The faces of the Register

All reporters and columnists at the Orange County Register will have to have their mug shots taken and the pictures will run with every one of their stories, according to a memo obtained by LA Observed. The memo, written by deputy editor Brenda Shoun, offers this rationale for the mugs:

Recently-released MORI research recommendations told us that we need to better promote our talented writing staff. Images were specifically called out by the research team as a good way to do this. 

My guess is this has less to do with promoting the talented staff than it does with a readership survey that made vague calls for more transparency and accountability from the newsroom.

Nevertheless, the mug shots could be a good way to promote the talented writing staff within the paper so that no one forgets a talented reporter's name when memos go out:

Also, if we have somehow forgotten a name please forgive us. The list was assembled in haste.