This document is a presentation by Jake Batsell about his research on audience engagement and the business of digital news. It discusses how news used to be one-way but now audiences have many options, and how newsrooms can build loyal relationships through engagement. Batsell defines engaged journalism as how a news organization interacts with its audience to further its journalistic and financial mission. He discusses five main ways organizations are trying to engage audiences: through face-to-face interactions, news as conversation, serving passionate niche audiences, search and exploration features, and measuring and monetizing audience relationships.

1. Capturing Value:
Audience Engagement
and the Business of Digital News
Visiting research fellow,
2013-14 academic year
Jake Batsell
@jbatsell
jbatsell@smu.edu
Assistant professor,
Division of Journalism
November 8, 2014

2. #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14

3. #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14
News used to be a one-way lecture.
His legendary signoff: “And that’s …”

4. #onacamp Phoenix • @jbatsell • 11.8.14
Today, audiences have infinite options.
How can newsrooms build loyal relationships
that ultimately will keep them in business?

5. Engagement, Loyalty and Revenue • @jbatsell • 6.11.14
ENGAGED JOURNALISM
(Columbia University Press, Feb. ‘15)
• Based on visits to more than 25
news organizations in U.S./U.K.
• 100+ interviews
• Aimed at journalists, academics,
students and anyone else interested
in the future of news
• Part of CJR Books series
• More details, slides: j.mp/engagedj

6. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
What is
engaged journalism?
My definition:
The degree to which a news
organization actively considers
and interacts with its audience
in furtherance of its journalistic
and financial mission.

7. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
Journalists can’t simply wish
for the public to deem them relevant.
They have to listen, earn the audience’s attention,
be relevant, and FILL A NEED.
– PASSING THE ‘TOOTHBRUSH TEST’ –

8. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
I found that news organizations are trying to
engage audiences in five main ways.
Is your newsroom creating and capturing value
in these five areas?

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1. Face-to-face engagement

10. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
2. News as conversation

11. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
3. Serving the ‘passionate vertical’

12. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
4. Search, explore, play

13. #onacJaEmMp 4 P9h9o •e n @ixj b•a t@sejblla t•s e 1ll0 .•7 .1114. 8.14
5. Measuring
and monetizing
the audience
relationship

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The book, boiled down to a tweet:

17. Thanks!
More info:
j.mp/engagedj
Visiting research fellow,
2013-14 academic year
Jake Batsell
@jbatsell
jbatsell@smu.edu
Assistant professor,
Division of Journalism