Convergence Benchmarking

Dr. Dietmar Schantin

Executive Director, WAN-IFRA

Benchmarking newsroom convergenceA framework to evaluate and plan convergence

Publish Asia 2010

8.-9. August, Kuala Lumpur

© 2010 WAN-IFRA NEWSPLEX

Editorial

Audience | Target Groups

Media integrated communication

The brand of the media house Cross Reference

AGC...Audience generated content

Mobile Alert

Event

AGCAGC

BreakingUpdates

News Flash Report Title Story Analysis


Convergence at the front-end and at the back-end

Print Digital

Audience flow

Workflow

FRONT END

BACK END

Source: Pit Gottschalk


B

N F

S

CE

PJ

Content gathering

Packaging

Selection and decision

B

N F

S

CE

PJ

B

N F

S

CE

PJ

Audience / target groups

Newsroom 1.0: Multiple media newsroom

N...NewsB...BusinessS...SportF...FeaturesCE...Channel EditorPJ...Production journalistEC...Editor-in-Chief


CE

PJ

B

N F

S

CE

PJ

CE

PJ


EC

Newsroom 2.0: Cross media newsroom

Content gathering

Packaging

Selection and decision N...News

B...BusinessS...SportF...FeaturesCE...Channel EditorPJ...Production journalistEC...Editor-in-Chief


B

N F

S

PJ PJ PJ


EC

Newsroom 3.0: Media-integrated newsroom

Content gathering

Packaging

Selection and decision

N...NewsB...BusinessS...SportF...FeaturesTGE...Target Group EditorEC...Editor-in-Chief


Development path from newsroom 1.0 to 3.0

parallel plattforms(newsroom 1.0)

cross-media plattforms(newsroom 2.0)

integrated plattforms(newsroom 3.0)

Based on: Pit Gottschalk

0% convergence:no collaboration

33% convergence:starting collaboration

66% convergence:solid experience with

collaboration

100% convergence:fully integrated

editorial operation


Components of organisational allignment

Culture

Tasks

People

Structure

• Knowledge• Skills• Abilities

• Thought and behaviour pattern• Shared values and beliefs• Informal organisation

• Processes and structures• leadership and

management

• Activities• Roles• Responsibilities



Evaluation method• “Front end convergence”

• Analysis of the printed and digital version of the the title concerning cross referencing (reference type, frequency, intensity)

• “Back end convergence”

• 10 questions for each organisational aspect: jounralistic practise, newsroom management, working organisation and convergence

• Split into four categories: culture, tasks, people, structure

• Answers are weighed and assigned to degrees of convergence (“CTSP degree”)


“Front-end convergence”

• 24 categories of references

• Three major groups

• URL addresses in five different forms

• teasers in five different forms

• technically advanced web references to new media and services


“Back end convergence”: Examples of questions• Can print journalists influence or control the coverage of the online edition?

• Working for a story, which is to be printed – is it regarded as the pinnacle of journalistic activity or as intermediate stop for coverage divided into print and online?

• As to the Content Management System (CMS): Is there a CMS for all platforms or do various CMSs for each platform exist?

• Does the company offer advanced training courses to enable a better understanding of the convergence method?

• Does convergence take place at the level of the enterprise or at the level of the newsrooms in the editorial department or at both levels?

• Is the technical support team trained to be in charge of all platforms or is the support confined to one platform?


Results from newsrooms in Germany (n=59)

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Results from newsrooms in Germany

parallel plattforms(newsroom 1.0)

cross-media plattforms(newsroom 2.0)

integrated plattforms(newsroom 3.0)


0% convergence:no collaboration

33% convergence:starting collaboration

66% convergence:solid experience with

collaboration

100% convergence:fully integrated

editorial operation

9% 65% 93%


Example B: Tabloid newspaper in Germany

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Analysis of results - Example A

Analysis of answers in areas with lower values --> Optimisation potential in newsroom management and journalistic practise

• Decision for online publishing on a case-by-case basis

• Separate editor-in-chief for online section

• updating of online is done by specialist

• at least 30% of the journalists are not working in a convergent way


Example B: Broadsheet newspaper in Germany

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Analysis of results - Example B

No integration of print and online, but cross-media cooperation

• No culture of participation at meetings

• Responsibility for coordination between platfroms is split

• Technical facilities (e.g. video) is not available for the entire staff

• No incentives for online integration

• Updating online not part of the job of a print journalist


Goals and merits of the measurement and banchmarking process• “Measuring” of current state of convergence and obtaining a more

objective picture

• Easy identifcation of “point of action” to develop convergence and integration in terms of management, skills, workflows structure and technology

• Increase of efficency and effectivety of the change and development process

• Benchmarking of own operation with others and learning from them


Thank You!

Dietmar Schantin

[email protected]

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