JUST THE FACTS ON NEW MEDIAPTPA Meeting

May 17, 2010

In the beginning

(about the year 1998)

There was darkness

Don’t worry, new media will fix everything…

It didn’t happen…

Brief history

1998 Google Incorps

1999 Blackberry Launch - Blogger.com

2000 AOL+Time Warner - Craigslist to Bos

2001 Wikipedia begins

2002 Google News

2003 myspace - Blogs hot

2004 Facebook - Gmail - Web 2.0 - Podcasts

2005 Youtube

2006 Google+Youtube - Twitter

2007 iPhone - Kindle

2008 Obama - Android

Brief history

With the history, a whole set of myths…

MythViewing Internet video or mobile video usage cannibalizes TV viewing levels

In fact: TV is at its highest recorded levels. Viewing video on mobile devices and PCs is adding minutes to the current TV viewing.

Takeaway: For most stations, online viewing should be viewed as a supplement to on-air.

Myth

Web sites have larger cumes than TV stations.

In fact: TV station Web sites reach smaller audiences than broadcast cumes. Even Facebook (125 mm/mo in U. S.) is far below the reach of TV at 292 mm each week.

Takeaway: Developing a strong online presence for Public Media rests on promotion to our larger TV and radio audience.

Myth

With the surge in the use of online video, the web is rivaling traditional TV for attention. In fact: In Feb. ‘10, people (U. S.) watched 28.1 billion online videos with average length of 4.1 mins. Using that standard, people watched 589.0 billion units of broadcast TV.

Takeaway: In the foreseeable future, our dominant service will continue to be broadcast.

So maybe the big guys have figured this out…

Innovation Process [1] Reduce uncertainty, improve process and product

TIME (increasing →)

UN

CERTA

INTY

(i

ncr

easi

ng →) 2. Initial tests

identify “what’s not working”3. Confirm key elements

of end-user interest/benefits

4. Refine production methods. Control costs.

1. Just try it. 5. Improve

marketing and delivery.

Start with an idea… and a high level of uncertainty.

(Hopefully) You end with useful product.

Innovation Process [2] For PTV Online, we’re at a relatively early stage.

TIME (increasing →)

UN

CERTA

INTY

(i

ncr

easi

ng →) 2. Initial tests

identify “what’s not working”3. Confirm key elements

of end-user interest/benefits

4. Refine production methods. Control costs. 1. Just try

it. 5. Improve marketing and delivery.

Start with an idea. “Light bulb moment.” High level of uncertainty.

(Hopefully) You end with useful product.

Innovation Process [3] Goal for FY11: Identify user interests/benefits

TIME (increasing →)

UN

CERTA

INTY

(i

ncr

easi

ng →) 2. Initial tests

identify “what’s not working”3. Confirm key

elements of end-user interest/benefits

4. Refine production methods. Control costs. 1. Just try

it. 5. Improve marketing and delivery.

Start with an idea. “Light bulb moment.” High level of uncertainty.

(Hopefully) You end with useful product.

Public Radio Online

Much like PTV…

Public Radio Websites have relatively small reach compared with broadcast

Public Radio Web Managers are still sorting out “what works” from “what doesn’t”

GMs/CEOs are reluctanct to make major investments in advance of identified ROI

Public Radio Online

In contrast to PTV…

Stations gained some traction with streaming—by far the most used feature.

Online pledge has been strong and growing—but few credit that success to online service.

Emerging consensus around the value and opportunity of online news… intensified by the success of wbur.org

The WBUR Story

Background Major news provider for the Boston Area. ALL NEWS FORMAT “Boston’s NPR News Service” Cume: 508,000 P12+ (Win 2010) Significant investment in online service. Started major redesign in Apr. 2010

June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

Growth in News Page Views at wbur.org

June 2009 to April 2010

Local news stories NPR stories Topic landing pages Weather

June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

Growth in News Page Views at wbur.org

June 2009 to April 2010

Local news stories NPR stories Topic landing pages Weather

WBUR NEWS STORIES

June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

Growth in News Page Views at wbur.org

June 2009 to April 2010

Local news stories NPR stories Topic landing pages Weather

WBUR NEWS STORIES

WBUR NEWS STORIES

June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

Growth in News Page Views at wbur.org

June 2009 to April 2010

Local news stories NPR stories Topic landing pages Weather

NPR NEWS STORIES

WBUR NEWS STORIES

NEWS LANDING PGS

Lessons to be Drawn from WBUR

ALIGN ON-AIR AND ONLINE CONTENT The redesign gave the vast majority of homepage

area to NEWS. Before the redesign, wbur.org provided very limited

access to NPR content.

After 10 months, half of the news page-views at WBUR are coming from NPR stories.

Lessons to be Drawn from WBUR

IDENTIFY AND MEET AUDIENCE NEEDS

Provide the right content mix: Prior to the Apr. 2009 wbur.org offered LOCAL news. Now, WBUR.org offers both NATIONAL and local news.

Provide news the way people want news online: Prior to the Apr. 2009 wbur.org offered news in AUDIO. Now, all wbur.org news stories are provided in TEXT.

Lessons to be Drawn from WBUR

LOOK FOR A GOOD FIT TO THE MEDIUM

Fits daily uses patterns: “Gathering News” is the second most common online activity.

Fits the way people use the web: News stories and headlines are strong magnets for search.

Fitting the way people want their news: Reaching audience through live streaming, site-visits (reading)

and on-demand (archiving/podcasting).

Now a word from programmers…

Where should we be going on the web?

End