PBS Newshour Outsources International News

Consolidation … it’s a sign of our times in mainstream news media, as financially challenged news organizations struggle to stay vibrant and alive.

Newshour, the respected television news program on PBS, announced today it is partnering with GlobalPost.com, a Boston company that runs an international news aggregator blog.

Newshour now joins the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Huffington Post and CBS News in using GlobalPost’s international news covering services. CBS News, once renowned for its galaxy of international news bureaus, has closed everything to save money and now doesn’t have many options left.

GlobalPost.com is run by an entrepreneur and a former Boston Globe reporter. Their venture uses freelance reporters – some you’ve hear of and many you’ve never heard of.

The Newshour-GlobalPost.com announcement today raises more questions than it answers. The questions I have as a former CBS News foreign correspondent are:

1. What happens to Newshour’s long-time relationship with London-based ITN News, a highly respected news organization, to get international coverage?
2. Why is Newshour making this change?
3. Is Newshour concerned over issues of unvetted foreign news sources?
4. How can viewers be assured of accurate and unbiased coverage?
5. How can Newshour viewers trust the news sources of GlobalPost.com?
6. Is Newshour concerned about putting its reputation in the same basket with agenda-driven news outfits?
7. What does Newshour hope to gain by turning to an international coverage blog for its news?
8. How will the idea of Newshour pooling the same style of international reporting with Huffington and O’Reilly go over with Newshour viewers and supporters who expect high standards?
9. How will Newshour cope with GlobalPost’s apparent lack of track record and credentials as a news organization?

The GlobalPost.com model is not unlike the use of Vocus in the PR industry. Vocus merely consolidates client media lists – rubbish in, rubbish out – in order supposedly blast press releases to a greater number of reporters … a style that is, in fact, opposite from how media relations is practiced in today’s digital era. On second thought, maybe GlobalPost doesn’t look too bad against Vocus.

Will we start to see international coverage on Newshour that’s recycled from other sources and devoid of professional journalistic standards? I guess we will see if Newshour thinks the gamble is worth it.

Category: Featured, News Media