These are slides for a workshop for the New York State Associated Press Association.

1. Seize the Digital Future
Steve Buttry
New York State AP Association
October 3, 2012
#seizefuture

2. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• jxpaton.wordpress.com
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com

4. We need to disrupt …
• How we work
• How we think
• How we’re organized
• How we engage the community
• How we make money

5. Digital-first journos think …
1. Story is a process, not a product
2. Like to be first, but link when we’re not
3. Community = collaborators
4. When we hear great quote or learn
interesting fact, think, “I better tweet
that.”
5. More excited by RTs, likes, shares, pins
& links than by front-page play

6. Digital-first journos think …
6. Obstacles = war stories, not excuses
7. New gadget or social platform = tool
for better journalism
8. When news breaks, thinks of terms to
search for on Twitter
9. Journalism future is bright & boundless
10. Defies prediction (& lists), thinks of
new ideas, issues & solutions

7. Working Digital First
• Create content for digital platforms (web,
mobile, social, email, SMS)
• Produce print & broadcast products from
content on digital platforms
• Live coverage of events
• Breaking news coverage
• Engage community

8. Court reporter
• Live-tweet from courtroom (narrative,
not a transcript)
• Feed tweets into liveblog
• Big development: Text news alert to
editor
• Write summary or analysis story for web
& print

11. Court reporter, no trial
• Traditional rounds: lawyers, judges,
clerks, filings
• Add digital-first rounds: monitor tweets,
search Twitter, Facebook groups & pages
• Tweet/alert/blog big filings
• Video interviews
• Scan or download docs if not online

12. Court reporter, no trial
• Live chat (off day in trial)
• Data analysis
• Data visualization
• Database tracking cases (Homicide
Watch)
• Note charges dismissed
• Enterprise stories (map, timeline)

16. Newsroom training
• Online training (News U, Lynda.com)
• Online resources (digitalninjaschool.com;
#twutorial; my blog; Zombie Journalist;
Life, I Wrote; others?)
• Brownbaggers: How I did it
• Conferences, seminars
• Bring in outside trainer

18. Make training a priority

19. Newsroom training
Just do it.

20. Filthy lucre
• Collapse of biz model has severely
harmed journalism
• We can protect our integrity & contribute
to developing new models
• Brainstorming ≠ selling
• Journos are creative people
• What’s the value? Who would pay?

21. Life story opportunities
• Commissioned obits (journalist tells life
story, paid by family)
• Flexible pricing
• Obituary, website, booklet, video
• Not just obits: weddings, retirements,
anniversaries, milestones
• Set standards to ensure accuracy

22. New assumptions, approach
Job to be done: Help me honor loved one
Traditional solutions: Formulaic obit by
news staff, sappy obit by funeral home
Previous disruption: Legacy.com
Solution: Tell loved one’s life story
Opportunity: Commissioned multimedia
life stories

23. Blow stuff up in …
• Visual journalism • Copy editing
• Sports • A&E
• K-12 schools • Food
• Higher ed • Family
• Local government • Faith
• Breaking news • Business
• Statehouse • Obits

24. Personal content
• Births • Parenthood
• Youth milestones • Divorce
• School • Illness
• Graduation • Empty nesters
• College life • Retirement
• Military service • Reunions
• Weddings • Pets

25. Brainstorm something new
• New beat or position
• Data
• Curation
• Community engagement
• SeeClickFix

26. Key questions
• What’s the job to be done? For whom
(business or community)?
• What’s disruptive about your solution?
• How do you engage the community?
• How do you need to work differently?
• How do you need to think differently?

27. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• jxpaton.wordpress.com
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com