Dark Arts for PBS Producers

Dark secrets online overlords of the

very important things I won’t dwell on:

•  social media •  news judgment •  technology •  SEO •  cat photos

& sensibility

desire

what I will dwell on:

ackage, repackage, repeat.

Flickr photo courtesy of user scmgee.

P

lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

packaging reinforces

packaging extends reach

stock and flow

Umbering is narrative.

Flickr photo courtesy of user svenwerk.

N

popurls.com II. Numbering is narrative.

theatlantic.com II. Numbering is narrative.

lists promise specifics

lists promise limits

lists promise hierarchy

examples of guides from different sites II. Numbering is narrative.

Eadlines are hooks.

Flickr photo courtesy of user minifig.

H

“ “ Imagine you're writing a

headline for a magazine … rather than a newspaper.

source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

wired.com vs. gawker.com III. Headlines are hooks.

Vs.

focus on implications, not events

Vs.

Vs.

nytimes.com vs. google news vs. gawker.com III. Headlines are hooks

parsability and authority

12 most profit-producing words III. Headlines are hooks

1.  Discover 2.  Easy 3.  Guarantee 4.  Health 5.  Love 6.  Money 7.  New 8.  Proven 9.  Results 10.  Safety 11.  Save 12.  You

12 most arresting headline words III. Headlines are hooks

1.  Top 2.  Why 3.  How 4.  Will 5.  Guide 6.  Best 7.  Secret 8.  Ultimate 9.  Your 10.  Worst 11.  New 12.  Future

Omments are content.

Flickr photo courtesy of user nolifebeforecoffee.

C

ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com IV. Comments are content.

content gets assigned

content gets curated

content gets edited

content gets promoted

Xplain, explain, explain.

Flickr photo courtesy of user Pip R. Lagenta.

E

“ “

When remotely possible, turn news into explanation.

source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

slate.com V. Explain, explain, explain.

voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein V. Explain, explain, explain.

Flickr photo courtesy of user movimente.

Llustrate everything. I

huffingtonpost.com VI. Illustrate everything.

A transportation blog?! Really?

*actual transportation blog headlines VI. Illustrate everything.

blogs.startribune.com/roadguy VI. Illustrate everything.

“The word that came to mind was ‘brazen.’”

images courtesy of roadguy VI. Illustrate everything.

ompete through co-optation.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. military.

C

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com VII. Compete through co-optation.

npr.org VII. Compete through co-optation.

huffingtonpost.com VII. Compete through co-optation.

irehoses beat front doors.

Flickr photo courtesy of user Mr. T in DC.

F

huffingtonpost.com VIII. Firehoses beat front doors.

wbur.org in 2009 VIII. Firehoses beat front doors.

wbur.org VIII. Firehoses beat front doors.

content is king

treams beat stories.

Flickr photo courtesy of user Mr. T in DC.

S

city room and l.a.now IX. Streams beat stories.

gothamist network IX. Streams beat stories.

city room vs. gothamist IX. Streams beat stories.

feed > post

subscriber > visitor

nytimes.com IX. Streams beat stories.

talkingpointsmemo.com IX. Streams beat stories

Flickr photo courtesy of user Stuck In Customs.

inimal is magical. M

[Noun] [verb]:

[Blockquote]

A reader writes:

[Blockquote]

marginalrevolution.com X. Minimal is magical.

slate.com X. Minimal is magical.

nytimes.com X. Minimal is magical.

it’s quick

it suggests ubiquity

it demands listening

it evokes a conversation

it triggers awareness

I have so many fascinating things to tell you.

I must hurry.

speedy visual fun explanatory focused straightforward authoritative hierarchical conversational engaging continuous simple efficient comprehensive concise adaptable collaborative ubiquitous social economical arresting networked creative aggressive engaged serial bi-directional ebullient forceful filtered digressive bold cathartic curatorial steady data-driven resourceful frequent plugged-in iterative

Dark Arts for PBS Producers

News & Politics

Transcript of Dark Arts for PBS Producers