Capturing Value: Audience Engagement and the Business of Digital News

Capturing Value: Audience Engagement

and the Business of Digital News

Visiting research fellow, 2013-14 academic year

Jake Batsell @jbatsell [email protected]

Assistant professor, Division of Journalism

November 8, 2014

#onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14


News used to be a one-way lecture.

His legendary signoff: “And that’s …”

Today, audiences have infinite options.

How can newsrooms build loyal relationships that ultimately will keep them in business?


Engagement, Loyalty and Revenue • @jbatsell • 6.11.14

• Based on visits to more than 25 news organizations in U.S./U.K.

• 100+ interviews

• Aimed at journalists, academics,

students and anyone else interested in the future of news

• Part of CJR Books series

• More details, slides: j.mp/engagedj

ENGAGED JOURNALISM (Columbia University Press, Feb. ‘15)

JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14 #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

What is engaged journalism?

My definition:

The degree to which a news

organization actively considers and interacts with its audience in furtherance of its journalistic

and financial mission.


Journalists can’t simply wish for the public to deem them relevant.

– PASSING THE ‘TOOTHBRUSH TEST’ –

They have to listen, earn the audience’s attention, be relevant, and FILL A NEED.

I found that news organizations are trying to engage audiences in five main ways.


Is your newsroom creating and capturing value in these five areas?

1. Face-to-face engagement JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14 #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

2. News as conversation JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14 #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

3. Serving the ‘passionate vertical’ JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14 #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

4. Search, explore, play JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14 #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

5. Measuring and monetizing the audience relationship


The book, boiled down to a tweet:


Thanks!

Visiting research fellow, 2013-14 academic year

Jake Batsell @jbatsell [email protected]

Assistant professor, Division of Journalism

More info: j.mp/engagedj

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Capturing Value: Audience Engagement and the Business of Digital News