Greg Gittrich, who, according to his bio, "oversees The New York Daily News' police, fire and education coverage," is headed to the NBC multi platform. Congrats. From the NYPost:
"Greg Gittrich, the metro editor at the Daily News, is the latest to exit Mort Zuckerman's beleaguered tabloid. He's heading to NBC, as had been rumored.
"Insiders at NBC tell Media Ink that he is going to be the news editor of the digital operations of NBC Local Media Group, a new job.
"(Gawker.com had correctly heard that the man they once dubbed the 'deputy metropolitan love monkey' was rumored to be going to NBC, but had no details.)
"An official announcement from NBC is expected sometime next week, when the network unveils a digital strategy that will, for the first time, try to consolidate local news digital platforms, mobile applications and other Web-based news ventures."
Digital operations at the NBC local Media Group has been brewing for some time. Last year's NBC Blogger's Summit, which we attended, was the Peacock network's first foray into pitching local bloggers for a greater participation in their news gathering process. Let's hope Gittrich moves things along.
Presently, NBC is using their 4.4 channel as a sort of farm league for programming experimentation. Why not marry the synergies of WNBC 4.4 and WNBC.com? As stand alones both have minimal impact, but together, powered by some of the better NYC bloggers and 30 Rock's great reporting team, you have something really special. Erin Monteiro once told us that it was difficult to set up the Summit, but it was worth it to get the news executives to see the future. And it was. Unfortunately nothing more came of the summit and the many brief alliances forged between NBC and the bloggers that day.
If Gittrich is smart -- and we think he is -- he will use that kind of obscure channel to reach out to local bloggers, interviewing them for their takes on daily events, readying them for the big leagues, namely larger and regular roles on WNBC-TV New York's local newscast. WNBC TV should report on local bloggers -- a formula that NBC could expand to markets around the country, featuring local bloggers -- with such talent as NBC Tech reporter Sree Sreenivasan, who already has good relations with many of us.
With all due respect, who would you rather watch, Gabe Pressman interviewing some -- zzz-- inconsequential local City Councilperson (no offense Gabe), or, say, Rosanne Coletti interviewing the editors at Eater.com. Or, better yet, WNBC-TV reporters interviewing me.
Embeddable clips of these interviews could be neatly tucked into blogs and that would equal ratings -- in a hot, young demographic -- and a new lease on life for the moribund local "if it bleeds it leads" broadcasts. Bloggers are the digital reporters and syndicated columnists of this age, and utilizing them as well as NBC's awesome staff -- think Andrew Siff -- would make for a killer combination.
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