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Editor's Note: Although 90 percent of what's online mirrors what's in the print version of the Post, you'd be wise to establish a rapport with these online journalists since the Post is planning its online newspaper as a distinct and different product. Although much of what's going on now is content repurposing, we were told they'll be much more "conceptualizing" as this product grows. There are about 55 producers and editors who work on the online edition, 18 on the breaking-news team and 12 sports staffers. Get your foot in the door early.
| Sections |
Business News Among the features of this online section is Interactive Post 200, which "tracks the changes in the Washington region's business climate," with a databank of public companies and financial institutions. |
| Editors | Business and Technology : Jamie Hammond E-mail: hammondj@washpost.com |
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Days to contact/ days to avoid |
This is pretty much a 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. news operation although there are journalists on site 24 hours a day since breaking news and headline stories can be updated as frequently as every 10 minutes. It's best for your e-mail pitches to arrive in the a.m. when heads are clear and coffee cups are full. |
| Methods | Since these are "electronic" journalists, e-mail's the way to go. One news staffer told us it's part of their "in-office culture." |
| Comments | A lot of the media outfits we've tried to infiltrate rely on the story farming-out method - meaning that senior editors are looking over many of the pitches and releases and then deciding their merit. With this news crew, you should "pitch at the lower level" by going directly to the editors and writers who cover a specific industry. We suggest you scan the site for several weeks and develop a hardy knowledge of what they cover before hitting the e-mail send button. |
| Sections |
Movies, TV & Entertainment Coverage under these categories has been fairly traditional: a focus on movies and videos, with new releases grabbing the limelight; and a strict focus on what's hot on TV and what's not making the grade. The TV coverage, however, also branches into reporting about industry trends - such as the new TV ratings. |
| Editors |
TV and Entertainment: Matthew Greenberg, E-mail: greenbergm@washpost.com Movies: Matt Slovick E-mail: slovickm@washpost.com |
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Days to contact/ days to avoid |
Slovick wants news to come his way in the mornings Monday through Thursdays (Fridays are bad because that's when movies open). Greenberg said afternoons midweek are best - Mondays and Fridays are the worst. |
| Methods | These two love e-mail just like the rest of 'em but snail mail's also okay. Slovick wants news with a two-week lead time and Greenberg didn't have a preference. Remember, these two editors have to keep pace in some pretty fast-moving industries and it's likely if you're not lightning-quick, that your pitch or your idea might fall by the wayside. |
| Comments | Both of these editors pointed out that washingtonpost.com is in a budding state and that those working on the online product are in the process of developing content and features that go beyond what's offered in the print edition. For example, Slovick plans on conducting celebrity Q&As beginning around the fall. |
Editorial Contacts at Washingtonpost.com
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Executive Editor - Leslie Walker walkerl@washpost.com V.P., Executive Producer - Chris Mamac V.P., Editorial Research & Development - Michael Rogers Fashion and Style - Retha Hill Local news and communities - Chris Harvey Sports - Jim Brady Politics and Federal Issues - MarkStencel Travel and Local Tourism - Ben Abramson Business and Technology - Jamie Hammond Music and Clubs - Shayla Thiel |
Movies - Matt Slovick slovickm@washpost.com Restaurants, Food and Cooking - Julia Watson TV and Entertaiment -Matthew Greenberg International News - Doug Alteen National News - Ryan Thornburg Museums and Galleries - Bill Yardley Books and Theater - Viva Hardigg Web-Centric Content - Chris Johnson Discussions and Online Communities - Nancie Meng |