to look at a snapshot of the news from any given day - very useful and complimentary to my reading of the print edition (and something I use to compile an alternative daily IHT narrative at A PLACE IN THE AUVERGNE) and my irritations with how it indexes incorrectly (e.g business stories in sports section or vice versa or the same story indexed multiple times. I've posted on this before, a few times.

b) A discussion I had with two senior IHT editors last week, one of whom had never heard of the daily article index on www.iht.com (he was an iht.com editor). The other editor explained the above irritations (brought to their attention via this blog) as being the result of the index being compiled automatically and that it simply reflected ANY iht.com story that an IHT editor, at some point in the day, had either uploaded or edited or both. (Here is an example of my irritation.)

c) I have blogged on whether the NYT can compete with the wires for news and I have blogged on the fact that the wires also do 'off the news' analysis and background reporting. Both the editors I spoke with did not speak highly of the wires, including reporters, one of them describing them as 'the bottom of the journalistic food chain', another as youthful and inexperienced and often wrong.

To which I replied, if that's the case, how come so much iht.com content and IHT newspaper content is wire content?

For the latter, they argued only for the briefs, and for www.iht.com they argued that most of it was NYT/IHT content to which I responded, no, not true. (Not actually sure if I was right in saying that, so hence this posting.)

We also discussed what counted as NYT/IHT content.

Was a reworked wire story by Alan Cowell for example - because he just loves to write - essentially what I would call glorified wire content (as opposed to get out there reporting ) - or was it IHT content? Clearly the editors I spoke with argued the latter as being the case.

So what I've done is to take one day from iht.com, using the unheard of daily article index, and checked it out properly.

Here are the results from Saturday, 11th October daily article index. (This link will only be relevant to explore until next Saturday when it will carry the content of 18th October 2008.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday


HOMEPAGE
In Somalia, a 'forgotten crisis' - NYT Nairobi based correspondent; reporting from Somalia

World leaders gather in Washington to discuss crisis; Dow ends down 1.5 percent IHT man in Frankfurt. David Jolly and Katrin Bennhold in Paris and Graham Bowley in New York contributed reporting. (All IHT people and all using, to what degree we don't know, wires.)

Nobel Peace Prize is quiet diplomat's latest reward Sarah Lyall (NYT), Alan Cowell (IHT) and Walter Gibbs (? but NYT/IHT); no geographical byline

McCain attacks Obama for supposed ties to '60s radical (2 NYT people - no geographical by line)

NATO allows strikes on Afghan drug sites (IHT's Judy Dempsey reporting from NATO meeting in Bucharest)

For Europe, the credit crunch is here IHT's Carter Dougherty reported from Frankfurt; Katrin Bennhold (IHT) from Paris. Matthew Saltmarsh (?) contributed reporting from Paris.

Asia, too, feels the pain Keith Bradsher (IHT HK) plus Choe Sang-Hun in Seoul, Carlos H. Conde in Manila, Thomas Fuller in Bangkok, Anand Giridharadas in Mumbai and Hilda Wang in Hong Kong also contributed reporting.

Oil price drop below $78 a barrel as energy agency cuts demand forecast David Jolly (IHT.com business editor currently in Paris but what happens to him next March, not clear) possibly using wires, plus say press release, plus some phone calls if he has time.

Inquiry into Madrid crash shows system failure REUTERS MADRID

Iceland banks face claims from depositors abroad IHT's Eric Pfanner in REYKJAVIK This is a fast moving story, so we'll follow how www.iht.com deals with it.

U.S. and India sign nuclear deal THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON

Christians fleeing Mosul after targeted killings NYT's Erica Goode and Suadad Al-Salhy in Baghdad

Connecticut overturns ban on same-sex marriage NYT's Sharon Otterman with no Connecticut byline.

U.S. closer to nuclear deal with North Korea NYT's Helene Cooper in Washington

U.K. reports new data loss for 100,000 military staff THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LONDON

Georgian refugees begin to return home NYT's Ellen Barry in Georgia

America's eco-kids keep a keen eye on their parents NYT's Lisa W. Foderaro with no geographical byline (these articles always seem to have a bit of a Cosmo feel to them - how do they find these people? Friends and acquaintances of writer? No.)

Ailing U.S. economy brings fears of a crime wave Letter from America: NYT's Christine Hauser and Al Baker from New York

From across the centuries, a different view of Picasso NYT's (?) Meg Mortin in Paris

As fears ease, Baghdad sees walls tumble This article was reported by Alissa J. Rubin, Stephen Farrell and Erica Goode, and written by Rubin and Farrell (are they all in Baghdad?) Sam Dagher (which reads a lot like danger and need for journalist to have a dagger - at least i.e out side the Green Zone) and Anwar J. Ali contributed reporting.

