Keynote presentation for the 2015 SPJ Fort Worth Careers Conference, delivered by Jake Batsell, assistant professor at Southern Methodist University's Division of Journalism and author of Engaged Journalism: Connecting with Digitally Empowered News Audiences (Columbia University Press, February 2015).

1. Riding the Engagement Wave:
How Engaged Journalism
Can Boost Your Career
Visiting research fellow,
2013-14 academic year
Jake Batsell
@jbatsell
jbatsell@smu.edu
Assistant professor,
Division of Journalism
SPJ Fort Worth Careers Conference
#spjfwnow
February 21, 2015

2. #spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
News used to be a one-way lecture.
Audience attention was taken for granted.

3. #spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
Today, news is a perpetual conversation.
Audiences have infinite options.
How can news organizations build loyalty?

4. Engagement, Loyalty and Revenue • @jbatsell • 6.11.14
• 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: j.mp/engagedj
ENGAGED JOURNALISM
(Columbia University Press, Feb. ‘15)

5. JEM 499 • @jbatsell • 10.7.14#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
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.

6. I found that news organizations are trying to
engage audiences in five main ways:
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

7. 1. Face-to-face engagement
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

8. 2. News as conversation
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

9. 3. Serving the ‘passionate vertical’
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

10. 4. Search, explore, play
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

11. 5. Measuring
and monetizing
the audience
relationship
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

12. The book, boiled down to a tweet:
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

13. How can embracing engaged journalism
help your career?
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
Meet
Karen
Workman.

14. Since I interviewed her
in August 2012:
• Promoted by Digital
First Media to Project
Thunderdome in NYC
• Now:
Social Strategy Editor
for The New York Times.
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
Her advice to her successor as The Oakland Press’ engagement editor:
“Don’t cheapen it. This is not all about pushing links out on social
media ... Really, it boils down to caring about our audience.”

15. Other young journalists who were promoted
since I interviewed them for the book:
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15

16. Audience engagement skills also are essential for
advertising, PR, content marketing …
#spjfwnow • @jbatsell • 2.21.15
@SM_Dallas
@smcfortworth

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