Jtm-pnw-session-hyperlocal-mainstream

From IVP Wiki
4262682031_9ab6637f0d_m_d.jpg
Enlarge

Building collaboration model for mass and hyperlocal media

Working from the image pictured on this page, here's a first attempt at organizing the notes from our session on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, into the beginnings of a business model. Please jump in with corrections and clarifications.

Participants in this session who signed our sheet: Jim Bellinger, Jody Brannon, Jessica Durkin, Pam Kilborn-Miller, Kim Lowe, Bob Payne, Sabrina Roach, Dale Steinke and Chris Zain (sp?)

Let's start with hyperlocal media (HL), generally defined as geographically local and engaged in their community:

Strengths

  • Geographically local and engaged
  • Community voice (Voice of the community?)
  • Can gather the local agenda
  • Catalyst for civic discussion
  • Built with sweat equity (owners are invested in its success)
  • It's a new audience that may not be using mass media as frequently (or at all)
  • Have a face-to-face, personal relationship with the audience
  • They have heart and many do it for love
  • First responder on local news
  • ...


Weaknesses

  • Distribution and marketing
  • Shallow pockets
  • Need to build credibility
  • Journalism ethics framework often ill-defined
  • ...


Next, Mass media (MM), loosely defined as geographically diverse, with a mass audience

Strengths

  • Distribution
  • Has a broad focus and has the resources to provide context
  • Credibility
  • Good at trend spotting
  • Has strong (but threatened) revenue streams
  • Has deep knowledge base in journalism skills, marketing, SEO, ad sales, technology, media literacy
  • Has many business contacts
  • A well-defined set of ethics
  • Well-developed information gathering systems

Weaknesses

  • Locally disconnected
  • Can't be everywhere at once
  • Limited resources
  • Pressure to please stockholders
  • ...


Opportunities to work together

Content

  • Tipsters: More often than not, HL can act as a first responder, tipping MM to new happenings. MM can also tip HL too though. One idea is to have HL dig up local angles on a regional trend story (example given was the impact of the halted development projects).


Marketing

  • MM can drive people to HL sites via links and other marketing


Sales

  • MM has many sales people and could offer that service. Ad networks could be a key part of this


Infrastructure

  • Training: MM can offer training in journalism skills, marketing, SEO, ad sales, technology, media literacy, running a business, etc...


Pitfalls to be addressed

  • How to not make HL sites look like sellouts by partnering with MM
  • Equity and fairness in any revenue deals
  • Building and maintaining mutual trust
  • Setting branding, promotion expectations
  • Maintaining product integrity


Here's a link to the ongoing discussion on LinkedIn. - Dale

Retrieved from "http://newshare.com/wiki/index.php?title=Jtm-pnw-session-hyperlocal-mainstream&oldid=2973"