By Steve Schwaid, CJ&N VP of Digital Strategies

During a recent interview for Showtime’s 4-part series The Fourth Estate, Dean Baquet, executive editor of the New York Times, spelled out what he sees as the expectations of users in the digital news world:

Tell us what’s going on as it happens.

This mantra of the New York Times is a good place to start for all media organizations, especially local stations.

For years, we made our mark with breaking news and breaking weather, getting it on the air as soon as the information was confirmed, to serve our viewers and provide public safety – although “on the air” generally meant holding it until the 5, 6 or 10/11 p.m. newscast. But now that we have to deal with the web, news/weather apps, AI, and social media, stations face challenges of getting it out first while providing correct information on a multitude of platforms.

The Times has made Baquet’s statement part of its daily practice. They use Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Snapchat and other tools to make sure they get it out as it happens.

There’s no question they have a larger staff than most local stations, and a larger digital revenue stream. But look past that and see how their policy sets a tone … an expectation. It sets a goal that they want to get trustworthy information out as quickly as possible to as many customers as possible.

Today, local TV stations and the New York Times share the same mission.

As a digital Times subscriber, I get push alerts, constant updates from their app, and stories posted and shared by Times reporters on Facebook and Twitter.

It all starts with the culture.

Action Steps to Consider:

  1. When interviewing job candidates, make it clear up front what the expectations are. Making slot in the newscast is only part of it. If they are on-air, you’ve likely watched their resume tape, but have you seen their digital work? Posting stories online as they happen (not at the end of the shift) and updating other platforms that get traction needs to be part of the culture.
  2. Observe. How quickly does your staff post breaking news and weather on digital platforms? Sure, it takes a few minutes. But if after 10, 15 or 20 minutes nothing is posted, you may have a systems issue.  Who is assigned responsibilities?
  3. Share posts. This is the easiest way to propagate your content. Staffers should share other staffers’ news posts. Retweet, re-post. Move the content.
  4. Steal an idea from the NY Times. They get their reporters on cable news channels whenever possible. If you break a big exclusive, offer your reporter up for interviews on local radio stations and even the local newspaper – especially the community papers. They might take you up on the offer if they find the story relevant and impactful. This helps further extend your brand.
  5. Share your digital data with your staff, along with context. Some stations post the digital user numbers like they post ratings. Take the next step and explain what the numbers mean and showcase daily the posts that were the most effective.

Changing the culture impacts the entire station. Share the goals with every department.

The New York Times is showing growth and success in the digital area as it morphs the company.  At the end of the day, news consumers simply want a reputable, trusted news source in their community to “tell us what’s going on as it happens.”

You have your mission, should you choose to accept it.

To discuss please contact sschwaid@cjni.com.