Content-Sharing at Tribune Newspapers

1
Content-Sharing at Tribune Newspapers

• An overview of group editorial initiatives since
  the Times Mirror merger in 2000

Gerould W. Kern Editorial Director Tribune
Publishing Company
2
Where We Began
mar
00

• March 2000
• Tribune merges with
• Times Mirror

01
02
3
Where We Began
4
Where We Began
mar
00
March 2000

• Shared editorial content constituted relatively
  small portion of the stories published at each
  company
• Some tradition of sharing
• No systematic means to communicate

01
02
5
Where We Began
mar
00
October - November 2000

• Joint national special sections helped build
  bridges between newspapers

01
02
6
Where We Began
7
Building A Network

• Editorial goals for content exchange
• Improve journalism by increasing choice
• Maximize value of resources, expertise
• Forge a new culture in publishing group
• Find operational efficiencies

8
Building A Network

• Creating a content market
• Remove the barriers to communication
• Establish a commerce based on value
• Permit resource reallocation where possible
• Diversify and differentiate news report

9
Building A Network
mar
00
Subject groups organized for exchanging content

• SUBJECT GROUPS
• Business
• Food
• Graphics
• Health
• Travel
• Photo

• METHODS
• Conference calls
• Experts directories
• Exchanging budgets
• E-mail alerts
• In-person meetings

01
apr
02
10
Family Wire Channel
Central server In Chicago
Story in Orlando
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Family Wire Channel
Central server In Chicago
12
Building A Network
mar
00
oct
nov
01
apr
aug
sept 11
02
13
Building A Network
mar
00
September 11, 2001
oct
nov
01
apr
aug
sept 11
02
14
Building A Network
mar
00
U.S. wages war in Afghanistan
oct
nov
01
apr
aug
sept 11
02
15
Building A Network
Central server In Chicago
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Building A Network
mar
00
December 2001
oct
nov
01

• Partnership formed to create intranet site
• for exchanging content
• TIs Shared News Service plays key role

apr
aug
sept 11
oct
nov
dec
02
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Building A Network

• Partnership benefits everyone
• Web sites updated earlier with Tribune-branded
  content

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Building A Network

• Partnership benefits everyone
• Newspapers get better access to more content

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Building A Network

• Partnership benefits everyone
• Tribune newspaper content distributed to
  broadcast units

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Building A Network
Joint projects
OLYMPICS
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Building A Network
Joint projects
PUERTO RICO
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tribunetoday.trb
June 2002 Editorial Intranet Site Launched
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tribunetoday.trb

• Intranet site increases flow of ideas, stories,
  photos and graphics between our newspapers and
  web sites
• Functions as an owner-operated news service

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tribunetoday.trb

• A complete publishing platform
• Roadmap to Tribune news reports
• Planning and communications tool

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tribunetoday.trb

• Posted behind firewall
• Site cannot be reached from outside
• Access restricted to key editorial groups

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tribunetoday.trb
E-mail alerts sent when site is updated

• D.C. Daybook 10 am EST
• World/Nation 330 pm EST 630 pm EST
• Sports 330 pm EST 6 pm EST
• Business 330 pm EST later as needed
• Entertainment Friday by 1 pm EST
• Travel Monday, 1 pm EST
• Food Wednesday, 1 pm EST

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September 11, 2001
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Now...
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World/Nation
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D.C. Daybook
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Business
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Sports
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Entertainment
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Movie Reviews
35
Travel
36
Food
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Photos/Graphics
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Special Projects
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Obituaries
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Newsroom Contacts
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tribunetoday.trb
mar
00
September 2002

• Intranet family wire launched

oct
nov
01
apr
aug
sept
oct
nov
dec
02
jan
feb
jun
42
tribunetoday.trb
September 2002
Click on link and call up story
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tribunetoday.trb
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1999-2002Growth in Content-Sharing

• Some key findings from an analysis of Tribune
  newspapers use of collective editorial resources

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Usage study

• Patterns of content-sharing at Tribune papers
  since 1999 were studied
• About 335,000 newspaper articles were searched in
  dozens of categories
• Use of all outside sources--AP, Reuters, New York
  Times, etc.

