"I Sometimes Forget to Get Up for a Coffee Break": Gabi Schneider, Deputy Editor of Hidabroot Website, in a Fascinating Interview

Do you know the question: "Where were you when the Meron disaster happened?" or "What were you doing when you heard about the outbreak of the war in Gaza?" For Gabi Schneider, Deputy Editor of the Hidabroot website, these questions are more than just memories of life-changing events, as for him, these are reports that required immediate mobilization to think about how to deliver them to the public. "If a disaster occurs in Meron, then I get out of bed and work continuously all night and into the morning until Shabbat to report everything that happened, and if there's a missile exchange or even a worsening of the pandemic situation, I must always have my finger on the pulse and update the users," he clarifies.

Even now, during our interview, Schneider sits alert by the computer, occasionally pausing the conversation, addressing various messages, and quickly forwarding them to one of Hidabroot's content writers, briefly guiding them on what to write and providing highlights. "This is routine work, this is what it looks like every day," he explains.

Never Stops Writing

Schneider is an experienced and sharp journalist, well-versed in the intricacies of Israeli politics as well as military systems and the operation of various institutions in the country. It's hard to confuse him with one item or another, and he can immediately identify whether it is a 'fake' or 'news' story, what story hides behind which report, and where someone might actually be interested in marketing themselves or inciting the masses.

Interestingly, Schneider originally did not come from the field of news. "I was born in Haifa," he shares, "I grew up in the city and underwent a path of yeshiva high school, Hesder yeshiva, and academic studies. When I arrived at Hidabroot, it was a kind of 'career change,' as up until then I worked in academia, which is a completely different type of work." 

So how did the change actually happen?

"News had always been a kind of hobby and interest for me over the years, but somewhere in my heart there was always a desire to turn the hobby into a job. It hadn't materialized for various reasons and I didn't think it would, but one day I came across an announcement that said 'News Correspondent Needed for Hidabroot,' and because it was a site I had surfed quite a bit and respected its professionalism, I decided to apply."

Schneider notes that at that time, he didn't believe he would be accepted for the position at all. "Initially, the site editor, Dudu Cohen, interviewed me over the phone and then gave me a writing assignment to check compatibility. I think I proved myself, but Dudu preferred to try another candidate first who approached him before me and he updated me that he was meanwhile trying someone else. I already thought the job wasn't mine, but to my surprise, two days later, he came back to me and asked if it was still relevant for me and of course I replied positively. At first, I worked as a news reporter and about a year and a half ago, I got the position of Deputy Site Manager, but at the same time, I continue to write in the news section, alongside our other talented writers."

Values Over Ratings

What does the deputy editor's job include and how do his roles differ from those of the editor-in-chief?

"In broad terms, one could say that my work is more at the micro-level, involving constant interaction with the site's staff, while the editor-in-chief is responsible for the macro-level – forming the site's general strategy. I, as a deputy editor, am supposed to implement this on the ground, of course not alone but with the team members.

"My role includes, among other things, distributing items for writing and approving topics, synchronizing between different writers; providing answers to questions coming from the team; editing articles that come my way; meetings, consultations, and brainstorming sessions with team members – a very important part of the work, contributing to all of us and enhancing creativity; dealing with technical and administrative issues since they occasionally arise, and more."

Do you think these roles differ from those imposed on seniors at other sites?

"I haven't experienced other sites, but in one clear thing, we are unique – since we have a small workforce, each of us does a lot beyond what is imposed on them, thus, with a small and smart team, we manage to achieve accomplishments no less than large teams. The uniqueness of our team is also expressed in those who are behind the scenes and users are not aware of their existence. Their professionalism, availability, and enthusiasm are truly inspiring.

"And there's also another significant difference: almost every site that provides news to the public has a great interest in getting exclusive and primary items, but with us, it's not a goal that sanctifies the means. Although I am connected to many groups, spokespersons of all kinds and many professionals, even when I receive reports first-hand, I do not rush to publish them quickly before verifying that they are indeed fit for publication. This is a minimum of professional and human responsibility. We all know the tragic stories of family members who heard that their loved ones were harmed in a terror attack through media that rushed to publish the injured's name, or about other painful cases. It is true that we want to bring up-to-date and immediate content, but not at any cost. We have values that precede ratings."

Are there topics that won't be mentioned on the site at all?

"Certainly, it happens quite often, and I think our users are already aware that there are boundaries we do not cross. I'll give an example from a recent period that might sound esoteric, but it represents quite a few of our team dilemmas: we have a very successful humor section on the site. Recently, a funny video arrived, which included satire on the situation in the country. But after several views, I realized it wasn't suitable for the site, as it was aimed at a specific personality and 'put them down,' so of course, we passed on it."

Endless Accessibility

The work of a deputy editor is undoubtedly intriguing, but no less challenging. When I try to ask Schneider about his daily routine, he responds concisely: "I sit on the chair at seven-thirty in the morning, review the day's new headlines, and since then I almost don't get up until evening. Sometimes I manage to have a short coffee break; sometimes not even that. It all depends on the intensity of the work. There are days when more than 50 new articles go up on the site and there's a need to keep track and make sure that each article receives its stage, and of course, when there are major news events, one must be immediately available and be accessible without interruption. I'll be honest – I've tried several times to cut down on working hours and reduce the load a bit, but it hasn't really materialized. Nevertheless, I make a great effort to free up a few hours every day to be with my wife and children, and still, sometimes I have to make concessions in the family field.

"And there's also another difficulty," he adds after reflection, "recently, against the backdrop of judicial reform and the unrest between factions in the nation, we feel quite a few responses come from the left, and we understand that people who aren’t really interested in Hidabroot's content enter the site just to 'get at us.' These negative comments are painful, but they never make us stop or deter us."

And what truly gives you the strength to continue working?

"Of course, it's a great sense of satisfaction, and from my acquaintance with team members, it’s a feeling shared by everyone. Not only is it interesting and challenging work, but it's also a kind of mission. The amazing numbers of site entries prove to us how many people connect at any given moment to Hidabroot, and it’s tremendous and empowering feedback. We see through the analyses which articles are considered leading, with the most entrances, and we never cease to be excited when we discover that people enter strengthening articles and choose to read about strengthening topics. It provides a lot of strength for the future.

"In addition, there is also the amazing teamwork, with mutual appreciation and compliments that aren’t to be taken for granted in our field. We come from different backgrounds, and in team meetings, sometimes good-spirited debates arise about the site's direction and the content that appears on it. But on a personal level – indeed, there’s nothing like it."

And what are the future plans? Can you reveal some of them?

"As is known, the blessing is found only in the concealed. But still, in a nutshell – first of all the new site that is just on the horizon, and we believe you will enjoy it very much.

"In the content field – with Hashem's help, we will continue in the expansion trend, as already expressed in the various sections, such as 'News,' 'Health and Nutrition,' 'Celebs in Strengthening,' 'Running on the Net,' and more. In the video field – soon we will launch two very special new series that should not be missed. And this is also an opportunity to include a message to the surfers: we would love to hear from you more ideas to enrich the content on the site, you are definitely invited to send."