How we are doing it

Like many businesses, the Guernsey Press has had to reinvent the way it operates – within days – in response to Covid-19.

And like many businesses, we are evolving and adapting quickly as we learn more about how this affects our lives.

Our Braye Road office is now virtually empty, the only sign of the old buzz will be when the presses are being prepared and are rolling.

We moved our reporting team to home working a week before lockdown, then gradually reduced the number of people in GP HQ as the IT systems were reconfigured to cope.

Our colleagues in advertising, once so busy on the phones and out on the streets, are liaising from home with their clients, many of whom are unable to operate.

Our subbing team are logging in via a ‘virtual private network’ from their lounges and kitchens to design the pages, check copy and write the headlines.

Some things, however, remain the same – even if the commute now consists of walking from the kitchen to the temporary home office in the lounge.

As the news editor, I need to pull together a working list for our reporters in time for a morning briefing.

That means scanning the national and local news – I’m getting the Guernsey Press and The Times delivered in time for breakfast – sifting through the emails and social media messages that have come in or been flagged from previous days for action.

Our news diary, which used to list everything that was due to happen that day, is now a ghostly white page after white page after event after event was cancelled.

WhatsApp messages have become the morning call to arms for the team, the added twist nowadays is to find out if people are well and OK to go out.

We have stuck to our daily ritual of reading an inspirational quote from a desk calendar we had in the office, but this task is now given to Mark Ogier to record as a video message for all – he has the acting skills required to bring a smile to our faces.

Our morning meeting is now conducted via Zoom, so the team still get to see each other and bounce story ideas about.

Early morning also means a Zoom meeting with the picture editor Peter Frankland, who has taken to wearing headphones that make him look like a Radio One DJ, as we sketch out what is needed for the day.

Even more than before, we are having to be flexible.

Announcements are often being made late with no notice, press conferences called at the last minute.

At times we are working into the early hours to ensure the paper is live, calling on sub-editors, who put the pages together, and editors, who sign them off, to drop what they were doing and get back to their computers now handily located in their houses.

There is a real sense of team spirit and people wanting to pitch in and help.

Our website and social media channels are more important than ever.

We have a dedicated reporter in Zoe Fitch making sure all breaking news is put up in full online as it happens – and then ensuring everyone knows where to look.

Our engagement levels are phenomenal and of a scale never seen before.

At 11.30 we have a morning conference when those heading up each editorial department – me for news, Helen Hubert for features, Rob Batiste for sport – pitch what we have to the editor Shaun Green in a Zoom meeting.

Keeping an eye out to make sure we are all in order is the editor’s PA Yvonne Blundell, who through much of the past few days has been inundated with phone calls and messages from people wanting to set up home deliveries.

She is one of the few people still in the office, ensuring the phones are still answered and people are put through to the now virtual news team when necessary.

While it is vital to keep informing our readers about the action the States is taking to fight back against the virus, it is also important that we do not lose sight of what it all means to our community and how people are responding.

We are keen to bring a human face to this that is so often missing from the government communications. That could be the volunteering initiatives, maybe rainbows in people’s windows, or the very real impact on business and employment.

To do that, to really understand the impact on our lives and the economy, we need to be active – the pursuit of a story does not stop with home working.

We are trying to limit our time outdoors as much as possible. We are hitting the phones, using Facebook, WhatsApp, and online video calls. Our philosophy, until this crisis hit, was to emphasise the importance of leaving the office and meeting people face-to-face. For now that has had to change.

But there are times when the only way to cover a story in-depth is to be out.

In these cases we are conscious to adhere to social distancing, our photographers are using longer lenses and we are making use of our extensive picture archive, a powerful and unique tool for us.

From lunchtime I will begin putting stories and pictures onto pages and watch on as they are polished up from another house.

Communication remains vital, but instead of shouting across an office we are pinging WhatsApp messages or picking up the phone.

One part of our operation remains at GP HQ: To print the physical copy of the paper ready for distribution.

Social distancing measures have been put in place within the factory to limit the number of newsagents coming in during the morning. Markings have been placed on the floor and newsagents are required to use these markings and keep a safe distance from our staff and other newsagents. A screen has been introduced around our distribution hatch to protect staff.

This is all being monitored by staff marshals and they will pause the flow of newsagents into the factory if it is deemed necessary. Staff have access to face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser.

It has been a huge amount of upheaval, but the Guernsey Press is still hitting doormats and supermarket shelves six days a week and, combined with our online offerings, we are reaching more people than ever before.

More than ever it is vital that people get accurate and reliable information and clear messages, which is what we are aiming to achieve every day, but it is also important that government decisions are not made in a vacuum and that the human face of this crisis is not lost.

The value of the printed Press:

HUNDREDS of islanders are benefiting from a Guernsey Press initiative which sees free delivery of the newspaper to people over-65, helping them to stay at home and stay safe.

Home delivery of the Guernsey Press has been high in demand since a scheme was launched to help over-65s and more than 630 people are now part of the initiative.

The company are picking up the delivery charge for the newspaper, if this service is not provided for free by the newsagent, with effect from Monday 23 March for the six-week period ending Saturday 2 May. Readers are asked to liaise with their newsagent for full details of any further charges.

Editor’s PA Yvonne Blundell coordinated the initiative and said that since it was launched on 23 March more than 600 phone calls and emails have been received.

‘The response has been overwhelming and it has been really heartening to hear how much our older readers rely on our newspaper to bring them their news and keep them informed – and they are finding it even more important in these unsettled times,’ she said.

Some have been frustrated at hearing that they should go online to find out what is happening because a large majority of them do not have access to computers or laptops.

While they also watch the TV news and listen to the radio, they like to have the reassurance of the newspaper so that they can read the information thoroughly. The newspaper also gives them the opportunity to cut out and keep information that they feel is useful for them and go back and read articles again to refresh their memories.

‘It has been a pleasure to talk to the people who have phoned in and we have had so many outpourings of thanks for the initiative and for helping to organise their newspapers to be delivered. They really do appreciate the efforts being made to keep getting the paper out and having the most up-to-date news.’

Several of the more elderly in the community who have made contact have not only benefited from setting up their delivery but have taken the opportunity to have a little chat as they find themselves isolated.

‘In fact one lovely lady told me that I was the only person she had actually spoken to in over a week. It has been a pleasure to provide a voice at the end of the line in these troubled times.’

Age Concern chairman David Inglis, pictured right, recognised how important the Guernsey Press was to islanders, particularly for the older generation who might not look to technology to get their news.

‘Over-65s tend to swear by the Guernsey Press, it’s a hugely important part of communication, particularly at the given time.’

Falling into the over-65 bracket himself, Mr Inglis said the offer of free home delivery was great because, thanks to newsagents, he and his wife no longer need to pop to the shops as frequently.

‘We live out west and used to grab milk and the paper on the way to work most mornings. Now that we’re working from home and no longer need to go out to get the paper we’re able to stay inside more, as we’re all being advised to do.’

Mr Inglis said the Guernsey Press is valuable to the older generation for so many reasons, so maintaining that channel of information was really vital, such as the WI pages, the Parish Matters news, and providing a hub of contacts, communication and information for islanders.

‘The nostalgia pictures and the Lookback articles are definitely a draw for the older population, it certainly helps dementia patients too.

‘People do look to the Press as their source of information because they might not be able to follow the government’s live streams, so it’s great the Press covers that in detail.’

Even during the Occupation when newspapers were controlled, there were underground versions which, Mr Inglis said, shows how valuable it is for the community to have access to the printed press.