The Washington Post today had a feature article on Gannett’s newsroom at the Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press. The News-Press is part of Gannett’s Information Center Initiative, which aims to turn newspapers into 24-7 cross-platform information resources with a focus on local stories. (Get more info on the initiative from the Nov. 6 Online Publishing Update archives.)

The article follows Chuck Myron, one of the paper’s “mojos” (mobile journalists), who files stories from his car or wherever he happens to be at the time news happens. “The workplace is, at best, ergonomically challenging,” according to Post writer Frank Ahrens.

What’s interesting is the attitude of the News-Press staff. Some have optimistic but realistic attitudes, like Executive Editor Kate Marymount. She told the Post, “We’re trying a lot of things. Some will work; others won’t. It’s like play.”

But further along in the article is the admission that newsroom opinions are mixed. Most of the staffers who have real concerns about Gannett’s initiative would only speak anonymously, “for fear of retribution.” Their concerns: The push for local news has led to posting “fluff” stories online. One named source said allowing reporters to post articles to the site without going through editing makes him “crazy.”

The article is an interesting look inside a newspaper trying hard to change its corporate culture.

If you’re at a Gannett paper in the midst of this initiative and would like to share your experience, e-mail me at beth.lawton@naa.org, or comment below.