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This module looks at the issue of newsroom convergence. It covers the editorial disciplines, workflows and technical systems needed for a news organisation to be able to exploit its content on multiple platforms (devices) in order to broaden its reach (increase audience) and tap into new revenue streams (sustainability). It is about building a converged, multimedia newsroom, based around a central superdesk delivering one news offering to the widest possible audience via a multiskilled production team using multiplatform authoring tools. Convergence is a fundamental prerequisite for a multimedia news organisation.
It gives a news organisation a consistency of editorial focus played out across whatever device the user turns to in order to access that information.
The print, on-air and online offerings need to cross-promote each other and add value; they must not follow their own agendas. Convergence is an editorial strategy issue and not a space, resources, technology or time issue --- the most common excuses given for delaying and opposing the introduction of such a system.
It is not a nice-to-have to be accommodated or considered by print, TV or interactive staff. It is essential for the effective functioning of a modern newsroom.
It is as much part of the editorial philosophy of a modern, multimedia news operation as accuracy, impartiality, fairness, objectivity and balance. It doesn’t need to be expensive; there are many open-source tools available to help media organisations introduce convergence without incurring high costs. In my media development work, I have helped print and broadcast news organisations build converged newsrooms based around a central superdesk system and producing multiplatform journalism in Serbia, Croatia, Guatemala, Malaysia, Syria, Indonesia, Armenia, the Middle East, the US and the UK. Some have a handful of staff operating in a space the size of small living room, others have large purpose-built newsrooms and employ several hundred staff. Superdesk and multiplatform authoring Overview - All interactive properties should be by-products of a converged news operation
- The news website must be a window on the newsroom, reflecting the key editorial decisions made by a central news resource
- The news website must add value to all stories covered on air or in print by offering in-depth background information, by engaging the audience through interactivity and by acting as a cross-promotional tool
- This strategy will ensure consistency of editorial message across all platforms, ensure best use of resources, and strengthen the brand.
Rules and must haves - No story will be exclusive to one platform
- Users will receive the same information on whatever device they turn to
- Content must be exploited fully across all outlets
- A clear editorial proposition, articulated across all platforms
- One set of news priorities
- A platform-neutral approach to news
- A central news production system available to all staff
- A content management system (CMS) enabling all content to be committed to a database to be exploited across all platforms
- A flexible, multiskilled, multimedia editorial team
Benefits - Clarity and consistency of news message
- Centralised editorial planning
- Streamlined newsgathering
- Avoidance of duplication
- Resource savings
- Strengthening of brand
- Ability to respond to new business opportunities from existing resources
- Fresh newsgathering material (from engaging the audience via the website).
Workflow - All senior editorial staff need to sit together as part of a converged news operation
- This is best achieved by setting up a news superdesk with the daily interactive and TV or print editors sitting alongside the planning editor and intake editor
- The planning editor needs to work closely with the interactive editor to ensure that all in-depth investigative journalism is backed up by fact files, timelines, profiles, and audience participation interactivity, so that these elements can be cross-promoted and always point to the website's added value
- One set of editorial choices and calls, one central editorial meeting, one clear editorial message, one editorial running order, one editorial team.
Editorial essentials - Define the core editorial proposition – what you will cover that others don't, or the way you will cover news that is different
- Decide how this plays out in terms of website design and navigation
- List the special sections and in-depth areas that the online version will be required to offer to back up the overall editorial proposition
- Set out the expected content production levels (number of stories a day and frequency of update)
- Translate this into staffing needs, hours to be covered, multiskilling training required (all staff should be able to use the content management system to update the website)
- Think through multimedia news-on-demand plans, again in terms of design, navigation, staffing, update expectations, and hours covered
- Train staff in the writing disciplines needed to create content once so that it can be exploited on multiple platforms.
Technical needs - Install a central news production tool
- Install a web-based content management system
- Install multimedia encoding technology that is fast and simple to use and which can deliver audio video to an online multimedia news-on-demand console
- Install a central database for storing and delivering content
- Decide on server structure, capacity, and redundancy needs
- Build robust security systems designed to fend off hackers.
Design issues - Design the same print, TV and web look and feel
- Design interactive templates for the story page, the sections, in-depth area, multimedia console, and main page templates
- Design tagging to ensure multiplatform delivery
- Design breaking news component
- Design templates for mobile alerts
- Design multimedia news-on-demand templates
- Ensure SEO (search engine optimisation) built into all elements
HR Issues - Ensure all existing staff and new staff realise they are working as part of a multiskilled team in a multiplatform news operation
- Offer training for those who need to learn new skills
- Set corporate, unit and individual objectives defining newsroom targets
- Create an appraisal system with 360 degree feedback
- Ensure all staff are prepared to work flexible hours
- Install a rota system that ensures adequate recovery and turnaround time
- Carry out workplace assessments in terms of ergonomics
- Ensure adequate screen breaks
Apart from convergence offering a streamlined, extensible and efficient newsroom system, it offers many more benefits, including widening the audience and creating a fresh and valuable newsgathering resource. It will prove a major benefit to your journalism and your media business. Next module: Multiplatform authoring
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