This presentation discusses the merits of different platforms for breaking news. New York Times Senior Staff Editor Daniel Victor prepared it for the Norman, Oklahoma, NewsTrain on March 4, 2017; Halifax, Nova Scotia, NewsTrain on May 6-7, 2016; Lincoln, Nebraska, NewsTrain on April 9, 2016; and the Monroe, Louisiana, NewsTrain on Oct. 15-16, 2015. It is accompanied by a handout: "Mastering the Mobile-First, Multiplatform News Cycle for Breaking News." NewsTrain is a training initiative of Associated Press Media Editors (APME). More info: http://bit.ly/NewsTrain

1. Mastering the mobile-first,
multiplatform news cycle for
breaking news
@bydanielvictor

2. Let’s start with an exercise
You’re the day cops reporter. You hear a
“Signal 50” on the scanner, which you
know to mean shots are fired. And it’s
right by the elementary school!
GO.

3. What we’ll learn
- Strengths of each
platform
- Phone (app vs.
mobile web vs.
push alert)
- Tablet
- Website
- Twitter,
Facebook,
Snapchat. Oh
God, there are
so many!

4. What we’ll learn
- How to prioritize
- Then, we’ll do it!
Photo by Flickr user Charles Dyer

5. Why multiplatform news matters
We want to
reach as many
people as
possible. Doing
that requires
reaching them
where they are,
in the format
they expect.
72% mobile

6. Platform-agnostic?
Maybe we shouldn’t
be.
Each platform has its
own strengths and
weaknesses, and your
goal should be to
tailor your
presentation on each.

7. Phone: push alerts
You’re tapping someone on the
shoulder. That’s extremely
powerful, but it better be worth it.

8. Phone: mobile app
“If you are a small- or
medium-sized
publisher, don’t have a
news app. If you
already have one, shut
it down. Use your
resources to make your
mobile website better.”
- Priya Ganapati, who spent five years
working on a Wall Street Journal app

9. Phone: mobile web
This is where most of your readers
will land from Facebook and Twitter.
This cannot be an afterthought.
Look at your news outlet’s website
on your phone.

10. Tablet
Your lean-back
readers. Greet
them after a
long day at
work.
This is likely
automated.

11. Twitter
• People turn to it for breaking news and for a
distraction.
• Good for crowdsourcing, reactions and official
statements. Embed tweets in your article
pages.
• Be the pillar of strength (and reliability) in a
hurricane of uncertainty.

12. Facebook
• Less useful in rapidly
developing news; direct
them to your website
instead.
• Native videos are
increasing in popularity.
• Greatest potential for
massive traffic.

13. Instagram
Best for beauty/art, but
increasingly used for news.
Check out stories.

14. Pinterest People go here for aspiration and
inspiration, not breaking news.

15. Snapchat
First draft of
history. It’s OK if
it’s rough.
People expect
immediacy. Could
have someone
snapping from the
scene.

16. Periscope
Bring them somewhere
they can’t be. A tour of
the building, a view
from the stands, etc.
Very small audience,
though. Think of it as a
service to your Twitter
followers.

17. Facebook Live
Can get huge
audiences
Replays
available
Tips on best
practices:
bit.ly/facebklive

18. Your turn: how to use social media
A big pile-up has
shut down the main
highway into town.
How will you
approach this on
each social media
platform?

19. Your desktop home page
You might not
need a splashy
home-page
design. People
are more likely
to land on your
article page.

20. Article design: related links
If someone
arrives sideways,
will they know
you have more to
offer?
If your CMS can’t
do it, put links in
text.

21. Story formats
Don’t just write 800
words and be done with
it.
- Live blog, listicle,
Storify, explainer,
chunks, etc.

22. Video
It’s OK to be a little rough in
breaking news (if it shows
something important), then
polish it up for the “second-
day story,” (which shouldn’t
wait for the second day).

23. How newsrooms are reorganizing

24. Infrastructure you need
• Can reporters file from the field?
• Can photogs quickly send their photos and
videos? Then can someone quickly publish
them?
• Can your CMS embed tweets and Instagram
posts?

25. bit.ly/wnycbreak

26. Corrections
- Acknowledge
mistake
- Limit spread
- Threading
- Screenshot,
then delete

27. Let’s try this again.
You’re running the show, and the day
cops reporter says she just heard a
building collapsed downtown. There
might have been people inside.
GO.