Berkey gerard
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Transcript of Berkey gerard
From Student Journalists to News Entrepreneurs:
A Case Study of Technically Media
International Symposium on Online Journalism Austin, TX – April 20, 2012
Mark Berkey-GerardAssistant Professor, Rowan UniversityTwitter: @mabege
Technically MediaFounded in 2009 by three Temple U. grads
Media consultancy for business, news and nonprofits
Publishes Technically Philly, a regional technology blog in Philadelphia
Sean Blanda, Brian James Kirk, and Christopher Wink. Photo by Colin Lenton
Technology blog covering local: • startups• venture capital• social media/web development • digital access• science, tech, engineering and math education• technology-related local government policy
•25,000 a month•Employed in research, science, media, marketing, IT•71% age 20-39•63% earn $50K+ annually•47% read daily
Readers
Technically Media:Provides “editorial strategy” for businesses, nonprofits and news organizations
Identifies audience conversions
Online publication where legal scholars, historians and staff write about constitutional issues
Extend museum programming to digital platform
Adopt newsroom ethos and practices
National Constitution Center
April 23-28 - 65 tech events, 4,000 participants
Philly Tech Week
News Coverage Advocacy
Tools
51%
35%
12%
ConsultingGrantsEventsAds/Job Board
Technically Media Revenue
Future:
Launch of Technically Baltimore (Summer 2012)
Membership model
Staff transitions
Why Study Technically Media?
• “Prototype plucked from an entrepreneurial journalism textbook”
• Profitable without outside investment
• Bridge the gap between research and classroom
• Evidence of entrepreneurial capacities
Entrepreneurial Capacities (Gibb)1. Opportunity
seeking2. Initiative taking3. Ownership of a
development4. Commitment to
see things through5. Personal locus of
control6. Intuitive decision
making
7. Networking capacity
8. Strategic thinking9. Negotiation
capacity10.Selling/persuasive
capacity11.Achievement
orientation12.Incremental risk
taking
RQ1: Knowledge and skills?
• Newsroom• Publishing• Consulting• Grants• Event Planning• Small Business
RQ2: Acquire knowledge and skills?
• Implementation of existing ideas• Student publication, internships, entry-
level jobs• Reporting as a pathway to business
knowledge• Creating forums for sharing knowledge
(BarCamp News Innovation)
RQ3: Key entrepreneurial capacities?
• Initial launch• Beyond advertising• Journalistic values as a product• Event funded online news publication• Expanding to additional markets
RQ4: Implications for J education?
• Training for jobs that do not exist• Opportunities to build publications and
tools• Testing products• Entrepreneurial projects as gateway to
traditional employment
Conclusions1. Entrepreneurial by necessity
2. Limits of skill-based education
3. Build on existing strengths of journalism programs
4. Accelerator vs. Venture Capital approach
5. Create forums for sharing knowledge and information