Two weeks post-launch, Jesse Angelo, editor of Rupert Murdoch’s iPad-only newspaper the Daily, sent a memo to staffers urging them to stop “scraping the web and the wires,” do their own reporting and produce more original pieces, reports New York Magazine.
The editor said he wanted to generate enough news to capture the attention of White House officials, and focus on domestic stories.
“Force the new White House press secretary to download the Daily for the first time because everyone at the gaggle is asking about a story we broke,” Angelo wrote. “Get in front of a story and make it ours — force the rest of the media to follow us. It’s good stories that will keep people coming back to the Daily — we’ve assembled a crack news team, so let’s show the world what we can do.”
“Folks, Egypt is over — time for us to get focused on covering America,” Angelo wrote.
“We need to get out there and start finding more compelling stories from around the country — not just scraping the web and the wires, but getting out on the ground and reporting,” Angelo wrote.
Angelo challenged his staff to dig up stories that have yet to be reported, at least widely.
“Find me an amazing human story at a trial the rest of the media is missing,” Angelo wrote. “Find me a school district where the battle over reform is being fought and tell the human tales. Find a town that is going to be unincorporated because it’s broke. Find me a story of corruption and malfeasance in a state capitol that no one has found. Find me something new, different, exclusive and awesome. Find me the oldest dog in America, or the richest man in South Dakota.”
The Daily, which is owned by News Corporation, launched on Feb. 2. A weekly subscription costs $0.99 and the 2-year subscription is $39.99.