News processes for multiple platforms

Daily/weekly traffic cycles (current) www.theherald.co.za www.weekendpost.co.za 5am 9am 10am 1pm 4pm 7pm Saturday Monday Thursday

Traffic watersheds (Daily)* www.theherald.co.za & www.weekendpost.co.za 5am 9am 4pm * Assumes extension of current trends 10am 1pm 7pm

Traffic watersheds (Weekly)* www.theherald.co.za & www.weekendpost.co.za * Assumes extension of current trends Sun Sat Fri Thur Wed Tues Mon

Story filtering Publish strategically Stagger exclusive stories Break breaking news FIRST (online) Promote own content on all platforms Prioritise local (but don’t ignore the rest)

Publish strategically

Stagger exclusive stories

Break breaking news FIRST (online)

Promote own content on all platforms

Prioritise local (but don’t ignore the rest)

Story item categories

Category A Item published online (and mobile) May be flagged on alert service, Twitter etc Usually refers audience to detailed/comprehensive piece print edition of the following day May include items online that follow-up & develop items already in print Mostly stories in the public domain but include extract of own-enterprise story

Item published online (and mobile)

May be flagged on alert service, Twitter etc

Usually refers audience to detailed/comprehensive piece print edition of the following day

May include items online that follow-up & develop items already in print

Mostly stories in the public domain but include extract of own-enterprise story

Category B Items appears in print (Mon – Sat) Republished automatically overnight online Lower value stories usually in public domain May include inside page leads May include items with accompanying multimedia where full story is required to give presentation proper context Would include all columns, comment and leaders

Items appears in print (Mon – Sat)

Republished automatically overnight online

Lower value stories usually in public domain

May include inside page leads

May include items with accompanying multimedia where full story is required to give presentation proper context

Would include all columns, comment and leaders

Category C Item is published in print FIRST Teaser item ONLY online published overnight to push reader to print purchase FULL item published online 2pm on day of print publication Teaser item can be (a) first 3 pars of story (b) specially written item with specific extract - would work best for softer features Applies to high value own-enterprise and exclusive items Can include hard news and features

Item is published in print FIRST

Teaser item ONLY online published overnight to push reader to print purchase

FULL item published online 2pm on day of print publication

Teaser item can be

(a) first 3 pars of story

(b) specially written item with specific extract

- would work best for softer features

Applies to high value own-enterprise and exclusive items

Can include hard news and features

Category D Miscellaneous items UNUSED in print for reasons of space but adding value online NOT for a measure to dump items with quality issues but may include softer stories May include items that are timebound and need to be cleared from queues May include republication of previously published items Where publication is required to link to a specific blog or column or on-day leader (editorial)

Miscellaneous items UNUSED in print for reasons of space but adding value online

NOT for a measure to dump items with quality issues but may include softer stories

May include items that are timebound and need to be cleared from queues

May include republication of previously published items

Where publication is required to link to a specific blog or column or on-day leader (editorial)

Commodity news Local stories remain a priority on all platforms BUT … Wire copy on IMPORTANT national and global stories will appear online as a story breaks (usually ahead of print) Print remains primary vehicle for analysis, features and pull-togethers on these stories Can be incorporated local items for any platform

Local stories remain a priority on all platforms BUT …

Wire copy on IMPORTANT national and global stories will appear online as a story breaks (usually ahead of print)

Print remains primary vehicle for analysis, features and pull-togethers on these stories

Can be incorporated local items for any platform

Copy flow (By category) LOCAL CONTENT POOL CATEGORY A CATEGORY B CATEGORY C CATEGORY D COMMODITY NEWS Directly online Breaks story; pushes audience to more detail in next print edition “ Lower” value print item: reproduced online simultaneously with print edition Teaser appears online overnight Miscellaneous held over and timebound items NOT used in print Important national/global stories Includes content accompanying multimedia (context) Full article republished online by 2pm on day of publication Backgrounders/analysis/write-thrus retained for FIRST usage in print Partial content may be lifted for own stories May be flagged on mobile alert if big enough

Life of a story Metro mayor Maphazi quits to join COPE Short bulletin published online Mobile alerts draws subscribers attention to the story on web and mobisite RSS and Twitter feeds alert web users Update with more detail is posted online; this story points to comprehensive report in the following day’s print edition Flyer in print story invites reader comment by SMS Flag in print story points to audio interview with the mayor on website Story republished on website; includes flyer promoting exclusive in following day’s print edition New, exclusive story appears in print Short teaser item appears online, based on new, exclusive story & promoting print edition Full version of new story uploaded to web (2pm)

Decision-making Who decides what goes where, when? New system for collective decisions More frequent meetings, at hub level Gatekeeping by: - Collective - Hub (Ad hoc) - Executive (Day Ed. up)

Who decides what goes where, when?

New system for collective decisions

More frequent meetings, at hub level

Gatekeeping by: - Collective

- Hub (Ad hoc)

- Executive (Day Ed. up)

Copy flow (By basket) FINISHED STORY CATEGORY A CATEGORY B CATEGORY C CATEGORY D COMMODITY NEWS Web: Copy Web: Published (Immediate) News: News Editor ORIGINAL: News: News Editor News: News Editor Wires Taste: Copy Taste: Copy TEASER: Web: Copy Prod: Pages Prod: Revise Web: Published (Overnight) Web: Published (2pm) Prod: Pages Prod: Revise Web: Published (Overnight) News: Hold Web: Copy Web: Published (Immediate) ORIGINAL: Arts-Sport-Business: Copy Arts-Sport-Business: Copy Arts-Sport-Business: Copy Web: Copy (Particularly breaking news) Taste: Copy (Particularly analysis, backgrounders, write thrus) Web: Published (Immediate) Prod: Revise Prod pages Web: Published (Overnight)

Media flow (By basket) RAW MEDIA STILLS AUDIO VIDEO Picture Folders (Hi Res: D/load, Caption & Byline via FotoStation) P Drive (Herald Photographers) P Drive (Audio Dump Folder) (D/load and tag via FotoStation) P Drive (Video Dump Folder) (D/load and tag via FotoStation) Imported to users folder on U drive & ediited Imported to users folder on U drive & ediited P Drive (Web) Audience Staff Scanners Pages Lo Res generated Uploaded to web Slideshow Multimedia Uploaded to web Picture Gallery Uploaded to web P Drive (Multimedia) Final version Uploaded to web P Drive (Multimedia) Final version Uploaded to web Wires (Sapa, Gallo & AP)

Goals (2009/10) Support print sales (ongoing) Unique browsers: 30% Page impressions: 50% Online advertising: R20k (budget)

Support print sales (ongoing)

Unique browsers: 30%

Page impressions: 50%

Online advertising: R20k (budget)

The three-way challenge Create a platform for future revenue Monetize new digital as well as existing offline platforms Use every platform to promote the other (and specifically maintain print)

Create a platform for future revenue

Monetize new digital as well as existing offline platforms

Use every platform to promote the other (and specifically maintain print)

Then … The omnibus newspaper readership

Now … Net-newsers Integrators Traditionalists The omnibus newspaper readership