WSJ steps up breaking news coverage

The New York Times reports that The Wall Street Journal is taking active measures to become better at delivering breaking news. Reporters at WSJ will be required to supply material to Dow Jones Newswires more often and provide "clearer versions of their articles." People in the newsroom say the changes mean that the first version that goes out to the wires will consist of a headline and a few sentences and will be "written in the simplest terms." The first version will be sent out as soon as possible. The full articles that will be printed in WSJ will utilize more "complex language." 

The staff was informed of the changes in a memo from top editor Robert Thomson who was apparently "frankly critical of the way breaking news articles have been written." While Thomson declined to discuss the overhaul with NYT, he said, "We break stories everyday and the question is how do you make the most of that?" 

The memo, which caused a "stir" in WSJ's newsroom, also mentioned that all WSJ reporters "will be judged, in significant part, by whether they break news for the Newswires." 

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