Union vs WMUR: the two forms of media today

by Kusum Aryal & Katie Anderson

There are now two forms to news: digital media and print media.

Tuesday afternoon, students participating in Franklin Pierce University’s Presidency and the Press program crowded around a conference table at the Union Leader, bright-eyed and eager to see the process behind a popular New Hampshire paper.

Trent Spiner, news editor, the publisher, and a team of other editors walked into the room and got down to business. The students were given a packet of potential materials for the front page, called a news budget, news stories and were expected to decide which fit the criteria to be on the front page. After the discussion, a woman from Spiner’s team, Katie, went on further explaining how work hours are long and hard, but in the end worth it. Agreeing with Katie, Spiner remarked that “it’s a hard job.”

Spiner’s job is 24/7. When asked about the late-breaking news he explained his process.  “I get the call, and I get to decide whether or not to wake people up.” For example, when he was informed about a Manchester shooting of two cops at three in the morning, Spiner had to call up three reporters and a photographer and have them get on site. “It’s expensive to get them out there” he started, but then concluded with the point that it was worth it.

The digital side of the news is slightly more busy chaotic.

WMUR’s Jim Green gave the Presidency and the Press group a tour of what really goes on in the background.

Buttons being pushed, co-workers in constant communication, and papers scattered across desks. This is how the control room environment is: frenzied yet organized.

Meanwhile, in the studio, the anchors were getting ready to report the news.

Anchor Tom Griffith, a 25-year employee at WMUR, said that in news “contents are different…it never gets boring.” This is why he’s still an active member in the news community.   

Besides the general details, it seems as though there is some competition going on between the Union and WMUR.

“This is real news!” Jim Green exclaimed.