victor hernandez: 50 things we learned at rji-distribution

50 THINGS WE LEARNED DURING

RJI SPRING SYMPOSIUM: DISTRIBUTION

@ToTheVictor

Ban.jo

Editorial + Innovation

RJI Fellow 2015-2016

ONA SPJ NAHJ NABJ

Combining emergency and social data by location to power newsrooms with breaking event details, as they happen. 2/25/17 - Car Drives into Crowd During Endymion Parade in New Orleans, LA

6:58 PM 8:00 PM

2014 2015 2016

#RJIdistribution

IT’S A TRAP!SUMMARIZE SYNTHESIZE GALVANIZE

MOBILIZE VAPORIZE

SO WHAT DID WE LEARN?

1.5 INTENSE DAYS

DISTRIBUTION IS COMPLEX

#RJIdistribution

Source: Tweetroot

➡ APPLE NEWS ➡ WHATSAPP ➡ LINE ➡ FB MESSENGER ➡ PERISCOPE & MOMENTS ➡ IG STORIES

➡ SLIDESHARE ➡ KYLO REN ➡ DEATH STAR

WHAT WASN’T MENTIONED…

#RJIdistribution

LEGO ELEPHANT (not) IN THE ROOM

“Social media and platform companies took over what publishers couldn’t have

built even if they wanted to.” – Emily Bell, writing for CJR

http://www.cjr.org/analysis/facebook_and_media.php


ANSWERING THE WHY?Just because we can doesn’t mean we should

Publishers made only 14 percent of revenue

from distributed content

Distributed Content Revenue Benchmark Report

“The majority of publishers’ distributed revenue came from YouTube, as newer platforms and features have failed to turn into meaningful

revenue streams.”

#RJIdistribution

“It’s more important for us to create habits. To get people in the habit of coming back to CNN for news on

whatever platform they are on,” said Samantha Barry.

“We want to create a CNN news habit for every generation. That’s our mission.”

http://digiday.com/media/cnn-international-catering-4-7-million-video-hungry-followers-line/

INSIGHTS SHARED

#RJIdistribution

Journalism isn’t easy, that’s the point. That’s why we do it. It’s hard work. @NicoleYoung60 Forget ‘brand’ — what do people think?

@tcurwin

Audience mapping: how do storytellers use data to more effectively target core audiences? @aelacallan Tell a great story and tell it right

for the platform. @RXahra

Journalists, both freelance and full time, need to pay attention to metrics. @kari_paul

Participatory Spaces: make sure people feel welcome! @bennorksov @helloantidote

VR as the TSUNAMI of content for producers and distributors @thornton_archie Tips for keeping pace in the modern content universe

(quality over quantity, unique voice) @nathangiannini

Distribution: Learning to own @amfalk Working hard to grow the 3 Rs: reach,

relevance, revenue @timroesler

What can publishers do to promote quality journalism, mitigate fake content? @davegehring Lessons from better half: organic distribution, 100%

audience centric, importance of trust @johnhall

How Success created organic growth through digital distribution @jessicakrampe @ceciliameis Experiments in UGC + TC open to

your pitches! @jschieber Take full advantage of other publishing platforms

(Medium) to extend your reach, grow engagement @johnrampton

Undefined format: VR headsets still pretty limited, scale not there yet Sarah Springer

Tale of two startups: Stitcher + AJ Plus @tsar

Gen Z isn’t on just one platform; not all about Snap @realdeeppatel

Taking a 95 year-old publication into modern digital era @katherineabell Reporters have ‘sources’ with The Bachelor show too

@laurenzima @bricesander

Distribution is about how we build a community of readers (not just the clicks) @VenturesAfrica Challenges and constraints of operating an independent

digital news site in highly restrictive Cuba @14ymedio

Hope and pray: consumer demand and competition between platforms @VenturesAfrica

Media co’s hope and pray for: 1) consumer demand 2) competition between platforms

@JasonAbbruzzese

WHAT ELSE STOOD OUT

"R2 says the chances of survival are 725... to one" - A New Hope

COMMON DISTRIBUTION THEMES:• TECH PLATFORMS IN DRIVER’S SEAT • MUST GO TO WHERE AUDIENCES ARE ONLINE • TARGETING OF YOUNGER AUDIENCES • DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS / METRICS • AR/VR IS HOTTER THAN A JEDI LIGHTSABER

STILL FEELS LIKE: A GALAXY FAR,

FAR AWAY

VR

[ IMHO ]

RICOH THETA S

360 Camera

HD Photos + Vid

Immersive Storytelling

Take viewers there

Easily embed online

#RJIdistribution

#RJIdistribution

ALSO WORTH NOTING

‘content-everywhere’

Post Cards: Smart Branded Content

https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/wp/2017/02/07/post-cards-smart-branded-content/

Breaks down an immersive piece of branded content into its multimedia components —

Creates promotional assets for each component and then delivers the particular form of media that readers enjoy engaging with most.

Each Post Card creates a customized user experience that allows readers to consume their preferred multimedia format directly on the page, then drives to the longer immersive feature.

REALITY STINKS

The competition for attention is fierce. The “four horsemen of the apocalypse”–Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon–are engaged in a prolonged and torrid war over whose technologies, platforms, and even ideologies will win.

In truth, we have little or no insight into how each company is sorting its news. This is an unregulated field. There is no transparency into the internal working of these systems.

“

—Emily Bell, Facebook is Eating the World, CJR


The Rise of Distributed Content: Building Sustainable Platform Strategies

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/strategy-studies/distributed-content-strategies/single-page/

Choose the right platform for you — and set goals

Integrate distributed content into newsroom processes

Build relationships with platform companies

Launch platform-first sub brands

Leverage community and partnerships to boost effectiveness

Be pragmatic

Remember: We’re all in this together

@ToTheVictor [email protected]

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victor hernandez: 50 things we learned at rji-distribution

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