Paul Krugman: Moment of truth NYT columnist

Africa's expensive borders OPINION Rod Hunter, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute and a Washington lawyer, served as senior director at the National Security Council. Commissioned by Serge S (editorial page editor of IHT in Paris) or by NYT op-ed page. Will the IHT retain its own editorial page editor. Some say YES, emphatically, other rumours doubt it.

Pius XII and the Holocaust OPINION John Berwick is the religious affairs correspondent of DW-TV, Germany's international state broadcaster. Commissioned by Serge S (editorial page editor of IHT in Paris) or by NYT op-ed page. Will the IHT retain its own editorial page editor. Some say YES, emphatically, other rumours doubt it.

An economy you can bank on OPINION Casey B. Mulligan is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Commissioned by Serge S (editorial page editor of IHT in Paris) or by NYT op-ed page. Will the IHT retain its own editorial page editor. Some say YES, emphatically, other rumours doubt it.


BUSINESS WITH REUTERS

World leaders gather in Washington to discuss crisis; Dow ends down 1.5 percent ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE.

For Europe, the credit crunch is here ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE.

Asia, too, feels the pain ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE.

Crisis began with Lehman's collapse, Europeans say Nelson D. Schwartz in Paris (IHT or NYT, I don't know because I haven't the time to check all these guys out but not wire content). As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Russia taps oil money for use in stock market NYT's Andrew E. Kramer in Moscow. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Oil price drop below $78 a barrel as energy agency cuts demand forecast ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE.

Morgan Stanley under pressure as deal date approaches NYT Ben White in New York. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Iceland banks face claims from depositors abroad ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE.

Scarred by past woes, Japan sees U.S. bailout as a first step MEMO FROM TOKYO by NYT's Martin Fackler in Tokyo. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Insurance industry joins banks on the hot seat NYT's Mary Williams Walsh; no geographical byline. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Designing the extraordinary SPOTLIGHT by NYT's Elisabetta Povoledo in Italy. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

U.S. plans to buy equity in institutions REUTERS WASHINGTON

Inquiry into Madrid crash shows system failure ALREADY INDEXED ON HOME PAGE - SEE ABOVE. REUTERS MADRID

U.S. stocks end mostly lower after wild session REUTERS - No geographical byline i.e London.

Dow pares heavy losses to close down 1.5 percent in chaotic trading IHT's Bowley and Jolly but compare and contrast the Reuters story above with theirs to see what the IHT editors call 'bringing a wire story up to IHT standards'. This story and the one above basically cover the same ground, but are different.

G7 pledges united crisis response REUTERS No geographical byline i.e London

Germany working on UK-style bank rescue plan REUTERS No geographical byline i.e London

Santander completes Alliance & Leicester purchase REUTERS MADRID

As GE profit falls, company sees itself weathering the storm NYT'S Steve Lohr in New York. As this isn't already indexed on home page, why not move this to top of business index? It's NEW(S).

Shares of Wall Street firms slump REUTERS NEW YORK

Barclays plans 3,000 job cuts after Lehman deal REUTERS No geographical byline i.e London

Morgan Stanley and Goldman shares tumble REUTERS No geographical byline i.e London

Iceland's Straumur says cancels Landsbanki deal REUTERS STOCKHOLM (I thought Pfanner was in Iceland to cover this story - why not make him update his piece with this info and not publish this Reuters piece)


Finance arm weighs on GE results This has already been run and indexed under another headline - see above As GE profit falls, company sees itself weathering the storm . The reason it appears twice is, I am told, because the original article has been touched in someway by www.iht.com editors; either by way of an undate or simply a new headline. Either way. it's irritating to be searching on two posts.

Germany working on UK-style rescue plan This REUTERS story has already been run and indexed under another headline - see above Germany working on UK-style bank rescue plan . The reason it appears twice is, I am told, because the original article has been touched in someway by www.iht.com editors; either by way of an undate or simply a new headline. Either way. it's irritating to be searching on two posts.

U.S. reviewing UK interbank guarantee idea This REUTERS WASHINGTON story has already been run and indexed under another headline - see above U.S. plans to buy equity in institutions. The reason it appears twice is, I am told, because the original article has been touched in someway by www.iht.com editors; either by way of an undate or simply a new headline. Either way. it's irritating to be searching on two posts.

