japantoday.com
rises to the challenge of bilingual e-news
Although some Japanese
news giants have attempted the daunting task of delivering online stories simultaneously
in English and Japanese, few have done it with finesse. Bilingual reporting presents
special challenges to writers, reporters and editors who must bridge the gap between a
diverse readership and an often divided newsroom. Internet start-up news provider
japantoday.com is searching for talented, team-oriented journalists to deliver New Japan
in a fresh, bicultural format. Georgia Jacobs gets the scoop from Managing Editor Bruce Rutledge.
Bruce Rutledge, Managing Editor of
japantoday.com
Maki Nibayashi
Tell us a bit about
japantoday.com
Simply put, we' an online news provider. We aim to be the most popular news provider in
Japan by delivering interesting, hard-hitting news as it happens, offering columns and
feature stories that bring Japan to life, and by approaching the news in a fresh, creative
way. We will be interactive, bilingual, and much of our coverage will be reader driven.
How will japantoday.com be different from other online magazines?
For one, we will break news and offer up-to-the-minute coverage of ongoing stories. I
believe only major news organizations attempt to have the same sort of scope online. We
will also deliver the news in English and Japanese. But, to me, the most important
difference is that we will have a culture and an editorial style that promotes openness
and creates connections with our readers and the people we write about. For example, if we
do a story on a four-year-old violinist or a Japanese day trader or an old woman living in
a retirement home, we will update those stories from time to time. Our coverage will
attempt to fit into real life.
What positions are you seeking to fill?
As the managing editor, I am looking for innovative, energetic reporters, writers, editors
and photographers. Outside of the editorial department, there are also some vacancies in
the marketing and technical support teams.
What are you looking for in an employee?
What we say in our help wanted ads is that we want bilingual people with experience in
journalism. But there are other traits that I am looking for: open-mindedness, energy,
innovation, the ability to think clearly on deadline. I'm looking for people who are ready
for the challenge of their lives, and who understand how difficult and how potentially
rewarding it will be to cover modern Japan well.
What are the benefits of working for an Internet company, and more specifically,
japantoday.com?
Well, the Internet is still a whole new world, especially in Japan, where new companies
are starting to spring up at a steady rate. I think the biggest benefit japantoday.com can
offer is that, while we will be on the cutting edge technologically, we also will be on
the cutting edge journalistically.
What does it take to work for an Internet start-up?
Self-starters who can also work in a team are the sort of people who should be looking to
join a start-up. Frankly, there is so much to do everyday that we just don't have time to
deal with all the egos out there. We need people who are thick-skinned, who keep plugging
away, and who have an inner confidence that they can succeed.
To apply for a position at japantoday.com, send a resume and cover letter in English by
fax to 03-3423-6931.
