It’s Spring and News Innovation is In the Air
Important Details: With print revenues plummeting and online revenue growth slowing, news publishers are looking to shake things up. Three recent changes call for highlighting:
- TBO.com, the site of the Tampa Tribune and WFLA-TV, is harnessing the power of breaking news as it never has before. In its early May re-launch, it made a centerpiece of its “Continuous News Desk.” Dominant in the middle of its home page, it aims to break news throughout the day from all departments, including business. In its first month, TBO saw local news page views increase 150%, says Gerry Barker, general manager of the site. Both the Tribune and WFLA are owned by Media General, which has been working the print/broadcast synergy angles for years. This new display is built on significant staff investment. Barker estimates that 12 people in the print newsroom, two in the broadcast operation and six or seven at TBO itself are directly involved in pumping news through the new desk. It’s a no-frills display, with a box of nine headlines (chronologically arranged), and number of comments related to that story noted in each headline box. Below, there are clear tabs for getting e-mail alerts or mobile delivery.
- The new Philly.com proudly boasts a new design throughout, work that has grown out of a continuing relationship with the Avenue A/Razorfish, an advertising-oriented, interactive services company. The site is much more colorful, emphasizing “anything and everything Philly.” Here, too, though, the first-screen emphasis is on news, lots of it on metro, business, sports and entertainment topics. Farther down the page are modules for video, blogs and “Hot Topics” guides. Most distinctive is the site’s aim to build interactivity into the core, as it explains to readers:
“Wherever you see a yellow box, you’ll have discovered a place to share your opinion, read others’ thoughts, add your own photos or videos and see those posed by other readers. We’ve provided you with this service because we know that when it comes to life in and around Philadelphia, no one is a better expert then you are. Additionally, we wanted you to be able to communicate more easily with the newspapers’ reporters and columnists.” The yellow boxes stand for polls, discussions and commenting, though you don’t get a sense of their relevant activity levels on the home page.
- In San Diego, Copley Press‘ Union-Tribune has embarked on a major re-organization. The idea: bringing the two business lines of print and online together, under single leadership, gaining strategic advantage, more efficient operations and the ability to control costs. Out in the reorg are three top online execs. Mark Davis, currently vice-president of strategy, assumes responsibility for product development and internet sites. Bill Nagel, who’s been VP/circulation and consumer marketing, becomes SVP/business channels. He’s got overall responsibility for growing audience and revenue throughout the Union-Tribune. The changes come hard on circulation and advertising downturns. Circulation has fallen off by another 8% daily and Sunday, in recent reports.
Implications: Outsell believes that transformational change is in order for local media operations. These changes — unifying the business to approach audiences and advertisers wholly, making the most of the unique asset of breaking local news and of making interaction a core part of a local news site — are all directionally right. It’s not a time for tinkering. It’s one of looking — within your own enterprise and at like others — for changes that make big differences with audiences and advertisers and then applying those quickly and broadly.