Stig Kirk Ørskov’s Post

A good read/listen with insights into how Alex Hardiman at the NYT has fused product and journalism. Yes it’s the gold standard (IMO) but this is what underpins their status as the global market leader. There’s a clear vision that informs the strategy across editorial and tech, with cross-functional teams (inc journos) delivering outcomes across the entire value chain. Six month big bets, OKRs and ambitious targets. 💪 https://lnkd.in/eadsghaC

In News Product Alliance's recent community survey, over 70% of respondents said that news organizations do not provide sufficient resources and support for news product initiatives. While the majority said their news organization has a product team, only 10% said their organization has product roles on an editorial team — typically, the seat of power in a news organization. News product thinkers are the ones who can connect the dots between technology, journalism, and business, lead strategic decision-making about investing the organization’s limited time and resources, and deliver quantifiable business results by systematically focusing on audience needs. Although there has been enormous progress in the past few years with officialized roles and teams, there is a need for more institutional support and understanding of product management as a discipline to implement transformation effectively. My prediction for Harvard's Nieman Lab is that 2024 will be the year that happens throughout the industry. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dzQCp97A Thank you, Joshua Benton, for inviting me to contribute to Nieman Journalism Lab predictions. It is always an honor.

Transitioning from a print-oriented and traditional news organization to an agile, reader-centric digital news organization is a marathon mainly because people need to change their mindsets radically. I helped a Greek newspaper do that in 2019 and 2020, and while we laid the foundation for this transition, looking at the future and users, things have mostly stayed the same because leadership couldn't embrace the future with bold moves. The paradox here? The newsroom and readers were—and are—in for such change. (But this is another conversation in countries with such an ancient media ecosystem.) Now let me share with you the actual point of this post. I just started reading the 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐭 by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism & American Press Institute. Just by reading the intros, you realize such a resource is a must-read for every newspaper and digital news professional. It’s packed with strategies to transition from print to digital seamlessly and profitably. Buzzwords that struck me: User-friendly self-service options, Reimagined print editions, audience personas (🤘 Anita Li), value proposition, getting the buy-in, newsroom capabilities, tech stack. Starting Sunday, I hope to finish the guide by Friday. Did you give it a read? What did you find interesting? In the meantime, if you'd like to chat and pick each other's brains about audience engagement, user research, and marketing, just shoot me a message! https://lnkd.in/dPq5YzVQ

Predictions for journalism 2024: newsroom leadership and strategy: AI will advance conversations around user needs, bridge roles and product management but newsrooms need to diversify and upskill their teams to make it work #journalism #media #news

Startups, it’s time to think like journalists. ↓ Journalists pursue meaningful stories, avoiding buzzwords to capture the core of human experience. In an industry often mired in jargon and superficial metrics, there's a deep need for authenticity. Stand out: adopt a journalist’s inquisitiveness. Consider these when creating content: → What's the insightful data? → How do I connect emotionally with my audience? → What's the compelling hook? → What diverse perspectives can I explore? Your thoughts? ______________________________________________________ #contentstrategy #contentmarketing #contentwriting

A thought provoking post from INMA leader Earl Wilkinson. Adding some thoughts around a balance between advertising models, digital subscriptions, consumer revenue, reach, trust and everything in between: In a hunger to see some chart — any chart — skyrocket after being battered with declining revenue for years, many outlets shifted their focus 100% to the digital subscription 'gold rush.' But, in building up a healthy and more stable consumer revenue stream, many lost sight of the need to prove our worth to not just an invested core, but a broad swath of audience who we were increasingly invisible to. The result became a game of managing churn and ARPU while realizing that social wasn't bringing in new audience to a walled garden and garnering search audience isn't always compatible with serving readers. The next 5 years will be about learning from well-intentioned oversteering over the past 30 years, from the 'original sin' of making all content free online to the more recent pivot to locking everything behind an impenetrable wall over the past decade. Armed with lessons learned, the result will be a renewed focus on a balanced, full-funnel strategy to meet needs at different levels. What can we do to prove our worth to and improve the lives of a generation who has no connection to us? And how do we improve the loyalty of casual readers who stumble upon us, ultimately incentivizing them to register with us so we can deepen the relationship and personalize the experience? And, lastly, what premium services do we provide the pinnacle of audience — those who want to support us directly? The answers will be around superserving communities (in this post social world, there's a need for communities of both profession and passion). AI is democratizing (or commoditizing) the creation of 'content at scale' ... but the need for access, expertise and connection is more vital than ever. Media outlets who can understand how to provide a mixture of utility, community and access to insights and experts will be able to leap forward. We need to think big while feeling small and accessible. It's not about growing a massive 'reach' number — it's about growing an overlapping series of niche communities that add up to a scaled media operation.