IMF chief cites 'crisis of confidence' BLOOMBERG WASHINGTON

Berlusconi floats idea of suspending markets BLOOMBERG NAPLES

Russia approves loan plan to ease credit crunch This NYT MOSCOW story has already been run and indexed under another headline - see above Russia taps oil money for use in stock market The reason it appears twice is, I am told, because the original article has been touched in someway by www.iht.com editors; either by way of an undate or simply a new headline. Either way. it's irritating to be searching on two posts.

Wall St. swings wildly after global selloff This is now IHT.com Paris' third run at this story. has already been run and indexed under another headline - see above Dow pares heavy losses to close down 1.5 percent in chaotic trading. IF AN ARTICLE IS UPDATED DURING THE DAY, PULL THE PREVIOUS ONES OF THE SITE - THAT'S HOW YOU GET A SIMPLE SNAP SHOT AT THE END OF THE DAY. The reason it appears twice is, I am told, because the original article has been touched in someway by www.iht.com editors; either by way of an undate or simply a new headline. Either way. it's irritating to be searching on two posts.

Iceland says will meet obligations despite meltdown REIUTERS with no geographical byline but an Icelandic reporter at least somewhere. Written by By Omar Valdimarsson and Brett Young(Additional reporting by Michael Kahn, Adrian Croft, David Clarke and Carolyn Kohn in London, Boris Groendahl in Vienna; Writing by Dominic Evans) WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITTEN BY AND WRITING BY? THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM, JUST SOMETHING AS A NON-JOURNALIST I AM YET TO LEARN. You can criticise the wires as much as you like, but thus far, by my count, the NYT/IHT has one journalist on this ENORMOUS story - Pfanner reporting from Iceland - but Reuters has AT LEAST 9 journalists on the job, from Iceland to Stockholm to Vienna and London. It may well be that Reuters have PAID to be in the IHT under the BUSINESS WITH REUTERS label, but its hard to reconcile the IHT editors criticism of Reuters if a) they agreed to the deal - someone somewhere at the NYT/IHT think's they are good enough and b) they have c 2,200 correspondents to the NYT's 26 or 28.

Merrill Lynch hires advisers from Lehman and UBS REUTERS no geographical byline. By Bob Margolis (Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Carphone and Best Buy to unveil Europe expansion plan REUTERS no geographical byline. By Mark Potter (Editing by Paul Bolding)

Thomson Reuters and CME to close FXMarketSpace REUTERS LONDON. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Paul Hoskins; Editing by Andrew Callus) I've posted before about conflict of interest in allowing Reuters to cover Thomson Reuters. This should be a NYT/IHT media story which it could be if the IHT's media writer wasn't in Iceland trying to learn, on the spot, all about Icelandic banking, something the Reuters people in Iceland probably had something of a head start on.

Brown says OPEC output cut would be wrong REUTERS LONDON (Editing by Anthony Barker)

Iceland expected to ask IMF for help This IHT PFANNER PARACHUTE JOURNALISM STORY is now run for the second time - previously under Iceland banks face claims from depositors abroad We've also had TWO other Iceland stories - could they not at least all be indexed together so that we can get at the particular story in question more efficiently. (The reason it appears twice is, as ever...... ) I understand that news evolves during the day, but the use of the same photo, and most of the previous text to my mind means it would be better to pull the previous story and have someone in Paris/NY/HK edit together the full Iceland story (or whatever story) so that it is complete and timely at any given stage in the news cycle).

GE profit falls for 3rd straight quarter BLOOMBERG WASHINGTON but let's not be forgeting that www.iht.com has already run two versions of this evolving story by the NYT's Steve Lohr, under the headlines As GE profit falls, company sees itself weathering the storm and Finance arm weighs on GE results.

Government wants constructive Iceland relationships IHTs Pfanner in Iceland. This is now the third version and a new headline, but same basic article just updated - kill those earlier posts. Before we had - leaving aside the wire headlines and stories on this - Iceland banks face claims from depositors abroad and Iceland expected to ask IMF for help. My point made before stands. This may not be practical - merging and posting at any given time just one article but if you want to know how people waste time on the Internet, this is a pretty good example, if I was to come to www.iht.com and look for the Iceland story, either during the day or after it. A resource problem, a technical problem, I don't know.

Brit Energy expects 2 reactor restarts delay to '09 REUTERS - no geographical byline. By Daniel Fineren. Additional reporting by Nao Nakanishi and Sue Thomas; editing by James Jukwey. viz is to say, more people on Brit Energy than the NYT can muster for www.iht.com's coverage of a 'European' country going bankcrupt.

