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1. So, last day on news desk at @TheOxfordMail - inspired by @JaneRockHouse thought I’d give an insight into a day in the newsroom. 7.30am - arrived in city of dreaming spires and the Mail office, which more closely resembles a nuclear bunker. But it’s our nuclear bunker. 
Coffee centre stage as I begin the whirlwind morning routine of checking email, website, headlines, reader stats, diary, staff rota etc. Some tech problems already as CMS has an early morning blip
Love a good graph. We’re the orange wiggly line, which can only be a good thing, right?
New list. Decisions, decisions. Possibles today include graffiti artists, park and ride abuse, cancer scan U-turn and stadium revamp news. But secretly hoping we get something about a heroic dog...
Alas, no heroic dog on the news list yet. But we have been contacted about ‘a funny smell in Abingdon’. Time for another coffee. #lovelocalnews
Fantastic reaction to our front page story today on the sad death of a local legend. The messages and tributes continue to flood in bit.ly/2HKjS8E
Frantic perusal of reporters’ lists and loads happening today. Highlights include knife arches in schools and a possible asbestos death. Currently trying to find some good news to balance it all out!
First complaint of the day. It’s Thursday, which means it’s court listings day. Which means predictable outrage. Every journalist will know what I’m talking about.
I should add I’m not actually leaving @TheOxfordMail just changing role.
Thoughts turn to lunch - wistfully picture a stroll in the sunshine to Pret, followed by immediate realisation that I won’t have time.
Quick introduction to the @TheOxfordMail wall of fame - reporters and their different patches. Strong byline pic here for @OxMailTomW who gets most of the fun jobs for some reason
Right, conference done and list done. A good one, nice and varied. Couldn’t possibly reveal it though. You never know who might be sniffing around...
No time for a stroll among the dreaming spires for lunch, so making do with West Way parade. Still, shop local and all that.
On to my favourite task, tinkering with the website. Namely changing headlines. I’m convinced reporters love it when I do that.
Forgot to mention, was just finishing my lunch as the excellent @OxMailNaomiH got in touch to tell me more about a body found in a burning car. Kept eating.
Yes more sad news to process as police confirm body of missing mum found in river. Terrible for her daughter who had pleaded with her to come home.
People often sneer at local reporters and accuse them of not doing any ‘proper’ journalism. @OxMailChrisO currently interviewing leading clinicians on a fantastic public interest story about NHS cancer scans we’ve been following for weeks. Hugely important to thousands of people
Ooooh, photographer Ed has played a blinder and sent through a whole gallery of pics of drivers on their phones - there’s a campaign this week by @OxonFireRescue so thought we’d see if it’s still a thing. It is. If you were texting on Botley road earlier, watch this space!
As days go, today is probably on the busier side of breaking news, plus a smattering of the weird. Top 5 best read are - tributes to local legend, shopping centre food fail, couple get steamy at fast food place, court results (obvs) and body found in river.
Should add for anyone wondering, we use @Chartbeat in newsroom for live stats to gauge which stories are working and which aren’t, and to help shape our news coverage. As an industry, we must start listening to our audience a bit more imo.
Phew, nearly done. @TheOxfordMail newspaper for tomorrow almost there. We might need to come up with a better splash headline mind you...
And home. To this mad little thing. A good day.
