American Newspapers and the

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American Newspapers and the Internet Threat or
Opportunity?
Erin Teeling, The Bivings Group September 28,
2007
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The Situation

• The Problem Newspapers losing audience
• The Solution Learn how to build an engaged
  online audience
• ATMM

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The Process Step 1

• Assess Your Audience
• Where are they going?
• What are they doing?
• How can you keep them engaged?

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The Process Step 2

• Take Inventory
• How old is your platform?
• What are you offering?
• What type of communication avenues do you make
  available?

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The Process Step 3

• Modernize
• Use Web 2.0 to revamp traffic and stickiness

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Modernization
Graphical Redesign
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Modernization

• Tapping Your Crossover Audience

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Databases of Information

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Blogs

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Comments

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Complementing Print on the Web

• User-Generated Content

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Flexibility of Content
• Alternative Content Views

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Social Networking
• Allow users to connect with one another and their
  communities

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Complementing Print on the Web

• Allow newspaper website to evolve beyond the
  print product
• Community Portal vs. online repository

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The Process Step 4

• Monetize
• Converting page views into dollars

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Monetization

• RSS Feeds A Missed Opportunity and Growing Trend

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Monetization

• How valuable is your content?
• How unique is your content?
• What is its expiration date?

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Monetization

• Advertising and Classifieds

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The Remedy?

• There is no one-size fits all remedy for the
  newspaper industry.
• Each newspaper needs a unique plan.
• We are beyond the opportunity for band-aid
  improvements

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Industry Status
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The Facts

• Sites with more features, unique content, and
  better functionality to better than sites without
  these features.

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Whos Getting it Right?

• Knoxville News Sentinel
• Fresno Bee
• Austin American Statesman
• Tennessean
• San Jose Mercury News

• New York Times
• Washington Post
• USA Today
• Houston Chronicle
• Denver Post

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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Whos Getting it Right?
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Conclusion

• The Internet, while a direct competitor, holds
  many opportunities for newspaper websites
• Look for new and creative ways of doing things
• Identify actual competitors and learn from them