American Newspapers and the Internet: Threat or Opportunity? Erin Teeling, The Bivings Group September 28, 2007

The Situation The Problem: Newspapers losing audience The Solution: Learn how to build an engaged online audience “ATMM”

The Process: Step 1 Assess Your Audience –Where are they going? –What are they doing? –How can you keep them engaged?

The Process: Step 2 Take Inventory –How old is your platform? –What are you offering? –What type of communication avenues do you make available?

The Process: Step 3 Modernize Use Web 2.0 to revamp traffic and stickiness

Modernization Graphical Redesign

Modernization Tapping Your Crossover Audience

Complementing Print on the Web Databases of Information

Complementing Print on the Web Blogs

Complementing Print on the Web Comments

Complementing Print on the Web User- Generated Content

Complementing Print on the Web Flexibility of Content Alternative Content Views

Complementing Print on the Web Social Networking Allow users to connect with one another and their communities

Complementing Print on the Web Allow newspaper website to evolve beyond the print product Community Portal vs. online repository

The Process: Step 4 Monetize –Converting page views into dollars

Monetization RSS Feeds: A Missed Opportunity and Growing Trend

Monetization How valuable is your content? How unique is your content? What is its “expiration date?”

Monetization Advertising and Classifieds

The Remedy? There is no one-size fits all remedy for the newspaper industry. Each newspaper needs a unique plan. We are beyond the opportunity for “band- aid improvements”

Industry Status

The Facts Sites with more features, unique content, and better functionality to better than sites without these features.

Who’s Getting it Right? New York Times Washington Post USA Today Houston Chronicle Denver Post Knoxville News Sentinel Fresno Bee Austin American Statesman Tennessean San Jose Mercury News

Who’s Getting it Right?

Conclusion The Internet, while a direct competitor, holds many opportunities for newspaper websites Look for new and creative ways of doing things Identify actual competitors and learn from them