Web FirstChristina Drain

Pensacola State College

Throw out the traditional newsroom structure

THINK

outside the box

Making the Transition

Get rid of the online editor

All editors need to learn to post stories, should be part of their job

description

Making the Transition

What is the best way to tell the story?

Some stories are better told through visuals or sound.

Look beyond text.

Does the story need a timeline, map, or other interactives that can be achieved

online?

Livestream, livechat.

Making the Transition

Keep site stats in the forefront

Add Google Analytics to the site to track information.

Make sure editors get a monthly report of page views, most read, other stats.

Making the Transition

Cut back on the print edition

If you are weekly, go bi-weekly. If you are bi-weekly, go monthly.

Print the best-of the web in the edition or change the format of the paper to more in-

depth reporting and opinion, leaving the more immediate news

for online.

Making the Transition

Recruit outside the journalism department

Marketing - Facebook and TwitterArt – web designers, Flash designers, videographers, photographersEnglish – bloggersHonors - opinion

Making the Transition

Set up a Facebook Fan Page◦Embed the Facebook widget on your site◦Encourage others to become fans

through a cross-promotion ad in the newspaper

◦Post stories of interest or photos from an event on the fan page

Promote the Site

Set up Twitter Use Twitter to break news Tweet links to stories of interest. (Use

sparingly.)

Promote the Site

Events Invite students to Student Center or other

gathering place with WiFi and demonstrate interesting parts of site.

Ask to be announced at sporting and campus events. (Thank photographer and videographer and remind attendees to check online to view photos and video.)

Make business cards with site name and URL to pass out in the crowd and to visiting team.

Promote the Site

Decentralize

Consider using Editorial Board vs. Editor in Chief

Restructure Staffing

eCorsair Model

Five Sections – Editor for eachNews (includes sports)

Features Community Conversation

Arts & EntertainmentMultimedia

Restructure Staffing

News and Sports Work primarily online

◦ Breaking stories and upcoming events through Twitter

◦ Short news and sports stories

◦ Coverage of campus events and advances

◦ Sports coverage through livestreaming or live blogging

◦ Story sharing on Facebook

◦ Mobile journalists at various campuses

Restructure Staff

Features Produces multimedia packages for print and

online on specific topics

◦ Features on student profiles, programs, instructors

◦ Main focus is on providing several stories per topic for print issue

◦ Package will also contain online components such as video, audio, interactive graphics, polls

Restructure Staff

Community Conversation Staff members work both online and in print

Includes:

◦ Staff (unsigned) editorials

◦ Editorial cartoons

◦ Columnists

◦ Bloggers

◦ Poll questions

◦ Monitor comments area

Restructure Staff

Arts & Entertainment Responsible for local and campus coverage

of arts and entertainment events Profiles local arts and entertainment talent Posts selected upcoming campus events

online through Twitter

Restructure Staff

Multimedia Responsible for producing multimedia

content for online. Also produces graphics and design for print Produces video, audio, graphics, photo

galleries, in support of other sections as well as content which originates with the multimedia team

Podcasts, webcasts, livestreaming, design for multimedia packages

Restructure Staff

Complete Community Connection ModelCombines print, online, broadcast content producers in one organization◦One breaking news team◦One visual team◦One watchdog team◦One sports team◦One weather team

Web site that can be accessed by the staff – content management system works the best

Place story budget online – Google site, Google Docs, or protected area on main site

Equipment – video camera, digital camera, digital recorder, cell phones, laptop, accessories

Tools Needed

Start Using Digital Tools Interactive databases Interactive maps Breaking news text and Twitter alerts Liveblogging Video, including webcams Slideshows, photo galleries Flash multimedia projects Crowdsourcing, user contributions Social networks (Flickr, Twitter, Facebook …)