Jim Romenesko
Encyclopedia
Jim Romenesko is an American journalist based in Evanston
, IL, who ran the blog
Romenesko on the website of the non-profit journalism school the Poynter Institute
. The blog provided daily news, commentary, and insider information about journalism and media and was popular among professionals in the industry. Romenesko also runs the blog Starbucks Gossip, which covers the company Starbucks
Coffee. It is one of the more influential websites regarding Starbucks, and has a large following of company employees and customers.
and went to work for the Milwaukee Journal, serving as a police reporter for the newspaper. Initially repulsed by the sometimes grisly nature of his work, he would go on to publish the coroner's reports of unusual deaths in a book called Death Log (1981). From 1982 to 1995 he worked as an editor for Milwaukee Magazine
, where he wrote features and a popular, award-winning column that covered the local media called "Pressroom Confidential". During this time he also taught journalism courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He went on to work as an Internet reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press
from 1996 to 1999.
From 1989 to 1999, Romenesko ran a newsletter named Obscure Publications which covered fanzine
s. In 1998 he began the website Obscure Store and Reading Room, which linked to odd news stories, and which earned him the reputation of a "witty Matt Drudge
." The Obscure Store was terminated in September 2011. In May 1999 he began another website, this one covering the media and called Mediagossip.com. It proved a success and later that year was acquired by the Poynter Institute
. The site, renamed to Romenesko's MediaNews, was migrated to Poynter's domain and became hugely popular among journalists, helping Poynter get more than 14,000 page views a day in 2000. Romenesko's site, reputed as "the best-known newspaper blog," came to "surpass the journalism reviews as the place where professionals get their 'news about news'" and established itself as "an ad hoc, post-publication, peer review mechanism for the journalistic profession." Romenesko has also been cited as a predecessor to Gawker for having "opened the first and biggest hole in the sacred wall between news and gossip in reporting about the media."
On August 24, 2011, Romenseko announced his "semi-retirement" from the Poynter Institute, in preparation to launch JimRomenesko.com, a blog about media and other items of interest to Romenesko. Romenesko planned to continue with Poynter in a part-time capacity, while expanding the role of other staff members of the Poynter Institute to post items related to media.
noted that posts summarizing articles on the Romenesko page at the Poynter Institute's web site repeated, verbatim, text in the articles without the use of quotation marks or indentation. In the process of reporting, the online chief of the Poynter Institute, Julie Moos, was contacted and noted that this behavior had occurred since 2005. Although Romenesko had always attributed the source of the information, Moos claimed that the inconsistency of placing quotation marks or blockquoting text could cause the impression that text not in quotation marks was those of Romenesko, and not lifted directly from the text. Moos placed Romensko's blog on hold while the issue was being investigated, and following investigation ordered that all of Romenesko's posts be approved by an editor prior to post and to follow the Poynter Institute's attribution guidelines of placing quotation marks with any text used in the original article. Moos refused to accept his resignation.
Following Moos's comments many notable writers complained that the Poynter Institute was "micromanaging" Romsenesko and expressed disdain for Moos's actions, noting Romenesko's historic role in media aggregation and coverage of journalism issues. Others criticized Moos for preempting the CJR story, while violating the spirit of Poynter's own standards. Other reporters called the criticism over the proper use of quotation marks "school-marmish" and "petty". Romenesko continued to offer his resignation, which Moos later accepted.
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, IL, who ran the blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
Romenesko on the website of the non-profit journalism school the Poynter Institute
Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a non-profit school for journalism located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's mission statement says that "The Poynter Institute is a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders. It promotes excellence and integrity in the practice of...
. The blog provided daily news, commentary, and insider information about journalism and media and was popular among professionals in the industry. Romenesko also runs the blog Starbucks Gossip, which covers the company Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
Coffee. It is one of the more influential websites regarding Starbucks, and has a large following of company employees and customers.
Career
Romenesko graduated from Marquette UniversityMarquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
and went to work for the Milwaukee Journal, serving as a police reporter for the newspaper. Initially repulsed by the sometimes grisly nature of his work, he would go on to publish the coroner's reports of unusual deaths in a book called Death Log (1981). From 1982 to 1995 he worked as an editor for Milwaukee Magazine
Milwaukee Magazine
Milwaukee Magazine is a monthly city magazine serving the Milwaukee metropolitan area in Wisconsin, United States. It bills itself as "Southeastern Wisconsin's most authoritative source for Events and Dining," and claims to be read by 200,000 readers....
, where he wrote features and a popular, award-winning column that covered the local media called "Pressroom Confidential". During this time he also taught journalism courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He went on to work as an Internet reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County,...
from 1996 to 1999.
From 1989 to 1999, Romenesko ran a newsletter named Obscure Publications which covered fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s. In 1998 he began the website Obscure Store and Reading Room, which linked to odd news stories, and which earned him the reputation of a "witty Matt Drudge
Matt Drudge
Matthew Nathan Drudge is the American creator and editor of the Drudge Report, a news aggregation website. Drudge is self-described as being conservative and populist. Drudge has also authored a book and hosted a radio show and a television show.-Early years:Matthew Drudge was raised in Takoma...
." The Obscure Store was terminated in September 2011. In May 1999 he began another website, this one covering the media and called Mediagossip.com. It proved a success and later that year was acquired by the Poynter Institute
Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a non-profit school for journalism located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's mission statement says that "The Poynter Institute is a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders. It promotes excellence and integrity in the practice of...
. The site, renamed to Romenesko's MediaNews, was migrated to Poynter's domain and became hugely popular among journalists, helping Poynter get more than 14,000 page views a day in 2000. Romenesko's site, reputed as "the best-known newspaper blog," came to "surpass the journalism reviews as the place where professionals get their 'news about news'" and established itself as "an ad hoc, post-publication, peer review mechanism for the journalistic profession." Romenesko has also been cited as a predecessor to Gawker for having "opened the first and biggest hole in the sacred wall between news and gossip in reporting about the media."
On August 24, 2011, Romenseko announced his "semi-retirement" from the Poynter Institute, in preparation to launch JimRomenesko.com, a blog about media and other items of interest to Romenesko. Romenesko planned to continue with Poynter in a part-time capacity, while expanding the role of other staff members of the Poynter Institute to post items related to media.
Attribution controversy
In November 2011, an assistant editor for the Columbia Journalism ReviewColumbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
noted that posts summarizing articles on the Romenesko page at the Poynter Institute's web site repeated, verbatim, text in the articles without the use of quotation marks or indentation. In the process of reporting, the online chief of the Poynter Institute, Julie Moos, was contacted and noted that this behavior had occurred since 2005. Although Romenesko had always attributed the source of the information, Moos claimed that the inconsistency of placing quotation marks or blockquoting text could cause the impression that text not in quotation marks was those of Romenesko, and not lifted directly from the text. Moos placed Romensko's blog on hold while the issue was being investigated, and following investigation ordered that all of Romenesko's posts be approved by an editor prior to post and to follow the Poynter Institute's attribution guidelines of placing quotation marks with any text used in the original article. Moos refused to accept his resignation.
Following Moos's comments many notable writers complained that the Poynter Institute was "micromanaging" Romsenesko and expressed disdain for Moos's actions, noting Romenesko's historic role in media aggregation and coverage of journalism issues. Others criticized Moos for preempting the CJR story, while violating the spirit of Poynter's own standards. Other reporters called the criticism over the proper use of quotation marks "school-marmish" and "petty". Romenesko continued to offer his resignation, which Moos later accepted.