Going Digital-Firstin Your Newsroom

Steve ButtryMadison SPJ

October 17, 2014

Why “unbolt”?● Increase digital content● Increase digital audience● Increase digital revenue● Digital is the future● Work more efficiently

Digital-first priorities● News coverage & storytelling

● Processes

● Engagement

● Planning & management

● Mobile

● Standards

Coverage & storytelling● Breaking news● Event coverage● Routine daily coverage● Enterprise coverage

Breaking news● Independent breaking news team● Publish as soon as you verify● Update frequently● Liveblog● Tweet & post from scene

Daily coverage● Liveblog all events (meetings, trials,

festivals, sports)● Report routine daily stories as they unfold:

Verified newsworthy fact, then updates● Early deadlines (during workday) ● Quick version, then full version● Crowdsource

Digital enterprise● Plan & work for digital platform & timing● Not “Sunday story” or sweeps● Plan digital elements from the first:

databases, social, videos, interactive …● Engagement● Crowdsourcing (you can’t scoop yourself)

Five Satins● Story published online Monday

● Text twice as long online

● Loaded with links

● Videos

● Audio clips

● Strong engagement all week

● Still published Sunday in print

Digital content● Videos (yours & community’s)● Visuals (photo galleries, maps, graphics)● Link to relevant content (external & archives)● Embeds (tweets, source documents, etc.)● Interactive storytelling tools● Interactive databases● Live (blogs, chats, streams)

Processes, planning● How do you change daily, weekly meetings?● Critique website, app, not legacy products● How do you change staffing, shifts?● Edit for digital publication● News budgets for digital planning?● Training for digital tools & workflow● How do you measure success?

Read more about it● stevebuttry.wordpress.com (Project

Unbolt category)● @stevebuttry● stephenbuttry@gmail.com