1

Setting-up and Streamlining a Multimedia NewsroomSuccess stories and cautionary tales from latimes.com

Online News AssociationOctober, 2008

2

The good news

Uniques at 20 million/month, up 106% YOYPage Views at 127 million, up 65% YOYDisplay revenue up 30% YOY

Credit: Fotolog

3

Challenges/things that make us put on our Viking helmets

Need a bigger share of local audience – why? Those folks spend more time on the site, and advertisers like ‘em too.

A sense of urgency due to what’sgoing on out there.

Need an experimental approach and to not be overly scared of making mistakes.

Credit: BuyCostumes.com

4

5

Where does that leave us….

- A little smaller

- Hair on fire

- An opportunity to use more than the traditional dotcom staff to fuel the site in a variety of ways (multimedia, editing, SEO efforts, reader engagement, restructuring roles and more)

- A chance to create one news operation

-A lot of folks wanting to help but don’t know how

6

So we got organized and tactical, focusing on:

-Internal training/education

-How to get the word out by using new technologies

-Visual journalism

-Breaking down silos, increasing communication, identifying ‘legacy’ practices and assumptions that no longer needed

-Setting clear goals and tracking progress

-Getting the right people in the right spots

7

Training

- Almost 40 in-house courses rolling out including360 storytelling, SEO headline writing, Typepad, video training, Web graphics, copy-editing, legal issues…

8

Don’t publish in a vacuum

Web:  John McCain and Barack Obama spar over 'celebrity' Print:  'C---brity' is a dirty word

Also…..-Digg efforts-Google trends-Good old fashioned emailing & making friends

Credit: How Stuff Works

9

Emphasis on visual journalism/multimedia

-Web journalism 101 is often a challenge for print-based sites – not visual enough.

- Redesigned site for greater presence of staff and readerpix

-Expanded video team with focus on unique video, not justarticle “ride alongs”

-Video training – basic skills for reporters and eds and all stripes

-Created one visual desk, photo + video, trained photogs on flash and video

-Created one data desk – print & web database, print & web graphics, aka “cool kids”

10

Big focus of the job

Credit: tomneuville.com

11

Metrics as the vehicle for being obsessed with our users

- Daily reports, wide distribution

- Encourage a little grudge match here and there

- Top search terms on the site, top terms people used to come to us

- Set goals, even if you are throwing a noodle at the wall, track them daily

Sample Omniture report, August

12

Is integration a dirty word?

• Aligning the Web and print teams, still a lot of myths or “gray goo” about the process and practices. New meetings!!!

• Move folks around – sit like-minded folks together, both task-based and section-based

• Philosophically, this is not a swallowing but a chance to increase communication, learn from eachother and move quickly toward the goal of one newsroom.

13

New roles and New people

It’s not 1998 anymore. Looking for Web specialists, not generalists.

Daily producing and editing ‘scales’ throughout the “print” newsroom, not belonging only to the Web team. Advantage: Folks who know the story best see it all the way through. “Web” folks concentrate on aggregating, multimedia, presentation, social media efforts, etc…

Look at job roles – decisions made in the past about roles and responsibilities need to be reworked.

14

Thank you…..

LATers at ONA:

Meredith Artley – Exec. Editor, latimes.com

Sean Connelley – Interactive Graphics Producer

Aaron Curtiss – Director of Innovation

Katy Newton -- Videographer

Patrice Roe -- Web Deputy, Foreign

Russ Stanton -- Big Cheese

Diana Swartz – Web Deputy, National/Politics

Tenny Tatusian – Sr. Producer, News

Eric Ulken – Editor, Interactive Technology