Investing In Digital-

Deciding What Makes Sense

PanelistsJennifer Strachan – KPLU, Seattle - kplu.org

Executive Director of News

Tony Manfredi – KNPB, Reno - knpb.org

VP of Strategic Marketing & Programming

Al Gibes – Capital Public Radio, Sacramento - capradio.org

Director of Digital Content

Assumptions

• Digital is essential to your station’s

future

• Mobile should be a focus

• New audiences await

SNAPSHOT

•Dual format News/Jazz station

•University Licensee

•40 – ish employees

•News: ND + 7 staff – 1 Digital First

•Jazz: 7 hosts •Digital Content: 2 full time employees 1 part-time employee and many interns

Turning Point:

Digital Training + Online Managing Editor

• Takes responsibility for all online content

• Works in tandem with broadcast staff and creates Web-only and Web-first content

• Journalist• Works on a different news clock • Provides thought leadership!

What Next?• Content trumps technology.

oWebsite critical but secondary

oAudience informs development

oApps/toys with purpose only!

o Pay more attention to distribution

channels – especially social

What Next?

• Moved to a multi-platform approach to content.

• Moved positions to diversify talent.• Everyone expected to work in all

platforms.• Move to new way of assessing impact.

Can we be brave enough to stop doing what isn’t

working?

“It only ends once. Anything that happens

before that is just progress.” Jacob

SNAPSHOT• Community Licensee• PBS Member Station• 107 Market• 70,000 households each week• 140,000 people each week• 30 Full Time Employees• One employee posts social media • PR Firm support for social media

KNPB Delivers 3 Channels to Over 140,000 People Each Week

5.1 (HD)

5.2

5.3

KNPB Five Areas of Focus1. Operate within a business model that maintains our

fiscal integrity while achieving a diversified, independent financial strategy.

2. Build an organization that is flexible and innovative.

3. Make our content available wherever, whenever, and however people want to receive it.

4. Provide high quality, mission-driven, relevant content and services for our community.

5. Establish and maintain effective, ongoing community partnerships

KNPB Delivers Robust Online Services

knpb.org watch.knpg.org

KNPB Campus

KNPB CampusReady to Learn Writers

ContestKNPB PBS Learning Media

e4e Professional Teacher Training

Community Events & Partnerships

• Reno Aces

• Spring Event at Rancho San Rafael

• Aged to Perfection

• Artown

• Red House Project

• Great Reno Balloon Races

• Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

Social Strategy

Support Strategic Plan

Increase Station Reach & Awareness

Programming Reach & Awareness

Community Event Reach & Awareness

Nationally and locally generated content

3+ posts per day

Staff post programming content

PR firm posts event driven content

Social Strategy

• KNPB at a Crossroado No dedicated social media staffo What other platforms?o What other techniques?o Create unique #onknpb

Social Measurement

SNAPSHOT

•2 broadcast signals - News/Music•7 terrestrial stations•4 digital streams:

News Music ClassicalStream JazzStream

•University licensee•60+ employees•News: 22 FT/PT •Digital: 5 FT

STRATEGIC PLANNING

• Initial digital retreat in 2011, resulted in hiring Digital Content Director

• Second retreat in 2013 set priorities and objectives for next 12-18 months

Facilitated, off-site, day-long Include all stakeholdersNothing off-limits

Digital Objectives

• Become a primary digital source of in-depth news in the region

• Effectively leverage and distribute news and music content (on-air, Web-only, syndicated, etc…)

• Facilitate engagement and conversation

• Increase user/member loyalty

Digital Mission Statement

“Be a trusted and valued source of in-

depth news, music and entertainment

to the communities we serve while

cultivating engagement, conversations

and a sense of community, resulting in

user/member loyalty.”

PEOPLE

PEOPLE

• Q3/Q4 2013, added 3 content producers:

1 for news1 for music1 graphic designer/utility

• Moved PT designer to FT UX designer• Contracted with local digital agency• Engaged programming resources

MOBILE APP

MOBILE APP

30,000+ downloads/installs15,000+ upgrades in first five weeks

NPR Digital Services

•Training•Analytics•Strategy•Support•NPR .API

TRAINING

TRAINING• Knight News / NPR Digital Services• Enterprise-specific systems

Vendor-basedUniversity-basedAssociation-based

• Management skills• Analytics• SEO• Staff

RESEARCH

Thank You!Jennifer Strachan – jkstrach@gmail.com

Tony Manfredi – tony@knpb.org

Al Gibes – al.gibes@csus.edu