File - International Symposium on Online Journalism

Thunderdome and Beyond International Symposium on Online Journalism Austin, TX; April 19, 2013

2011: Where We Were • Unsustainable cost structure. • Too many journalists focused on production, not the creation of compelling local content – our only competitive advantage. • Different print designs, web designs and content management systems from property to property. • No common ad map on print and digital products. • No ability to take advantage of scale. • Not enough digital focus. • Shortage of key digital skillsets. • In short … too much inefficiency.

Problems to Solve • How do reduce production needs and yet get more unique content to differentiate our digital products? • How do we respond quickly to national audience and revenue opportunities without upsetting the tenuous nature of our newsrooms and sales forces? • How do add we create uniqueness outside of local to help improve SEO and create audience growth opportunities? • How do we grow digital know-how in our newsrooms in a cost-effective fashion? • How do newsrooms gain digital expertise in a world where changes come by the day, not the year? • How do newsrooms improve their cost structure and get new products with a digital-first focus?

THE ANSWER?

THUNDERDOME

Primary T-Dome Functions Centralization of non-local news editing and web production

Creation of DFM-wide editorial support network with key digital capabilities

Creation of new traffic- and revenue-driving content channel and products

Primary T-Dome Functions Centralization of non-local news editing and web production

QUALI TY

Creation of DFM-wide editorial support network with key digital capabilities

COST

Creation of new traffic- and revenue-driving content channel and products

REVEN UE

Story Coverage • More than 60 DFM journalists from 20-plus papers in CT, MA, PA, NY, VT and CO contributed to Newtown coverage. • Thunderdome’s data, video and curation teams collaborated with local newsrooms. • Thunderdome filled in any gaps in what local newsrooms could handle. • Thunderdome made sure all of DFM knew what Newtown content was being produced across the company – and the country. • We have Thunderdome journalists in Boston and Texas as we speak.

Real-Time News Coverage • For major news events – planned or unplanned – we produce real-time coverage that includes photos, video, reader interaction and social media integration. • Among the events we’ve provided live coverage of: – – – – – – – –

The Oscars NCAA Tournament opening weekend Christopher Dorner manhunt All 2012 presidential debates Election Night Supreme Court gay marriage hearings Boston Marathon bombing Texas fertilizer explosion

Non-Local News Production • We produce a steady feed of major non-local news stories from across all subject areas. • Stories are presented with a digital-first mindset, meaning more integration of social and multimedia elements. • Around major news events, we produce special packages integrating multiple partners and storytelling forms. • We are staffed 18/7 and on call 24/7.

Viral News Production • A la BuzzFeed and Huffington Post, we produce content designed to be viral, focusing on lists and unique news presentations. • Using tools like Storify, Spundge, Meograph and Geofeedia, we produce content that’ll resonate with digital news consumers. • We produce weekly packages on oddities around the globe, including: – – – –

Weird Wide World Corruption Chronicles Hollywood Gone Wild Bizarre Blotter

Content Curation & Sharing • Curation is one of digital’s most important arts. We provide services that: – Pull together multiple threads to ably summarize a major story, thereby saving the time of readers. – Discover interesting stories that would be of interest to the broadest possible audience. – Provide research to find interesting related links to major stories of the day

• We also share out 30-35 DFM articles per day, and also 15-20 partner articles. • These services allow our papers to drive additional traffic by using more stories we think will be of interest to our readers.

Editorial Data Development • Data-driven content drives traffic and requires limited maintenance, but many newsrooms don’t have any staff devoted to data. • Thunderdome provides: – Basic datasets for major news events, i.e. elections, sports events, etc. – Assistance in turning acquired datasets into effective consumerfacing digital products. – Training on how to do basic data development.

Video Storytelling • Video is becoming more and more important to our digital products, especially in mobile. • But effectively producing video content is hard, and requires significant investment. • We provide the following services: – Video training, both technical and creative. – Story creation

Photo Gallery Production • Photo galleries drive tremendous traffic, but doing them well takes time. • Thunderdome produces 10-15 photo galleries per day, covering all major subject areas. • These galleries are produced by the award-winning Denver Post photo team, which has won two Pulitzer Prizes in the past four years.

Channel Creation & Management • We will soon begin launching content verticals to deepen our sites and provide new sales opportunities. • Currently planned: – – – – – – – – – – –

Politics Nation World Business Sports Technology Opinion Food Families Health More…

Plug & Play Mobile Apps • The world is moving to mobile – and fast. • Building scalable and smart mobile apps requires significant investment. • Our mobile apps are currently being rolled out across properties, with a terrific review coming from no less an expert than Mario Garcia.

Training • We provide training on skills such as: – – – –

Social media Video shooting and production Data/infographics development Curation

• We also specialized training on new digital tools, such as: – – – – – –

Spundge Storify Tout Meograph Geofeedia More…