The Death of the American Newsroom

The Tribune Publishing Company announced on Wednesday that is is shuttering five newsrooms among its stable of media companies across the country, including the iconic New York Daily News.
No doubt the work-from-home mandate necessitated by the coronavirus outbreak has hastened what we have feared for a long time, the death of the American newsroom.
We could see the fatal flatline coming with the advent of MOJO journalism, as reporters covered their beats stapped to mobile devices, complely unleased from their desks and the hairy eyeballs of assignment editors. How long before the iPone, tablet and laptop would make all the newsroom furniture as anachronistic as the pneumatic tube, paper spike and glue pot? 
How long? Well, it looks like Aug., 13, 2020.

We can now add "going to the office" to our list of all the things we miss about "legacy" jouranalism. 

The newsrooms I worked in were a social stew of insanity, brilliance and hilarity. Each day was the worst and best of times.

But now I wonder how anyone ever again will learn how to write in the midst of a massive argument next to your desk while someone is reciting "a very interesting story" from the wire out loud as a plate of homemade brownies makes its way to you just as the summer intern asks if you could read their lead and the news editor is screaming, "We needed that copy 10 mintues ago!"