Texas Center For Community Journalism

One of our most dangerous temptations in community journalism is to emphasize the “community” part of our name and not the “journalism.”

We’re not metros (thank God). But neither should we think that we are somehow insulated from their pressures and problems, or that the issues they face will be a long time in coming to us – if ever.  The old “that’s a city problem, not our problem” idea died when mass communications and then social media knit the nation into one 311-million-person village.

Case in point:  the news of Bin Laden’s death.  Now what could be further from the news coverage issues we face in Texas community journalism?

But we’ve got to pay attention to what we learned in that coverage.  Like the fact that Twitter dictated the news, not the White House.  The president may be able to order the execution of the leader of Al Qaeda, but he can’t determine how news will break.

One site, analyzing the coverage, included this important observation, one we should all consider: 

“As notions, ‘edition’ and deadline are dead.A newspaper editor’s worst nightmare is breaking news landing on a Sunday night at closing time. Such conjunction of content and timing carries a high risk of irrelevancy — if missed, or of good-faith false information hitting the streets the next day — if inaccurate. We all have memories of too-close-to-call elections, rumors of a personality’s death, etc.

“Newspapers took time to make their mind up on the question of deadlines and editions (and many have yet to cross that Rubicon). But the leaders of the pack took the straightforward option: dump everything on the internet, as fast as you can and without regard for closing deadlines.

“For the Bin Laden story, most big news organizations produced vast amounts of articles as their physical papers were being re-edited. By the time the updated edition hit the street, its content had been posted on the net, but every story had also been continuously updated and augmented.  Did it affect newsstand sales? Early data show this isn’t the case. Sales always rise, no matter how more up-to-date the publication website is. With high impact news, analyzing reader reactions shows people still enjoy the physical paper’s broad view — and, for those special occasions, there is the ‘collector’s item’ feeling.”

Note the first sentence – “edition” and “deadline” are dead.  That’s the idea that the production of the news (reporting, writing, editing, design, production, distribution) somehow determine when the news is ready for consumption by readers.  That’s a concept straight out of the 20^th century.  And the 19^th, 18^th, 17^th, and so forth.

Right now, we see that playing out in major international and national news stories – the death of Bin Laden, the William and Kate wedding, the death of Michael Jackson.  But social media especially are making significant inroads in all our communities.  And we saw in the recent Texas fires that many people in the state were turning to Facebook and websites because they wanted to know right then – not when the paper came out later – what the news was.

Read also what the quote above said about what happened when the print editions of the newspapers came out.  Did the fact that people heard about it on Twitter and discussed it on Facebook and saw it on the news stop them from buying newspapers?  Not at all.  The next day’s papers were selling out because people want to read more about high-interest items.  After all, do people who watched Friday night’s football game and talked about it in church Sunday avoid the coverage in your newspaper because they already know so much, or are they eager to read more and see the photos and stats you publish?

We are part of a revolution in how people get their information.  It hit the West and East coasts first, then the cities, then the suburbs … and now we’re all affected. 

And what does it mean for community papers? Mainly that we’re not community papers any more.  We are community news sources that publish a paper, in addition to the other ways we disseminate the news.  The paper is our centerpiece, our flagship, our most important product – but more and more, breaking news will be found on Twitter and Facebook and our websites.

It may not be the way we thought we would be practicing journalism, but remember that journalism isn’t newspapers – newspapers contain journalism.  Journalism is what our readers want to know, and we’ve got to be about the business of giving it to them.

When will local newspaper websites and hyper local blogs start making money with video? Short answer: When they start sharing their video equipment with the sales department.

For now, the big money in online video is in promotion, demonstration and advertorial-based video content — not in editorial and news content. Watch short clip to the left to see how some production companies like TurnHere and AOL’s StudioNow are taking advantage of this fact.

It’s insane that newspapers and independent websites aren’t paying more attention to this trend. Instead, newspaper is still primarily focused on editorial and news video where journalists mimic the old-school techniques of TV reporters. Investment in digital video cameras for the staff, Final Cut Pro editing software and training are good things. But who decided these smart investments were for newsrooms only?

Producing video-based editorial or enhancing text-based stories with video is powerful and compelling. Unfortunately, it’s been a money pit.

TV-like video ‘packages’ might work in a linear 30-minute newscast, but they usually fall flat when online. A well-produced 3.5 minute report on the 11 p.m. news looks sweet with footage of a fire, quick sound bites and an attractive field reporter. Place that same clip online and on-demand — and it usually gets limited viewership. I’ve seen it first hand in my work with TV. Even if you could get a $50 cpm, the limited video views will make it difficult to adequately monetize.

TIP: If you MUST find a way to sell your editorial-based video, offer advertisers a share of voice (SOV) in the pre-roll position. Bundle it with banners and other digital sponsorships for now.

