Don’t just say you’re a digital newsroom. Here’s how the StarNews makes it real

Posted

Reprinted from GateHouse Newsroom

The StarNews in Wilmington, N.C., has had a very successful 2016 so far. Not only was it named one of Editor & Publisher's 10 Newspapers That Do It Right, it also earned eight Excellence in Local News Coverage awards from the Local Media Association.

We asked Executive Editor Pam Sander to share some of her newsroom's strategies for success. Here's what we learned.

What was the catalyst for your newsroom's shift in focus toward digital? How has it changed your story budgeting process?

We've considered ourselves online first for years – even was considered a best practice by other newsrooms. Of course, mostly we just posted quickly the same content that would appear in print the next day.

Jean Hodges [GateHouse Media's senior director of content] gets a lot of credit for saying it so simply – As long as your planning and budgeting start with print, you won't make the shift.

Digital Budget

So we ditched our daily print budget, created a digital budget that continues to evolve and began all planning around digital. Our assistant managing editor [Sherry Jones] for news/features was instrumental, because once she got in the boat and started the daily driving, we've not looked back. We've also embraced a crucial piece for longterm success – daily expectations, tracking and measuring. That has helped to keep folks on track and energize the room around our successes. In addition to the daily tracking, Sherry sends out weekly and monthly digital reports to get the whole building celebrating.

What has been the most successful way you've found to build your digital audience?

Smart social media posting is key, but we've tapped into three other gems for that social success:

A) Mining the Archives program, which has been developed and championed by digital specialist Tammy Miller and given new life to old content, such as:

1) #tbt, for which photographers pair an old photo with a current one from the same spot and write a short story about it
2) StarNews Flashback, a section on our homepage that shares "On This Day ..." stories from our archive
3) "Back Then" weekly gallery that captures photos and advertisements from the newspapers of half a century ago.

B) Evergreen content program, which is a close relative of mining archives. Photographers are expected to produce at least two galleries per week that are more evergreen, such as Cape Fear Sunsets, I Am .... Cape Fear and Local Bridges. We have a lot of these now and pull them out with stories and just for fun.

C) MyReporter.com, which is a website that allows readers to ask questions of reporters. Further engaging with readers by posting those Q&As on social media has been a cool win for us multiple times a week.

StarNews editors gather for the morning budget meeting, which begins with a digital report from AME for News/Features Sherry Jones (center) about the previous day's traffic and Parse.ly insight for the upcoming day. KEN BLEVINS PHOTO

StarNews editors gather for the morning budget meeting, which begins with a digital report from AME for News/Features Sherry Jones (center) about the previous day's traffic and Parse.ly insight for the upcoming day. KEN BLEVINS PHOTO

What are some of your most popular kinds of social media posts?

People content and breaking news/tragedy content are the most popular on Facebook and Twitter; food and photos on Pinterest.

In Q2, we will launch two programs to tap into the People popularity (breaking news is already getting expanded reach):

A) Cape Fear Neighbors Online, an incredible concept that will move us to a new level on social media. In the old days, moms, grandmas and club folks would buy the weekly neighbors sections, cut out their brag stories and send to family and friends. Today, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest have replaced the U.S. Postal Service as their sharing platform. And as I know from all my friends, they'd really rather share a story and photo of their kid's win, as published in the newspaper. It legitimizes the award, etc. We're already doing some trials around Eagle badges and youth sports.

B) Not as big as Neighbors Online, but just as fun – #wcw, a new twist on the Instagram/Facebook initiative that's so popular right now. Reporter Cammie Bellamy has taken ownership of this for 2016. The project's goals include involvement through the newsroom, increase young women on our social media sites, and increase in women in general on the website and in the pages of StarNews. An extra fun part will be the #wcw spotlights sharing on video who their Woman Crush Wednesday is.

Can you briefly describe a recent interesting or impactful project or story?

A) This year specifically, we've begun a new strategy we call "Intensified Coverage of Guns and Violence" and have been very proactive around that reporting, making sure we stay on top of unsolved and ongoing crimes. Here's a recent story that still has no suspects in the shooting death of a 14-year-old.

B) North Carolina's Heritage is a yearlong project headed by Dan Spears here that began with group wide planning meetings in October and continues this Sunday with a package about the decline of rural churches around the state. Tim Schmitt wrote about the project.

What is your hometown famous for? Any notable celebrities or events?

Until the state gutted the film incentives program last year, we were considered Hollywood of the East. For old-timers – "Blue Velvet" and "Firestarter" filmed here. For youngsters – "Iron Man 3," "Tammy" and nearly every sappy Nicholas Sparks feature filmed here. I have personally seen out and about – Tom Berenger, Dennis Hopper, Jay Leno, Barbra Streisand and more recently, Josh Duhamel. And a Wilmington favorite, Linda Lavin.

John Crouch is the social media coordinator at GateHouse Media's Center for News & Design in Austin, Texas, where he works with newsrooms to help increase sociability and online presence. Before joining GateHouse, he worked as a freelance writer in Toronto.

GateHouse, news/editorial, Crouch, Wilmington, Sander
Calendar View all