1
chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Everything changes when you make readers leaders
Dean Betz, online news editor

2chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

3chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

4chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

Changing the way we cover news
– for the better

5chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

Changing the way we cover news
– for the better

The future? It's not about us.
It's about the readers

6chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

7chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

8chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

Still the newspaper’s voice

9chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

Still the newspaper’s voice

First steps at building a relationship with the
readers through comments and feedback

10chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

11chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

Started as a daily
commentary on
popular culture for
staff

12chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

Started as a daily
commentary on
popular culture for
staff

Now one of site’s
most popular
blogs, earned
honors (including
an EPpy) for its
clever, oblique
angle.

13chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

14chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

15chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

Launched early
2006

16chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

Launched early
2006

Original videos,
great comment-
conversation

17chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

18chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

Real-time
reporting of
storm’s approach,
massive
evacuation

19chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

Real-time
reporting of
storm’s approach,
massive
evacuation

Readers connect,
share experiences
in comments

20chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

21chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

22chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

Share tips on gas,
supplies, highway
congestion

23chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

Share tips on gas,
supplies, highway
congestion

‘Networked
journalism’ on a
simple scale

24chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

25chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

"Number One …
the Houston
Chronicle. By a
mile"

Relationship with
readers:
“Alternately
inform, and be
informed by them”

26chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

27chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

28chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

29chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

30chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

Comments, reader
participation

31chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

Comments, reader
participation

Range, originality

32chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

33chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

34chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

Readers added
depth via
comments

35chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

Readers added
depth via
comments

Back-and-forth
grew into “Ask
Mary”

36chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

37chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… from pets

38chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to guns

39chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to gadgets

40chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to faith

41chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

42chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

43chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

44chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

Make groups

45chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

Make groups

Drive the news