Andrew Jackson, acting executive director (digital), Manchester Evening News Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do. www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. Print v digital?
Or ‘How we learned to love the internet
and made our newspapers continue to
matter’

2. Background to Newsroom 3.1
• Culmination of seven years of editorial
restructuring
• Multimedia has been built into the
‘day job’ for several years
• Now we cross the Rubicon, to become
digitally-LED
• Creates an ‘Audience First’ newsroom
• Give audiences what they want, when
they want it, on the platforms they use
• It’s not the end...

3. Learning from around the world
Digital First
Media, USA:
Became digital
first but didn’t
focus on print at
the same time.
Impressive
digital ideas
Shaw Media,
Illinois
Streamlined
print production
to focus on
digital
Helsingin
Sanomat,
Finland
Quality content
online, reversed
into strong print
product
Bild, Germany
Empowered
content creators
to own digital
process
Regionalmedie,
Austria
Put UGC at heart
of operation
All of the above support, but don’t alone create, an audience-first content approach in the
newsroom

4. Audience First (Newsroom 3.1)
The journey so far … and the challenges faced
• As newsroom has evolved,
we have introduced more
digital elements
• Our regional newsrooms
far more advanced than
others in the market
• But until now the
newsroom has continued
to operate to a ‘print
beat’ with digital overlaid
• This means we miss
opportunities to capitalise
on digital audience
opportunities
Built around the principles of providing the content people want, when they want it, in
the format they want
Newsroom 3.0
Much greater emphasis on digital audience, but within a print working day (eg digital
takes back seat as print deadline nears)
Digital aspects introduced to the newsroom,
eg video, breaking news online
Digital produced in a print environment
Where we began and where we stayed for a long time. Focus on preserving print
performance
Print First
Multimedia Newsroom

5. Newsroom 3.1: The Brief
• Create a newsroom which is focused on digital
content and driven by digital audience data
• Newsroom must be staffed by people who
believe in the digital future and have the skills to
deliver great digital content
• Continue to produce strong newspapers which
contain content produced for digital platforms.
• Revamp print to ensure digital opportunities are
met
Newsroom 3.1: Principles
• All content creators focus on delivering content
for digital platforms
• Newsroom day is built around key audience
spikes
• Newsroom produces content based on digital
audience data
• Newsroom is led by people who can convincingly
advocate digital excellence
• Strong print unit created to deliver stronger
newspapers
Newsroom 3.1: Enablers
Content desk don’t have sight of print dummy. They fill
content into audience spikes throughout the day
Mini meetings before each audience spike to review
what’s working, and what needs more focus
Main planning meeting - plans for next day, next week
and reviews one month out: Forward planning locked in
Print placement is a discrete discussion between editor
in chief and print unit, who finesse content created for
digital
The result is a newsroom which delivers content the
audience is showing it wants

6. Newsroom 3.1: Structure Key new roles
• Our future revolves around producing great content
• We need to focus as much resource as possible here
• Content managers need to commission as well as share
• Newsroom leaders lead by example
Content Directors: Small team of
senior digital content experts
Content Developers: Reporters,
photographers, curators and print
production specialists who deliver
great content
Content Managers: Skilled
content experts driven by data
to commission great content
Newsroom 3.1: Pyramid
Planning Analyst:
Delivers useable audience data into day to day
decisions
Football Editor:
Ensures fan-first focus on content around the
sport which matters
Social Media Editor:
Owns audience interaction across social media
platforms
Advance content writer:
Focuses on 30-day plans which ensure we build
content plans in advance
Content Editor:
Digital-focused content commissioner who uses
data to drive decisions
Print Publishing Editor:
Owner of print in the newsroom. Ensures print is
great
Agenda Writer:
Super specialist role which owns entire brief,
sets brand agenda

