Newspaper technology moves

Press, 24 May 1986, Page 8

Newspaper technology moves

GLENN HASZARD,

industrial reporter

Computer terminals in newspaper offices used by reporters in the same way as those in the “Lou Grant” television series, may be a reality in some New Zealand newspaper newsrooms next year. The terminals, already used by journalists at the Press Association in Wellington, which sends news to its member newspapers, comprise a keyboard similar to that of a manual typewriter, plus a screen.

At present reporters type their stories on typewriters, then members of the Printing Trades Union retype them on computer terminals. In the United States, Europe and Australia reporters generally type copy directly on the computer terminals.

Talks have been held between the Printing Trades Union, thdk/our-

nalists Union and the Newspaper Publishers’ Association on the issues surrounding the transition from the present system to the new system. The transition went a step further in Christchurch on Thursday with the formation of an award subcommittee to discuss a draft agreement between journalists and publishers.

The Journalists Union has a policy of not handling new technology until a satisfactory agreement is reached between the publishers and printers on what will happen to printers who lose their jobs.

The executive director of the Newspaper Publishers’ Association, Mr Patrick Greene, said from Wellington yesterday that the employers had guaranteed continued employment for the printers at present using computer terminals. The employers had also offered a volun-

tary termination of employment package. The parties were still discussing the meaning of “continued employment.” It was recognised that there had to be some element of “meaningfulness” in the employment offered printers who would lose their jobs. There was scope for some in the sub-editing section, and the promotion and circulation departments could absorb some in the long term. Sbme proofreaders, who are members of the Journalists Union, would also lose their jobs. Mr Green said that some could become sub-editors. An executive member of the Printing Trades Union, Mr Noel Harris, of Christchurch, said that the N.P.A. had given the union a paper on the issue last year and the union was asking its subbrancpes to find out whiter members saw the

change as inevitable, and if they did, what options they preferred as a result. The union would meet the N.P.A. again in July and August, he said. Once agreement was reached with the unions, the new process would be phased in, with some newspapers changing sooner than others, said Mr Greene.

The next meeting of the Journalists Union and publishers will be in August. Mr Greene said he hoped a legally binding agreement could be in force as soon as possible after that. Then each newspaper company would be free to consult with unions about the change-over when it was ready.

The advantages of the new system were that it reduced fixed costs, mainly labour; it sped copy flow, which jvould enable deadlines m be

shortened; and it enabled more flexibility for the receiving of news copy. The whole aim of the change-over was to ensure that newspapers remained viable and competitive, said Mr Greene. The Journalists Union wants redundancy and retraining provisions in any agreement for proofreaders. It is also pressing for rewards for the extra skills it says will be needed for journalists to use the computer terminals. A particularly sensitive area is the question of whether non-union journalists such as editors will be allowed to use the new technology when or if journalists are on strike. It was this concern which was at the heart of a week-long strike last November over union exemptions at the Press Association.