Reshaping the newsroom

Measuring impact online

Reshaping the newsroom

Aims of Herald’s reorganization
•Serve all fronts – from print to radio to online
•Create 24-hour news operation
•Improve and speed up decision making
•Shape desks to handle crafts across all platforms
•Enable exchange and contributions from readers
•Bring more energy, liveliness, creativity to our
work

Continuous News desk
• The brain of the newsroom; moves decisions
from editors offices to center of room
• Led by a duty officer (a revolving role of
dept. heads, desk leaders,managing editors)
• Includes representatives of all key desks
• Directs news coverage, leads newspaper
planning, prepares for tomorrow

Creating a 24-hour newsroom

Improving online speed and quality
• Vastly increasing the pace and quality of updating
• Creating distinct online editions based on key
traffic points
• 6:30, 8:30 and 11:30 a.m.
• 2:30 p.m., close of the day
• Rewriting best stories for morning editions
• Recirculating good stories during slow stretches
• Develop separate approach for weekend stories

Measuring impact of new elements
• Steady, dramatic climb in online readers
– MiamiHerald.com passes 4 million unique visitors per month
– ElHerald.com reaches about 500,000 visitors per month

Unique Visitors Over the Year
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
4,500,000
5,000,000
1
March
April
May
June
July
August
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.

Measuring impact of new elements
• Steady, dramatic climb in online readers
– MiamiHerald.com passes 4 million unique visitors per month
– ElHerald.com reaches about 500,000 visitors per month
• Seizing moments of big news
– Sean Taylor case hits record 1.7 unique users 11/27/07
– Dolphin sale hits 1.5 unique users 12/18/07
– Bill Parcells hiring hits 1.4 million 12/19/07

Peak Visit Totals since March

Measuring impact of new elements
• Steady, dramatic climb in online readers
– MiamiHerald.com passes 4 million unique visitors per month
– ElHerald.com reaches about 500,000 visitors per month
• Seizing moments of big news
– Sean Taylor case hits record 1.7 unique users 11/27/07
– Dolphin sale hits 1.5 unique users 12/18/07
– Bill Parcells hiring hits 1.4 million 12/19/07
• Seeing strong results of specialized content
– Political Currents goes from zero to 350,000 visits per month

Measuring impact of new elements
• Steady, dramatic climb in online readers
– MiamiHerald.com passes 4 million unique visitors per month
– ElHerald.com reaches about 500,000 visitors per month
• Seizing moments of big news
– Sean Taylor case hits record 1.7 unique users 11/27/07
– Dolphin sale hits 1.5 unique users 12/18/07
– Bill Parcells hiring hits 1.4 million 12/19/07
• Seeing strong results of specialized content
– Political Currents goes from zero to 350,000 visits per month
– Story comment reached nearly 500,000 last month
– Miami.com launches in beta form with goal of 200,000 per month

In 2008 we will…In 2008 we will…