“My newspaper tried to make money with video, but it didn’t work.” Boy, do we hear that a lot. But the truth is, online video DOES make money…..just not in the way local news sites have been doing it.

Lately, we’re seeing more anecdotal evidence that the enthusiasm for online news video is waning. Not from the video journalists, but from high-level newsrooms and sales execs. These bottom-line focused executives echo a common refrain in their weekly meetings: even the best production value and subject matter doesn’t always translate into journalistic and revenue success.

Some culprits that contribute to this issue

Does the video on left bring anything of value to the piece? While the journalist is comfortable in front of a camera, this is just placing a camera in front of a radio talk show. It’s not helpful to the viewer at all, and advertisers wonder why they want to be associated with this content. While the basic production quality is solid, it cries out for still image overlays or video b-roll of the hockey game being discussed.

Sound like too much work? Then don’t do this type of video. Especially if you can’t attract viewers and a sponsor.

When to Consider Editorial Video?

We recommend that video should only be used if the story can be made better by sound and motion, otherwise it’s just ‘shooting video for video sake’.

Editorial video can be done in three basic ways

1. Story Teller: A TV-like, fully produced ‘package’ that includes editing, stand-up reporter, graphics and narration. Typically 3.5 minutes in length.
2. Story Extender: Raw footage that works as a complement and provides greater understanding to a text-based story. Footage can be embedded within or adjacent to the body of the online text story.
3. Have to See It, to Believe It :Example: by monitoring police/fire scanners, you may be able to capture some exciting fire footage, a 20 car pile-up, or a perp walk, etc. This type of video could go viral.

Examples of online video for sales:

See how Yellow Pages created a video profile for a Fort Worth Dentist here.
See how Patch does it for a restaurant in the Philadelphia area here.

Knowledge is power.

This is true for anyone, but especially for salespeople. To be successful, salespeople have to be very knowledgeable about their products and expert at asking good questions that uncover their customer’s business needs. While these are basic requirements for selling advertising, master salespeople take the time to educate themselves fully about their market, their competition and industry trends.

This “intelligence” gives them an edge over their competition and enhances their ability to help their customers. Here are a few ways you can increase your store of knowledge and sell with more “intelligence.”

Market intelligence

Athorough knowledge of the territory allows a salesperson to maximize current opportunities and anticipate upcoming ones. Salespeople should make a point of reading the business section of the local paper and any other local business publications to keep abreast of changes in their territory. You should pay particular attention to announcements of new businesses coming into the market.

Doing this allows you to contact the new business before the competition, often before they even break ground. Perhaps even more importantly, this information can be used to open a discussion with your current advertisers and prospects.

For example: If you hear a major chain is opening a new pharmacy in your area, you should ask the local drug store owner: “How do you think the new chain store will affect your business?

What steps do you plan to take to protect your customer base?” Remind your clients the best way to protect their business is to start advertising aggressively long before the national chain launches their marketing for the new location.

Other important points to discuss with your clients include new housing developments, highway construction, retail developments in adjoining communities and population shifts. Any kind of change, especially something that potentially affects their business, can be used to disturb advertisers’ complacency and get them thinking about advertising. If you are the first one to approach the advertiser with the news, or at least the first one to get them thinking about the challenges/opportunities presented by the changes, the client will begin to think of you as a resource for their business and as a consultant.

The web can be a good source of market intelligence. The U.S. Census Bureau and a number of other organizations collect a great deal of information on communities. A good source of information is the free lookup section of melissadata.com, which gives information such as the population demographics, or IRS adjusted income for every ZIP code in the U.S. If you are calling on a retirement community, they are more likely to listen to you, if you start the conversation with “Did you know more than 12,000 people over the age of 55 live in the area served by my publication?”

Market intelligence can also be gained by attending local business association and Chamber of Commerce meetings. Identify and cultivate a relationship with community leaders who can provide you with valuable information. These relationships will not only give you invaluable knowledge but also can be a source of introductions to potential clients. As always, your best source of information is asking good questions. When you notice something new in the market, make it your business to ask everyone you meet about it. Just asking questions will get the clients (and you) thinking about how it will affect their business.

Competitive intelligence

Themore you know about your competition, the more effectively you can compete. Read competitive publications; listen to local radio and watch/record local TV and cable stations. Pay attention to who is advertising, and the copy in their ads. Keep copies of the ads run by prospects and record the date the ads appeared. This will allow you to track trends and patterns in the prospects advertising.

If an advertiser runs the same ad for a long time, he or she may be open to someone who offers a new concept. Advertisers who stop advertising may be dissatisfied with the competitor and looking for an alternative. Keep a tickler file for seasonal advertisers — an advertiser’s funds may be already committed by the time you see their ads this summer, but your file will remind you to call on them the following spring.