Woolworths sells up to 9 store leases to Tesco REUTERS LONDON - Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Paul Bolding and Hans Peters. See point above about resources.

Barclays says may raise capital to boost ratios REUTERS LONDON - (Reporting by Steve Slater; Editing by Paul Bolding)

Oil futures slide below $80 a barrel on economic woes IHT's David Jolly. Again and again (See above Oil price drop below $78 a barrel as energy agency cuts demand forecast posted and indexed twice already.)

Millionaire Sugar buys Woolworths stake REUTERS LONDON (Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Erica Billingham)

European shares tumble 7.8 percent REUTERS FRANKFURT -another markets story (see David Jolly above) this time by Peter Starck)

I'M GOING OUT FOR LUNCH NOW BUT I AIM TO COMPLETE THIS ANALYSIS OF CONTENT DURING THE COMING DAYS.

WHAT I WON'T DO IS RE-POST THIS POST EACH TIME I UPDATE IT - WHICH IS THE WWW.IHT.COM METHOD; RATHER I WILL COME BACK AND EDIT THIS POST AS I CONTINUE.

Philip Green denies Sainsbury stake report
John Lewis weekly dept store sales down 0.5 pct
Darling appeals for new ideas on crisis
Renishaw says first-quarter pretax profit up 75 pct
Watchdog says retail payment protection needs improving
Admiral's confused.com margins squeezed and shares down
FTSE seen opening more than 6 pct lower
FTSE slumps 8.9 pct
Stocks plunge, pressure on G7 to act on crisis
G7 pledges urgent action as markets reel
Wells Fargo wins the war for Wachovia
Citi ends talks with Wells Fargo on Wachovia
Asian shares plunge after U.S. sell-off
Germany's Mr. DAX is face of market crisis
Oil drops 10 percent on demand concerns
Selling frenzy persists as global stocks dive
IMF readies emergency bailouts

CULTURE
From across the centuries, a different view of Picasso
Financial turmoil reshapes a corner of the art market
'Happy-Go-Lucky': A charming romp on the complicated quest for happiness
Britney Spears, Brad Pitt, The Beatles
'Bombay Anna': A governess continues to charm
A new art: On fringes of Frieze, design slips in side door
Morandini's art: Playful, geometric design
Korean art emerges from China's shadow
Moscow catches new art bug
Kim Chan, actor in diverse Asian roles
Excerpts from Le Clézio's work

HEALTH AND SCIENCE
America's eco-kids keep a keen eye on their parents
Indonesian officials unveil a deal to protect forests
Maritime organization seeks to cut air pollution from oceangoing ships

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
In Somalia, a 'forgotten crisis'
As fears ease, Baghdad sees walls tumble
Christians fleeing Mosul after targeted killings
Nuclear aid by Russian to Iranians suspected
100 migrants feared drowned off Yemen, UN says
2 Americans released after detention in Syria
Libya to withdraw $7 billion of assets from Swiss banks
Zimbabwe's inflation rate spirals higher still
Iranian boy gets cancer treatment in Israel
Livni urges calm after Arabs and Jews clash in Israel
Malawi bans Chinese milk product imports
Global crisis may worsen Africa's hunger
Sadr blames U.S. for Iraqi lawmaker death
Hundreds mourn slain Sadr MP in Baghdad slum
Zimbabwe's rivals agree to seek Mbeki mediation
Turkish warplanes hit suspected PKK in N.Iraq
South Africa's ANC likely to split says dissident
Pirates reportedly seize another ship off Somalia
Roadside bomb in Baghdad kills Shiite legislator
Jews and Arabs clash in northern Israeli city

AMERICAS
America's eco-kids keep a keen eye on their parents
Connecticut high court rules same-sex couples can marry
McCain attacks Obama for supposed ties to '60s radical
Ailing U.S. economy brings fears of a crime wave
Kim Chan, actor in diverse Asian roles
2 endorsements of nuclear power, but sharp differences on details
Colorado to review how it purges voters' names
U.S. Senate panel to study military eavesdropping
Peru's prime minister quits in cabinet shakeup
Bush vows to maintain Cuba embargo
Connecticut overturns ban on same-sex marriage
U.N. warns hungry Haitians could cause more unrest
Connecticut court allows gay marriage
Stronger Hurricane Norbert heads for Mexico's Baja
Drug hitmen kill 11 in bar in Mexico
Nicaragua's Ortega says crisis is God punishing U.S.
Peruvian guerrillas kill 12 soldiers
Palin and aides pressed for trooper's removal
Obama, purse swelling, plans half-hour tv ad
Fictitious donors found in campaign finance records
Native American tribes see profit in wind power
Obama and McCain clash over economy
In dozens of calls, Palins and aides pressed for trooper's removal
Chavez says Russia's Medvedev to visit Venezuela

