How to Fight Back When Facebook and Google Beat You on Your Home Turf
Norwegian newspapers took back ownership of grassroots content by exploiting social media in ways that turned both the local community and the newspaper into winners. What can US newspaper learn from their success? Grassroots news touches the reader where her heart beats the strongest. Today’s dwindling newsroom can’t cover more than a fraction of what’s going on in this domain, adding momentum to a downward spiral that shifts local hearts and wallets away from the newspaper. This trend can be stopped, and Norwegian initiatives show how: In Harstad, a Norwegian city with 50.000 inhabitants, more than 100 volunteer organizations has re-connected with the local newspaper through a service that provides distribution, new revenues and a way to secure the newspaper’s role as community hub. Thousands of articles are created in the system, providing the newspaper with an extra listening post to what's going on in the community. Some of these articles deserve a broader audience and are re-published on the newspaper’s own CMS. Learn how Scandinavian newspapers work to reclaim local grassroots content and use local personalization tools to connect readers with content and information they find relevant and important. Why is this important? — because this content now lives on a platform controlled by YOUR newspaper. The newspaper is free to reuse text and photos in its own editorial product. It is important because the newspaper reconnects with the local community and gives back something of great value; visibility outside the narrow group of Facebook followers, an enhanced sense of belonging to a community, and new, digital revenues. It helps your newspaper reestablish a relationship with community leaders and, importantly, provides content favored by young readers.
Norwegian newspapers took back ownership of grassroots content by exploiting social media in ways that turned both the local community and the newspaper into winners. What can US newspaper learn from their success? Grassroots news touches the reader where her heart beats the strongest. Today’s dwindling newsroom can’t cover more than a fraction of what’s going on in this domain, adding momentum to a downward spiral that shifts local hearts and wallets away from the newspaper. This trend can be stopped, and Norwegian initiatives show how: In Harstad, a Norwegian city with 50.000 inhabitants, more than 100 volunteer organizations has re-connected with the local newspaper through a service that provides distribution, new revenues and a way to secure the newspaper’s role as community hub. Thousands of articles are created in the system, providing the newspaper with an extra listening post to what's going on in the community. Some of these articles deserve a broader audience and are re-published on the newspaper’s own CMS. Learn how Scandinavian newspapers work to reclaim local grassroots content and use local personalization tools to connect readers with content and information they find relevant and important. Why is this important? — because this content now lives on a platform controlled by YOUR newspaper. The newspaper is free to reuse text and photos in its own editorial product. It is important because the newspaper reconnects with the local community and gives back something of great value; visibility outside the narrow group of Facebook followers, an enhanced sense of belonging to a community, and new, digital revenues. It helps your newspaper reestablish a relationship with community leaders and, importantly, provides content favored by young readers.
Speaker: Nils Borhaug
Nils Borhaug has been part of the Norwegian media landscape for 20 years, always focusing on digital and mobile
Nils Borhaug has been part of the Norwegian media landscape for 20 years, always focusing on digital and mobile
How are Unconference pitches selected:
- Registered ONA18 attendees pitch ideas throughout the summer
- ONA18 attendees vote on Thursday and Friday of the conference for topics they feel should be added to the schedule
- Successful submitters present on Saturday