Whenever possible, collect copies of your competitor’s media kit and collateral material. If your competitor has a website, bookmark it and look at it frequently. This material will tell you how competitors position their firm and what they see as competitive strengths.

This information will be very helpful in developing your plan to overcome the competition. One of the best sources of competitive intelligence is your current advertisers; ask them to save any competitive literature for you. Be sure to share the information you collect with other sales people within your company and ask them to do the same.

Recently I approached a prospect that advertised in a local coupon magazine. From talking to other advertisers I knew this magazine was very flexible with their rates, charging a wide range of prices for similar ads (From $100 to $1,000). When the advertiser said he liked the competitor, I agreed with him and said as someone who had been in advertising for years, I didn’t know how they can produce that type of ad for a $100. When the customer looked surprised and challenged my statement, I suggested he not “take my word for it” but just call some of the other advertisers and compare notes. He doubted me, but did as I suggested and is now an advertiser in our publication. My knowledge of the competitor’s practices allowed me to turn this account around.

Industry intelligence

Knowing something about a prospect’s or advertiser’s industry is an excellent way to differentiate yourself from the run of the mill advertising sales person. Most industries have association websites that can be a wealth of information about trends and issues of interest to your clients. Google their business and look for facts that you can use. Once while waiting for a chiropractor to see me, I picked up an industry magazine in his waiting room. The cover article was about new techniques used to adjust the spinal columns of infants. When I got in to see the client, I asked him about this trend. He was very interested in this subject and gave me an impassioned description of this aspect of his practice. I asked him if most people were aware of this subject and when he agreed they were not, it was a simple matter to sell him on a series of ads “educating” the public about his profession.

One of the best sources of information on industries is other advertising. Look at what national advertisers are promoting, look at what other local firms have in their ads and use these as conversation starters. Use your conversations with advertisers/prospects as opportunities to collect information that you can share on future calls.

Taking the time to research a client’s industry makes engaging them in conversation much easier. It shows the client that you are willing to go the extra mile to understand his/her business and to help their business.

Conclusion

Gathering intelligence takes some forethought and can be time-consuming, but it pays big dividends in sales results. One of the benefits of a career in sales is the opportunity we get to learn and grow as individuals. The commissions and salaries we earn from our jobs are soon spent on the necessities of life, but the knowledge we gain is ours to keep forever. Another thing we get to keep is the sense of accomplishment that comes from being a knowledgeable professional.

Mel Taylor shares a smart strategy Google is now using, one that could easily be adapted by Texas community newspaper. Instead of cold-calling, Google offering local business a chance to schedule free photo shoot.

Google sends a professional photographer to take shots of business, then uploads them into Google Places and Google Maps. Mel notes: “GREAT way to start relationship with small business operator (then upsell them later).” Sounds like a good way to start a relationship with businesses that haven’t advertised before.

Mark Engebretson, editor of the Lake Country Sun, was in Fort Worth last weekend at a meeting of the North and East Texas Press Association. While he was there, he started getting calls about the fire that was now threatening Palo Pinto County and his Possum Kingdom Lake community.

Engebretson’s paper is published on Friday, but he didn’t wait for publication day to get ahead of the story. His Facebook page has been one of the go-new news sources for the Possum Kingdom area.

When Engebretson left for Fort Worth and NETPA, his Lake Country Sun’s Facebook page had 1,161 fans. At this writing five days later, he has 5,400 – and growing daily.

“The Web allows a weekly to become a daily,” Mark said. “Facebook takes you beyond a daily. It’s instantaneous communication.”

“This makes all the long hours worth it,” he said. “People tell me that they are really relying on us for up-to-the-minute news on the fire.”

The Sun is literally a one-man operation these days. The roads into Possum Kingdom are closed and Mark’s other staff just happened to be gone when the fire encircled the area. Now, he is doing it all himself – news, photography, advertising, design … everything.

The Sun’s offices seem relatively safe for the time-being, but Mark said that at one point the fire was across the street from him – “right up to the asphalt.”

And to make matters worse, the fire knocked out a wireless tower and the Sun’s office doesn’t have Internet service. Luckily, though, he can still make it back to his house, where he has a DSL line.

The West Texas fires are a great example of what social media can mean to community newspapers. People are not going to wait until “the paper comes out” to get their news, and the source that many are turning to now is Facebook. That medium is interactive, which means that readers can share information, ask questions, post pictures and video, check out rumors and talk back and forth in real time about their concerns.

“I have a whole new understanding and appreciation of Facebook,” Mark said. “Our readers have flat taken over our fan page.”

And that’s a good thing. PK readers see the Sun as the place to go for the latest news, a place to ask their questions and share their concerns. That respect for the newspaper as more than ink on paper but also as the community’s news source should pay off as those readers and advertisers look to the printed product for the expanded information and detail they can’t get on Facebook.