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Use of Tribune Family Content Doubles Since the
Merger
Total number of shared stories among Tribune
newspapers, 1999-2002
14,069
10,962
7,004
6,522
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Use of Tribune Family Content Doubles Since the
Merger
Total number of shared stories among Tribune
newspapers, 1999-2002
14,069
101 Increase in shared stories since 2000
10,962
7,004
6,522
1999
2000
2001
2002 Projected
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Content-Sharing Surged in 01-02 with Improved
Organization
Annual percentage growth since 2000
28
101
56.5
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Content-Sharing Surged in 01-02 with Improved
Organization
Strong growth continues over 2001 performance
28.3 Projected increase in shared stores in
2002 over 2001
28
101
56.5
2000
2001
2001
2002 projected
2000
2002 projected
50
Tribune Content Increases as Share of Outside
News Sources
Growth of Tribune family stories published across
group compared to all outside news sources from
1999-2002 Use of Tribune content now second only
to Associated Press
11.8
11.7
19
23.7
1999
2000
2001
2002 projected
51
Tribune Content Increases as Share of Outside
News Sources
Growth of Tribune family stories published across
group compared to all outside news sources from
1999-2002
23.7 Family content share of all outside news
sources used by Tribune newspapers in 2002
11.8
11.7
19
23.7
1999
2000
2001
2002
Tribune family content, 350 words or longer
Other news sources
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tribunetoday.trb Contributes to Growth in
Content-sharing
37.4. Increase in shared stories year-over-year
from June 3 to Sept. 3
12.8 Increase in shared stories from June 3 to
Sept. 3 compared to previous three months
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The Next Wave

• How we can make more progress in the future

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The Next Wave

• Increased access to content across network
  enables us to use staff in smarter ways
• Papers can differentiate by expertise
• News reports can be diversified
• Resources can be redeployed

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The Next Wave

• Savings can be achieved through
• Re-examining use of some wire services
• Reducing use of some syndicated, free lance
  content
• Engaging in more joint coverage where it makes
  sense to do so

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Goals for Next Wave

• Formalize leadership of subject groups
• Set specific goals to be achieved
• Establish accountability for reaching goals
• Washington, features, business key areas

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Goals for Next Wave

• Organize more galleries on intranet site
• Photos, graphics
• Health, science, medicine
• Sunday enterprise
• Business categories
• Features categories
• Spanish language content

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Goals for Next Wave

• Provide night and weekend coverage with
  tribunetoday.trb
• Increase the usefulness of the site as a
  content-sharing channel
• Enhanced visibility, access to Tribune content
  boosts its use across the group

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tribunetoday.trb
Project committee

• DIRECTORSTribune Publishing Gerould W. Kern,
  Editorial DirectorTribune Interactive Scott
  Anderson, Director of Shared Content
• NEWSROOM REPRESENTATIVESAllentown Morning Call
  David Erdman, Managing EditorBaltimore Sun
  Paul Moore, Deputy Managing EditorChicago
  Tribune Mark Hinojosa, AME/Electronic
  NewsHartford Courant Bernie Davidow,
  AME/NewsLos Angeles Times Joe Russin,
  AME/MultimediaNewport News Daily Press Dan
  Montgomery, Special Projects EditorNewsday
  Rich Galant, Deputy Managing EditorOrlando
  Sentinel Ann Hellmuth, AME/Foreign-NationalSCNI
  Bruce Hunter, Managing Editor, Greenwich
  TimeSouth Florida Sun-Sentinel Philip Ward,
  Deputy Managing EditorShared News Service Paul
  Muth, EditorTribune Publishing John Cherwa,
  sports coordinator

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tribunetoday.com

• Direct questions and comments to

GEROULD W. KERN Editorial Director,
TP 312-222-4420 gkern_at_tribune.com
SCOTT ANDERSONDirector/Shared Content,
TI 312-222-5958 sbanderson_at_tribune.com
61
tribunetoday.com

• Acknowledgment for their support in developing
  this project