CONVERGING WITH THE FORMER AUDIENCE:

Camille Kraeplin, associate professorJake Batsell, assistant professorDivision of JournalismSouthern Methodist University, Dallas@jbatsell

Cross-platform partnerships slip as newsrooms focus on collaborating

with the public

STUDY BACKGROUND• Longitudinal study of media “convergence” and how the term and its practices have evolved over the past decade. • Surveyed newspaper and TV managers in top 200 U.S. media markets in 2002-03 (Phase 1); 2004-05 (Phase 2); 2011 (Phase 3)

CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTION

• To what extent has convergence journalism taken hold in U.S. newsrooms over the past decade, and to what extent have these cross-platform partnerships endured?

METHODOLOGY

• E-mail surveys• Reminder e-mails• Follow-up phone calls• Six-month survey window

NEWSPAPER SAMPLE

• During eight-year time frame, sampled newspapers changed to reflect a more diverse cross-section of circulation sizes • Fewer newspapers responded in 2011, but Phase 3 sample closely mirrored Phase 2

Circulation 2002-03 (N=69) 2004-05 (N=105) 2011 (N=34)

Under 10,000 0% 2% 5.9%

10,000-24,999 5.9% 9% 8.8%

25,000-74,999 45.6% 43% 38.2%

75,000-149,999 44.1% 20% 26.5%

150,000 and above 4.4% 26% 20.6%

100% 100% 100%

TV SAMPLE

• Phase 3 sample differed dramatically from two earlier samples – majority of responses from small markets • In follow-up calls, numerous large and mid-size stations cited “no survey” policies as well as being too busy.

• Overall response rate was 16 percent -- which, alas, is consistent with other recent national journalism surveys.

Market Rank 2002-03 (N=51) 2004-05 (N=92) 2011 (N=30)

1-50 37.3% 38% 21%

51-100 29.4% 30% 8%

101 and above 33.3% 32% 71%

CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTION

• To what extent has convergence journalism taken hold in U.S. newsrooms over the past decade, and to what extent have these cross-platform partnerships endured?

RESULTS:TV-Newspaper partnerships

• Platform-specific partnerships have become less relevant and are falling out of favor.

•“Our partnership has dwindled in recent years. Now, the TV station runs our headlines and we run their weather. Not too exciting.”

•Instead, newsrooms increasingly are accepting the public as their convergence partner.

Newspapers withTV partnerships

TV Stations with newspaper partnerships

Phase 1 70% 41%

Phase 2 67% 56%

Phase 3 41% 20%

RESULTS: From convergence (2004-05) to “Webvergence” (2011)How journalists contribute to websites

Phase 2: Newspaper

Phase 3: Newspaper

Phase 2:TV

Phase 3:TV

Write exclusive Web stories 29% 41% 20% 33%

Provide versions ofstories/scripts for Web

80% 74% 69% 87%

Update breaking news on Web 70% 85% 43% 83%

Use social media to break news NA 53% NA 67%

Promote/share stories via social NA 74% NA 80%

Regular blogging on events NA 50% NA 13%

Live blogging or regular chats NA 35% NA 10%

Contribute photos to Web NA 44% NA 43%

Shoot video for Web NA 18% NA 67%

Edit video for web NA 9% NA 73%

Provide additional Web content NA 50% NA 67%

‘WEBVERGENCE’ IN 2011• Multimedia (both staff-generated and user-generated)

• News as conversation (blogs, comments, live chats, etc.)

• Engaging via social media

RESULTS: Converging with the former audience

• “We’re engaging the audience first in new media and pulling them into TV.”

• “Everything has changed. We now have direct and instant communication with viewers for story ideas, updates, opinions.”

• “We now have a conversation with viewers. We’re not just pushing content on them … we use some of the content they send in.”

RESULTS: Converging with the former audience

• “We know exactly what digital readers want, but are still guessing, to some degree, about what the print readers want. Digital has allowed us to engage readers more intimately and emotionally.”

• “We’ve switched to being more of a peer with our readers than the traditional ‘voice of God.’”

• “Readers now have greater access to news professionals and content but have no greater understanding of the news mission, skills or ethical guidelines.”

• “Web and social media turned our world upside down and made it better.”

RESULTS: What journalism skills are important with new hires?

Newspaper Phase 1

Newspaper Phase 2

Newspaper Phase 3

TVPhase 1

TVPhase 2

TVPhase 3

Writing / reporting

98.6% 99% 100% 100% 96% 100%

News judgment

98.6% 99% 94% 100% 98% 90%

Liberal arts background

92.8% 84% 24% 92% 61% 33%

Ability to write across mediums

59.4% 67% 65% 80% 65% 95%

Social networking/reader engagement

NA NA 73% NA NA 70%

Thanks!

jbatsell@smu.eduTwitter: @jbatsell