7. New ways…Old ways….
Newsroom content would be decided
based on gut instinct and ‘this makes a
good story’
Content decisions based on audience
data and popularity – if users like it, we
do more
Newsroom structures were based
around subject matter: eg news, sport
Structures clustered around the different
ways people use content – eg for info or
passion
Content desk place stories on pages
and build content generation around
pages to be filled
Content desk doesn’t see print dummy –
works towards audience spikes and filling
those with timely, relevant content
Newsroom was built around print
deadlines – less intensity in evenings
and weekends
Day built around digital audience spikes,
with greater emphasis on busier times
such as weekends and evenings
Forward planning was hit and miss,
often missing big opportunities
Forward planning critical to our success
due to search behaviour. A daily feature

8. 6am 8am 10am 12noon 2pm 4pm 6pm 8pm 10pm Midnight
6.30am 8am 10am 12noon 2pm 4pm 6pm 8pm 10pm 11pm
Work Day Intensity
Traditional Newsroom
Newsroom 3.1
The darker the colour, the more members of staff in the newsroom
Arrows represent when content is released
In a traditional newsroom, the bulk of content would be released online at 11am
Print deadline would occur between 10pm and 11pm
Newsroom 3.0 introduced the concept of releasing more content for key spikes in digital audiences
Newsroom 3.1 enshrines this principle, with content prepared for spikes at 8.30, noon, 4.30pm and
8pm. Print is then created for 10pm
Working day extended slightly, with production of print smoothed across the day

9. How will we measure success?
MEASURE REASON
Number of monthly unique users visiting (WW) Standard measure aimed at focusing attention on max reach
Number of Page views per month (WW) Standard measure aimed at ensuring we associate audience
with ad impressions
Pages per user, per month This focuses attention on turning casual reader into an engaged
one
% of unique users visiting more than 10 times a
month
New measure to ensure attention paid to creating loyalty
% and number of visitors arriving to homepage,
channel fronts via bookmarks or launching app
A good measure of loyalty – focuses attention on behaviour of
most loyal readers and making more readers loyal
Number of visitors to digital platforms and page
views from within regional footprint
Most valuable audience to us. Ensures we deliver sustainable
content (ie no UFOs!)
% of local population who visit our websites each
month
Key commercial sales message which advertisers understand –
our local reach
Number of video streams generated per month Potentially most valuable revenue stream available if we
generate enough streams

10. Newsroom 3.1: Flexibility
● Newsroom 3.1 is built around the principle of flexibility,
particularly when it comes to content priorities
● This doesn’t just mean content themes (eg a greater
focus on NUFC and advance events) but also on content
formats
● Our content desk is challenged to ask ‘What is the best
way to tell this story?’ about every story they
commission
● We anticipate new forms of storytelling emerging, and a
changing focus on ways to tell stories, eg renewed focus
on liveblogs, which Trinity Mirror has led the way with
since 2008
● Our new ‘content innovations unit’ headed by Alison
Gow will lead on this, working with all our local
newsrooms
● Newsroom 3.1 has been built with video in mind - a
prime example of a type of content which has become
increasingly important due to the high levels of audience
engagement it can create, audience demand and
revenue opportunities
‘Expected, not requested’
approach for MMJs -
expected to shoot at scene
Point and shoot
Football shows, business
shows, vodcasts, content we
provide depth in
Appointment to View
Football shows, business
shows, vodcasts, content we
provide depth in
UGC
Regional video strategy
Mirror content, other
centres content, PA feeds
Shared video

11. How times change

12. CASE 1: big breaking news
500,000 page views 3,500 extra copy sales

13. CASE 2: setting the agenda

14. CASE 3: publish, engage, re-package
500,000 page views and 40,000+
social shares

15. CASE 4: planning analysis
1.4m page views

16. CASE 5: new creative tools
More than 20,000
votes cast (so far…)
200,000 page views &
45,000 social shares

17. Two key principles
- First, Fast, Accurate
- A great story is still a great story – we just need to
make the most of it online

18. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what events
we have coming up and to check out what
else we do.
www.charitycomms.org.uk

19. North West Regional Group
14 May 2015
Manchester
#ccnorthwest
North West Regional Group
Print v digital