Okay Angela Van Holland, you asked for some thoughts about innovation, here's a starting point: I come from the newsroom, where #innovation was thrown around like a pica pole. Journalism has seen its fair share of innovations, from the KueKat (anyone remember that Belo specialty?!) to restructuring divisions and creating innovation editor titles. There were many an innovator who wanted to disrupt the industry. Mind you, the industry needed major disruption -- the problem was they were on the wrong floor. It always was editorial that needed innovation, not advertising, circulation and certainly not the C-suite. Some innovations worked. Creating the Universal desk at the Post was a great innovation, saving on costs because you didn't need two physical newsrooms, since the coverage already was converging. (For the record, journalism's woes were, have been, and continue to be a circulation issue, not an advertising issue. If there was a modicum of innovation taken toward customer service, it would be given a lot of newspapers at least a decade, probably longer, of runaway to figure out more solutions.) Alas, these disruptors didn't stay long, and went on to other places to disrupt -- lead to a path of disruption, annoyed folks just trying to do their job and still, a lack of viable solutions to an unaddressed problem (or worse, didn't choose the right problem). It's not their fault. Hindsight is 20/20 and since you're never fully in the present moment in journalism (that's what putting tomorrow's paper today will do to you), it's hard to really gauge what's happening now. Part of why innovation is so hot and so not is that it's largely a definitional debate. Basically, innovative is like entrepreneurial: solving problems with information you most likely don't have. And the biggest part of having a definitional debate is actually figuring out which words needs a new definition. Luckily, folks are actually innovating in journalism and elsewhere because they figured out what needs a new definition. For example, community relations. That's what Max Kabat has innovated with the Sentinel. Or Becky Pallack and Caitlin Schmidt with AZ Luminaria and Tucson Agenda. Innovation is great and it's happening. That's a good starting point, methinks. #innovation #definitions

Want to make lasting changes in your newsroom? Check out this article from The Fix that offers nine key tactics for ensuring your initiatives stick. From the slow-moving legacy organizations to the nimble startups, creating permanent change can be a challenge. However, with the right approach, it's entirely possible. The article dives into strategies for introducing solutions journalism and boosting audience participation, featuring advice from industry experts like strategic leadership expert Lucy Kueng (Küng) and Copenhagen-based engagement designer Morten Ro. Here are three key takeaways: 👉 Win their hearts and minds: Without buy-in from the team, even the best strategies will struggle to take root. Engage your colleagues, listen to their feedback, and ensure everyone feels heard and valued in the change process. 👉 Listen: Market research is crucial for launching new products, and the same principle applies to newsroom changes. Take the time to understand your team's needs and concerns, and involve them in decision-making to foster a sense of ownership and commitment. 👉 Have a long-term plan: Sustainable change requires more than just throwing ideas against the wall and hoping they stick. Develop a clear, intentional plan that prioritizes process over output, and be prepared to invest time and resources into seeing it through. Read the full article for insights and practical tips on making lasting changes in your newsroom 📰💡 https://lnkd.in/eUY9bvsj #Journalism #Media #ChangeManagement #SolutionsJournalism

Want to know how to win over the tech press? 🤔 Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a panel of journalists to answer just this question. Together with our pals at Techspace, we were joined by former BBC journalist Jane Wakefield, Tech.eu managing editor Dan Taylor, and MIT Technology Review news editor Charlotte Jee. They shared pure gold with our startup audience - here are a few snippets. 💥 Be objective. It can be hard for a Founder to maintain an objective perspective on their work, but it is crucial when pitching stories to journalists. What might seem like news to you might not be news to them. It can be helpful to ask yourself questions like: “What is groundbreaking about this story?” or even “Why should people care about it?”. Step outside of your startup bubble and look back in. 💥 Unsurprisingly, journalists are VERY busy people, so you need to grab their attention and stand out from the crowd. One way to ensure this when battling the other pitches in their inbox is to keep your subject line short and clear and reference the field you work in. Why? Well, apart from driving them to read the email, if the story doesn't work for now, you might be a great source in the future. So, using key words like "AI" or "BNPL" will help them rediscover you later. Tip: Actually do something with AI or in BNPL if you're using the words... 💥 Bullet points can be a very helpful way to convey your story quickly in a pitch email. Cover who, what, where, when, why and how. Make it skimmable! 💥 PHOTOS👏 AND 👏 IMAGERY 👏 ARE 👏 IMPORTANT 👏 - Invest in them or have terrible headshots and team photos haunt you forever. 💥 When asked what stories are in mind for the immediate future, AI was a clear winner across the board, with an additional nod to climate tech. We have plenty more advice from our panel - head over to the CEW Communications blog for more 👇 #PR #Media #Stories #Pitching