VG Executive Briefing of 22 July 2011

Breaking News, INMA seminar VG building

September 28th 2011

Espen Egil Hansen, Execu0ve Editor, VG Digital. Twi<er: @eghan

Hanne Skartveit, Poli0cal Editor

Readers expect us to tell them what's going on Right Now!

Bomb in government headquarters Shoo0ng at Utøya

Friday July 22nd 3.34 PM

Francis Lundh

“I was in the building (6th floor) when the explosion came, working as a front page editor at VG Ne<. Was evacuated, and outside Stopp Pressen I borrowed a laptop so I could update the front page. Aêr some hassle I made it. “

VG Ne< frontpages

Chris0an Brændshøi, Managing Editor

Follow-‐up of staff, crisis therapist

06/10/11 28

•  Already Friday night, we hade a chrisis therapist at our provisional loca0on at Bristol Hotel, several talk-‐throughs where conducted during the first days

•  The staff was systema0cally encouraged to take breaks, have meals and to sleep

•  Rou0nes for mandatory, but individually tailored follow-‐up were established

•  Debrief in the canteen Sunday and Monday, 130 employees a<ended

•  The need for follow-‐up varies a lot, but several has great needs

•  Summer temps were given special a<en0on on the way out -‐ with the opportunity to contact us aêr they have le^ VG

Large journalis0c projects

“...we have to hold hands and take care of each other”

06/10/11 33

@Bergestuen ”How we remember our loved ones” is an important and quiet memorial from a publishing house that has had heads and hearts in the right place these last days #VG

22/7 The day that changed Norway PAPER WEB MOBILE TABLET











Boys hiding under house at Utøya


at 02:00

July 23rd

Ethical dilemmas

Should we idenHfy Mr. Breivik?

Should we use his glamorous pictures?

473 FULL PAGES FROM JULY 23rd UNTIL AUGUST 9th

How much should we expose him on the front page?

Can we tell all that we know?

How much should we show?

How strong can we ques0on the work of the police and rescue workers?

Førsteutgave

• 

“He should be forgo<en, not exposed”

“Bullshit from the VG Editor...”

Observa0ons •  VG was the most cited medium aêr July 22nd, but also the most controversial = Buzz

•  Social media and the number of media outlets has drama0cally changed our working condi0ons = Challenging

•  The management team of VG, as well as several employees, have used nearly 100% of their 0me on this case = Challenging

Learnings

ON THE POSITIVE SIDE -‐  Good journalism on all plasorms

-‐ Start early! -‐  The staff reported in, vaca0on or not -‐  We were well trained for evacua0on -‐  Good rou0nes for use of professional help

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE -‐  Did we communicate our editorial choices well enough? -‐  Technically, we were not ready for an a<ack

Breaking News, INMA seminar VG building

September 28th 2011

Espen Egil Hansen, Execu0ve Editor, VG Digital. Twi<er: @eghan

Travel

VG Executive Briefing of 22 July 2011