(And why leaving it to the tech team alone is like letting your grandma pick your Tinder pics)

Let’s start with an uncomfortable truth: editorial leaders and newsroom managers have been treating the decision to purchase newsroom systems like a mysterious black box—one best left to the technologically savvy.

They act like it’s a secret dark art, too complicated for mere mortals in editorial to grasp. But here’s the kicker:

This hands-off approach is hurting everyone, including the news product.

If you’re an editorial leader nodding along to this thinking, it’s time to step up and understand that the tools your editorial staff is provided massively effect the efficiency and quality of their work. 

The Legacy of Legacy Systems (Spoiler: They Should Be Buried in the Desert Next to Old Atari Games)

The typical broadcast newsroom operates on an NRCS that probably feels like it was last updated around the same time fax machines were cutting edge. Sure, they technically “work,” but so did the telegraph, and nobody’s trying to cover breaking news with Morse code these days.

Meanwhile, younger journalists—the digital natives—arrive at newsrooms accustomed to slick, cloud-based systems that lead them to expect to be able to collaborate, upload files from their phones, and access news management tools from wherever they are. They’ve been spoiled by systems that feel as intuitive as their Instagram feed. Naturally, when confronted with an old-school NRCS, they look at it the way a millennial might view a landline phone: “Wait, people still use these?”

What’s happening here is a classic generational gap. Yeah, Grandma means well, but if you let her pick your Tinder photos, you're gonna end up looking like you’re ready for church, not a swipe-right. What your team really needs is a system that keeps up with the chaos of modern news. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck swiping left while the competition is already running the story.

Why the Editorial Side Is MIA

So why do editorial leaders shy away? One reason is that editors are storytellers first, technologists second—or, in many cases, technologists never. For years, they’ve been happily (or begrudgingly) using whatever NRCS the IT team picked out. Editorial leaders are busy worrying about the important stuff—ratings, deadlines, and how to fill gaps in the roster because of downsizing of the newsroom staff.So, naturally, they outsource these tech decisions to the IT department. The result? Systems that may be functional, but don’t exactly scream “newsroom of the future.” 

The Cloud Revolution (No, It’s Not Just for Storage)

Let’s talk about the revolution quietly happening outside the newsroom door: cloud-based technology. For years, NRCSs were like fortresses—firmly locked into physical servers in the corner of the newsroom, only accessible from clunky stationary desktop computers. Now, cloud-based systems are mobile, flexible, and actually let you do things—like ingesting videos from your phone straight into the newsroom system while running to your next assignment or collaborating with a producer halfway across the country without having to rely on a lagging VDI that'll make you wanna cut yourself. No more yelling at the screen or waiting for the system to catch up with your thoughts. Just sleek workflows.

But no, many broadcasters stick with their ancient NRCS as if it’s a beloved family heirloom. Why? Mostly because change is hard and inertia is easier. It’s the old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset, except in this case, it is broken. It’s so broken that the younger journalists would rather write their scripts on Google Docs or, let’s face it, their phones.

Here’s where editorial leaders should swoop in. You, of all people, know what’s grinding your reporters' gears. You understand the pain of waiting for a system to load, or the unique thrill of watching it crash during breaking news. These are your people, and their work should be supported by technology that enhances, not hinders.

But I don't wanna change!

For the seasoned journalists who’ve been in the game since typewriters were cutting edge, the idea of switching to new, cloud-based systems might feel like being asked to trade in their trusty pen for a spaceship. Change can be uncomfortable, and it’s easy to stick with what you know—especially when you’ve built a career on it.

But here’s the truth: adapting to new technology isn’t about leaving behind the skills and experience that got them this far. It’s about enhancing those strengths with tools that streamline the process, reduce frustration, and help them do what they do best—tell stories—more efficiently.

To motivate these veterans, it’s crucial to focus on how modern systems can actually make their jobs easier, not harder. Show them how the right tech frees up more time for the craft they love, whether it’s digging into an investigative piece or covering breaking news. Instead of seeing technology as a threat, it can become a trusted ally—just like the tools they’ve always relied on.

The future is here 

Let’s introduce Dina, the NRCS superhero your newsroom deserves. Dina is cloud-native, mobile-friendly, and designed with the modern journalist in mind. Imagine a newsroom system that actually helps your team work better, faster, and more collaboratively. Dina lets reporters in the field have access to the entire newsroom system, streamlines production workflows, and organizes everything so intuitively that you won’t need a user manual, The best part? It doesn’t feel like you’re driving a newsroom jalopy, but rather a shiny new newsroom EV with all the bells and whistles. And unlike your current NRCS, Dina speaks the language of digital-native journalists without making them feel like they’ve time-traveled back to 1995.

Breaking the IT Monopoly (No Offense, Techies)

The reason these decisions are typically left to the tech team is simple: they know what makes the system run, and they have all those fancy IT degrees. But newsrooms aren’t server rooms—they’re high-pressure creative spaces. Imagine asking your IT department to decide how to craft the lead in a breaking story—exactly, it’d be chaos. And yet, we let them choose the tools journalists use to tell stories every day.

Let’s be honest: most editorial managers are a bit intimidated by the idea of picking an NRCS. There’s a belief that if you don’t speak tech, you don’t get a seat at the table. But this isn’t about learning how to code; it’s about ensuring your newsroom has the tools that actually help your team. And trust me, the next time that legacy system crashes in the middle of election night, you’ll wish you had weighed in on the decision.

Take Control Before IT Locks You in the Past

The NRCS isn’t just another checkbox for the IT team—it’s the lifeline of your newsroom. If you wouldn’t let someone from a different generation decide what’s trending, why let them pick the system that your younger, tech-savvy team will be stuck with? Your reporters and producers live in a world of cloud tech, mobile workflows, and instant collaboration. They need systems that match their speed, not legacy software that feels like it’s stuck in the AOL days. Don’t wait until your newsroom is falling behind and the IT team is playing firefighter every time the system freezes.

Get involved, make decisions that align with the modern newsroom, and set your team up to thrive with tools they’ll actually want to use—not just tolerate.

(The author previously worked as a TV news producer, editor, and led the online news division at TV 2, Norway's top commercial broadcaster.)