ASIA PACIFIC
Scarred by past woes, Japan sees U.S. bailout as a first step
NATO allows strikes on Afghan drug sites
U.S. and India sign nuclear deal
Suicide attack on Pakistani tribal council kills 20
Thai protest leaders freed from jail
Indonesian officials unveil a deal to protect forests
U.S. closer to nuclear deal with North Korea
U.S. and India sign civil nuclear cooperation agreement
U.S. seen likely to remove NKorea from blacklist
Suicide bomber kills Afghan provincial official
Five Chinese children killed by falling crane
NATO allies reach deal on attacking Taliban drug trade
China threatens to "out" milk offenders
U.S. may soon remove NKorea from blacklist
Brother of Afghan president to give up seat in Parliament
Thai protest leaders get bail as campaign rolls on
Afghanistan violence seen to be worsening


EUROPE
Nobel Peace Prize is quiet diplomat's latest reward
U.K. reports new data loss for 100,000 military staff
Europe confirms Russian pullback
Georgian refugees begin to return home
Nuclear aid by Russian to Iranians suspected
Libya to withdraw $7 billion of assets from Swiss banks
Ukraine will hold snap elections
Punishment for a prisoner in Russia
Pope defends Pius's efforts during World War II
France withdraws contaminated Chinese sweets
U.S. says Russia would not cut off gas to Europe
Experts say Brazil-France defence pact wrong choice
U.N. warns Congo fighting could spark wider conflict
EU's Solana confirms Russia withdrawal in Georgia
Russia approves loan plan to ease credit crunch
Global mediator Ahtisaari wins Nobel Peace Prize
France says Russia partly meets Georgia ceasefire
CORRECTED - Report blames faulty flaps for Madrid crash
Montenegro recognises Kosovo
Europeans get creative in credit crisis

OPINION
Building a better bailout through ownership
David Brooks: The class war before Palin
Paul Krugman: Moment of truth
An economy you can bank on
Africa's expensive borders
Pius XII and the Holocaust
$700,000,000,000: (That's a lot of zeroes)
Campaign jousting; Blame big government
Here's where the money is

SPORTS
Phillies top Dodgers in Game 1
Facing Boston in Game 1, it's finally Tampa Bay's time
In hard times, who's in the mood for Volvo's high seas adventure?
Hussey century helps Australia expand lead over India
2 Japanese car makers pursue F1 success their own way
Many nations at Beijing Games failed to give data on athletes for drug testing
Tim Montgomery gets 5-year prison term
Ospreys suspend Henson for two matches
Jankovic and Dementieva to meet in Moscow semi
Troubled France coach says not worried by own fate
Cipriani likely beneficiary of Wilkinson injury
Capello left in the dark by new-look Kazakhstan
Injured Schwartzel battles on to share Madrid lead
McLaren withdraws from South African squad
Terry out of England game
Hussey century helps Australia score 430
Reuters resumes Australia tour coverage
Loeb takes early lead in Corsica and Sordo crashes out
Ecclestone says Indian GP will be in 2011
Sebastian Vettel's bright future is now
Safety first can also mean last
Silencing skeptics, Phillies rally to top Dodgers
Hamilton sets early pace in Japan practice
Africa's qualifying race down to 20 by Sunday
England flyhalf Wilkinson ruled out for five months
Stanford Twenty20 match to go ahead
Motor neurone worry hangs over Italian game
ANC to consult before decision on Springbok emblem
Croatia moves to rid sport of violence
Basketball ready for lift-off in Britain
English Premier League chief says game is sustainable
Rooney says he was at his best in Croatia

Your Money



I always say this, but particularly in the context of this posting, read a more thematic, paradox searching, connecting the dots, story based narrative of Friday 10th October, based on the above material, at A Place in the Auvergne (Friday, 1oth October 2008).


Plus it has pretty pictures if you're stuck in an office on a glorious autumnal day.


READ AN ALTERNATIVE IHT DAILY NARRATIVE AT
A PLACE IN THE AUVERGNE

International Herald Tribune
IHT
New York Times
NYT

Vacation /Business Trip Furnished Apartment in Paris

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