american newspapers and the internet: threat or opportunity? erin teeling, the bivings group...

American Newspapers and the Internet:

Threat or Opportunity?

Erin Teeling, The Bivings Group

September 28, 2007

The Situation

• The Problem: Newspapers losing audience

• The Solution: Learn how to build an engaged online audience

• “ATMM”

The Process: Step 1

• Assess Your Audience

– Where are they going?– What are they doing?– How can you keep them engaged?

The Process: Step 2

• Take Inventory– How old is your platform?– What are you offering?– What type of communication avenues

do you make available?

The Process: Step 3

• Modernize

• Use Web 2.0 to revamp traffic and stickiness

Modernization

Graphical Redesign

Modernization

• Tapping Your Crossover Audience

Complementing Print on the Web

• Databases of

Information

Complementing Print on the Web

• Blogs

Complementing Print on the Web

• Comments

Complementing Print on the Web

• User-Generated

Content

Complementing Print on the Web

• Flexibility of Content

• Alternative Content Views

Complementing Print on the Web

• Social Networking

• Allow users to connect with one another and their communities

Complementing Print on the Web

• Allow newspaper website to evolve beyond the print product

• Community Portal vs. online repository

The Process: Step 4

•Monetize

– Converting page views into dollars

Monetization

•RSS Feeds: A Missed

Opportunity and Growing

Trend

Monetization

• How valuable is your content?

• How unique is your content?

• What is its “expiration date?”

Monetization

• Advertising and Classifieds

The Remedy?

• There is no one-size fits all remedy for the newspaper industry.

• Each newspaper needs a unique plan.

• We are beyond the opportunity for “band-aid improvements”

Industry Status

The Facts

• Sites with more features, unique content, and better functionality to better than sites without these features.

Who’s Getting it Right?

• New York Times• Washington Post• USA Today• Houston

Chronicle• Denver Post

• Knoxville News Sentinel

• Fresno Bee• Austin American

Statesman• Tennessean• San Jose Mercury

News

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Who’s Getting it Right?

Conclusion

• The Internet, while a direct competitor, holds many opportunities for newspaper websites

• Look for new and creative ways of doing things

• Identify actual competitors and learn from them