Hackensack Finds its Mojo(s)

Mojo… a term with many meanings over the years, in various contexts, but in today’s media world, it refers to the new breed of mobile journalists using technology to work remotely.

Most bloggers, naturally, are mojos, but increasing numbers of conventional journalists are as well. For example, take the North Jersey Record, based in Hackensack, N.J. The paper’s publisher, Stephen Borg, is moving operations out of its headquarters, and telling reporters that when they need a desk, they need to make a reservation at a sister company’s office in West Paterson.

Borg calls this concept “office hoteling,” and notes it cuts down on costs in numerous ways — space, desks, utility and cleaning bills, etc. He spins the change as reporters “moving out into the field,” which beats, of course, moving down under the freeway overpass.

The Jersey mojos are hardly alone. In a survey of editors around the country last month, Editor & Publisher found numerous examples of news organizations utilizing mojos — from The Oregonian in Portland  to The  Star in Indianapolis, the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., and the Post-Intelligencer in Seattle.

Of course, I’m a mojo for BNET, which suits my style. All of my posts are created remotely; I’ve never even been inside the company’s office. Our super-efficient editorial process relies mainly on… email. So, now I think I’ll push my mojo button and ship this baby off to headquarters, wherever the hell that is.