I finally had the opportunity to meet with Joanna Geary, whom I’ve been stalking since South by Southwest Interactive in March. This, of course, marks a decided change in my stalking which is usually confined to just one continent (and truthfully, usually one regional area). She’s got the arty, dyed-red straight hair though so let’s be honest, I can’t be held accountable for the cross-continental trek.
Despite my lack of technology (re: no cell phone), mediated conversations through my friend Fiona and the front desk having no record of a Joanna Geary working at The London Times, we managed to arrange lunch today.
I love visiting newsrooms. There’s something very cool about working for a news organization. I catch shit sometimes for pushing the digital storytelling (and the actual business models), but that doesn’t mean I don’t like working in the newsy environment.
The reality is that newsrooms are decidedly unsexy places. Joanna’s group, culled from different parts of the company to look at emerging business models, is in a little room (where they stacked the old faxes, I’m told) in the back of the first floor (which we recognize as the second floor in America).
We had a lovely lunch, tuna steak and rice, and got all geeky about the news. In particular, what of value does the news organization offer: words + pictures (me) or influence (joanna). There will be more of that over at The Cult of Me later as it’s given me an interesting subtly to add to my opening chapters. Worth the trip here just for that.
Now I’m hanging out in the Starbucks near The Globe, passing time until dinner tonight with Fiona and Joanna.
