Sduros Blog | Knight Digital Media Center

Leadership and culture are linchpins of digital transformation in the newsroom

Community News Leadership 3.0

Tue, May 5, 2015 | 10:00 p.m. PDT

Turning print newsrooms into multiplatform news providers takes more than new skills, although those are important. It takes significant culture change; both leaders and staff must shift how they approach their roles.

Ways to track the success of your online content

News for Digital Innovators

Mon, May 4, 2015 | 11:13 p.m. PDT

by Nancy Yoshihara

There is more to measuring the reach of your content than just monitoring the number of website visits or likes on social media, according to Jade Furubayashi, social media manager at Simply Measured. She outlined five ways to track content in an interview with Bridget Quigg, a blogger at the social analytics solutions company.

Public Lab’s DIY science plugs community into civic decisionmaking

Community News Leadership 3.0

Tue, April 28, 2015 | 1:32 p.m. PDT

by Sally Duros

Through low-cost tools, Public Lab injects community knowledge into civic decision-making about local environmental issues. This community engagement also alleviates media blackouts and information shortfalls that can occur after a major environmental event.

CUNY: Deadline near for entrepreneur program; new innovation grants available

News for Digital Innovators

Mon, April 27, 2015 | 12:26 p.m. PDT

by Nancy Yoshihara

If your journalism passion is to turn a beat, topic, cause or community into a business, you have until May 1 to submit an application to the tuition-free, Beat Business training program this summer at the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

Drones for community coverage: Comments on new FAA rules close Friday

Community News Leadership 3.0

Wed, April 22, 2015 | 9:04 a.m. PDT

by Amy Gahran

Could aerial imagery or data enhance how your community envisions or understands itself? Flying drones (unmanned aircraft) offer unique potential for community engagement. Except: it isn't strictly legal in the U.S. Yet. This Friday, April 24, marks the end of the comment period for proposed rules by the Federal Aviation Administration which would considerably ease current restrictions on how journalists and others can use drones.

Audience engagement projects receive INNovation Fund grants

News for Digital Innovators

Mon, April 20, 2015 | 10:00 p.m. PDT

by Nancy Yoshihara

Eight newsroom projects all aimed at engaging and growing audiences have been awarded funding from the Institute for Nonprofit News. The INNovation Fund awards total $223,810.

Texting for community engagement: Groundsource expands to public beta

Community News Leadership 3.0

Wed, April 15, 2015 | 11:31 a.m. PDT

by Amy Gahran

Listening to what people are saying, amplifying their voices, leveraging their insight and experience, and encouraging them to talk to each other are probably the most important (and most challenging) aspects of community engagement -- especially in low-income and otherwise marginalized communities. The creator of the engagement platform Groundsource has learned much about streamlining and supporting these key engagement activities.

Newsroom experiment with Meerkat shows potential for journalists

News for Digital Innovators

Mon, April 13, 2015 | 10:00 p.m. PDT

by Nancy Yoshihara

Joy Mayer, associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and the director of community outreach at the Columbia Missourian, recently experimented with Meerkat (one of two new live-streaming apps) in her newsroom. Her observations and lessons learned could be helpful to any newsgatherer interested in live-streaming.