WSJ editor Murray: This is transformational time when we’ll show mettle

Wall Street Journal editor in chief Matt Murray sent out the following message to the staff on Monday:

Dear All:

Thank you for your time and your questions on the all-staff call today. We will schedule another one soon. I urge you to bring your concerns, issues and ideas to the appropriate member of the senior team as they arise. We’re eager to hear from you.

There’s no doubt we will continue to face serious challenges in the weeks ahead. But you are rising to meet, even surpass the moment. On a fast-moving story with global scale and tentacles that cut across all our areas of coverage, you are bringing our readers journalism and experiences that set a standard for the industry and serve our readers at a time when they are relying on us most.

From the day at the start of the year that our China colleagues first identified the emerging virus, our journalism has been without peer: exclusive, compelling, authoritative and consistently ahead of events. It has been a potent, agenda-setting performance unlike any I have seen before. In fact, this memo started out as a broad kudos note citing our best work. But it quickly became clear that there is so much of it that it would be an impossible and ultimately unfair task.

The daily news coverage is being enhanced by the work of our digital experience and strategy and events and other teams, who are innovating new ways to reach readers and tell stories in real time on an almost daily basis. In just the last week, we have advanced PDFs of the print paper for digital readers, built a new free-news strap for readers, revamped our newsletters, rescheduled one conference as a teleconference and debuted a new feature on working during the virus. And all of this is being facilitated by incredible colleagues across the newsroom and company, especially in the managing editor’s office and technology, in the face of unprecedented complications.

This is one of those transformational times when an organization shows its mettle. We are uniquely positioned to demonstrate what we’re about and to take great leaps forward. I’ve never been prouder to work here. Though the weeks ahead will further test us, I’m confident you will continue to reach new heights.

Matt