News Cafe: Great idea, but more work for busy journalists?

Last week, the Winnipeg Free Press announced it will be opening Canada's first "News Cafe" in Winnipeg's downtown Exchange District.

First off, I'd like to say I think it's a great idea. It will make journalists more accessible to the public and get them back out "on the street", so to speak, and interacting with people. Not only will it generate more news, but new news that perhaps wouldn't have reached the news agency otherwise.

But it's also got me thinking. If I were a journalist, I'd like to sit in the cafe and talk with people. I like to listen to people's stories, and I like to find news. But in my few brief work experiences, I also understand how busy journalists are. Trying to get stories filed by deadline while tweeting, blogging and writing webbies means journalists are busier than ever.

And now asking them to work in a public space where someone can sit down and start up a conversation while they are in the middle of working on an important story?

Journalists expect to be busy, but it seems like more and more is being piled on their plates. Is there going to be some compensation for asking them to work in a cafe? Fewer stories or something? Somehow I doubt it.

But I do think it's a good step and I applaud the Freep for being so bold as to try it.

And I'm very interested to hear the reporters's thoughts about it.