The document discusses challenges with mobile news and proposes solutions. It argues that current mobile news apps take existing long-form articles and force them into smaller screens with less attention. Instead, it advocates atomizing stories into interconnected fact and media cards that are optimized for mobile. The document also discusses using push notifications and a follow feature to encourage ongoing engagement with developing news stories in real-time.

1. Hello!
• David Cohn
!
• twitter.com/digidave
• http://blog.digidave.org

2. Thesis
Technology Companies
are Media Companies
• And they know it.........

3. “Social Media” New Startups Mega-Giants

4. Media Companies
!
MUST BECOME
Technology Companies
• Problem: They don’t all know it......

5. There are
134,134,653,324 ideas
• We can experiment with networked
reporting, new editorial structures,
storytelling tools, data base journalism
and more.

6. Follow the news
Confidential November

7. The best mobile experiences are native
Social
Networking
Photo Sharing News
Before
Mobile
!
Complex
Time
wasting
Mobile
-First
!
Simplified
Time
Sensitive
Optimized

8. How we consume news
c. 1605-2008 c. Today
e.g. gap time while in line for coffee,
waiting at a subway stop, etc.

9. Current news apps take an existing format
and force it into a smaller screen where
readers also have a dramatically shorter
attention span
New York Times iPhone App

10. Q: WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH MOBILE NEWS?
A: Real estate
The smallest unit of measure: the article
All articles are long-form on a mobile
device

11. Q: WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH MOBILE NEWS?
A: Real estate Focus
The smallest unit of measure: the card
cf. Tweets, Facebook status updates, etc.
Mobile news needs atomization
Atomization needs context

12. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOBILE NEWS
Handwritten by editors, optimized
for mobile
Stories as collections of cards

13. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOBILE NEWS
Handwritten by editors, optimized
for mobile
Stories as collections of
interconnected cards
! “” ?

14. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOBILE NEWS
Handwritten by editors, optimized
for mobile
Stories as collections of
interconnected cards
As a story develops, we only write/
push what’s new
! “” ?

15. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOBILE NEWS
Handwritten by editors, optimized
for mobile
Stories as collections of
interconnected cards
As a story develops, we only write/
push what’s new
Our stories are long-form,
timeshifted
! “” ? “”

16. At Circa, we atomize not summarize
Atomization: To break
down a story into its core
elements – the facts,
stats, quotes, media, etc.
Summarization: To create a smaller
version of an existing piece, cutting
content to make for a quicker read

17. Breaking news
Push notifications as news breaks
but instead of coming to a dead end
with no article, encourage readers to
follow stories to receive updates in
real time
Have seen nearly 50% conversion
rate (following) during breaking news
events, building a highly engaged
audience in moments
Circa's follow feature coupled with
breaking news puts us in a class all
our own during big events — one
that is extremely difficult to replicate

18. http://sxsw.com/interactive/accelerator
2015 SXSW Accelerator:
Entry Deadline Is Friday, November 7, 2014

19. Goodbye!
• David Cohn
!
• twitter.com/digidave
• http://blog.digidave.org