Gaffney3.com

A recent study conducted by Yankelovich titled “When Advertising Works” has hit the web sparking a debate between the effectiveness of traditional media in stimulating word-of-mouth or conversations with that of digital media.

That aspect of the study has few debating the comparison on a general basis by which I mean television, radio, magazine, newspaper, and billboard, versus email messages, Internet banner ads, social networking,  but on an individual basis the conversation is “spirited.”

Our good friend Bob Hoffman, The Ad Contrarian, sees this as an opportunity to single out social media (blogs, MySpace, Facebook, etc) for their deficiency in statistically backing up claims of reaching a higher quality of audience.  I too firmly believe in following the metrics, but from what I can see there is no segmented data to back him up either.

Read the rest of this entry »

Image by jdlasica via Flickr

Newsroom Staffing

Over the past ten years, the traditional newsroom has become more adept at leveraging technologies more commonly associated with new media while new media is skillfully producing content that adheres to journalistic standards as evidenced by Josh Marshall’s Talking Points Memo winning the George Polk Awards for 2007 for legal reporting.

Ample conversations have been had on convergence, collaboration and integration of the newsroom, but regardless of the staff’s physical proximity, the organization should introduce a 24/7 news-desk where all news decision for all platforms are made. The news-desk should have equal representation from each platform and engage in new conversations over the handling of news:

• What is the optimal platform for the story distribution?
• How should the story be told across the varied platforms?
  • Is simple redundancy in publishing across the different channels adequate?
  • Should complimentary content be developed to further the story and take advantages of the unique strength of alternate channels?

Of the utmost importance is creating a competent news-desk that has the knowledge in how to compel and entice its audience to return frequently throughout the day through its varied distribution channels. Each return visit should yield consistent branding, voice and design to maintain a sense of familiarity, but more importantly provide completely new content assuring the reader as to the “freshness” and authority by which the organization headless news.

Wednesday: The Challenges

The tail wagging the dog

The adoption of the new media distribution channels offer newsrooms tremendous information previously unavailable in the form of a “two-way street” where the reader is engaging the organization. By providing the reader a sense of ownership though highly interactive, conversational or participatory elements, a sense of ownership, confidence and trust in the brand is fostered further enticing them to increased visits and engagement. Those readers that are engaged should be recognized not only on the new media channels, but also in traditional.

Take all feedback, whether from email, comments, discussion forums, or statistics as cues for newsroom “follows.” Allow the reader to become the newsroom’s ombudsman.

Sites without adequate participatory elements to allow for the free flow of conversation with the newsroom will force the reader to competitors, both local and global, or to simply build their own “soapbox” in the form of a blog or website. To those already lost, the newsroom should reach out by investing the time and the proper tools to provide them the means of voicing their opinion.

Tuesday: Newsroom Staffing

Today on good old dotShout!, readers were fascinated by the new photos from the set of Frank Miller’s big screen adaptation of Will Eisner’s The Spirit that leaked online. After that rumors dominated the board. Here are a few of the more influential articles from the day:

1. Set Photos: Will Eisner’s The Spirit
2. Industry Moves: Neil Budde Joins Personalized…
3. AOC intros format-lovin’ X600 portable media…
4. Federated Media’s rumored $200 million…
5. Tipster: Mahalo revenues are around $9,000…