Planning DigitalEnterprise Stories

Steve ButtrySociety of Professional Journalists

Sept. 5, 2014

Slides, links & more• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• stephenbuttry@gmail.com

Think digital from the first• Not a “Sunday story” (though it may run

Sunday in print)• Not sweeps week (though broadcast

version may air then)• What is best time & day for digital

audience?• How do you tell for digital audience?

Digital planning questions• What are visual opportunities?• Data opportunities?• Crowdsourcing opportunities?• Mobile/tablet opportunities?• Engagement opportunities?• Social media opportunities?• Interactive opportunities?

Visual opportunities• Photos (staff, public, archives)• Videos• Maps• Graphics• Multiple tools• Consider audio, too

Video questions• Should reporter shoot?• Should visual journalist shoot? Or both?• Should you seek videos from public?• Historical video? (Yours or obtained)?• Search YouTube, other social media for

curated videos?• Does video support text or vice versa?

Photo questions• Should reporter shoot?• Should visual journalist shoot? Or both?• Should you seek photos from public?• Historical photos? (Yours or obtained)?• Search Instagram, Flickr, other social

media for curated photos?• Does photo support text or vice versa?

Data questions• Is public-record data available?• Is 3rd-party data available?• Do you need to gather/input data?• Can you present interactive database?• Structured archival content?• Database structure for continuing

coverage (PolitiFact, Homicide Watch)?

Crowdsourcing questions• Who knows what you need to learn?• General pitch (web, social media, print,

broadcast)?• Targeted pitch (Facebook groups, pages)?• Crowdsource before or after publication?

Or both?

Traditional process

Graphic by Meg Pickard

Crowdsourcing process

Graphic by Meg Pickard

Mobile/tablet questions• How will story look in mobile/tablet?• What is likely mobile/tablet use?• Should you develop an app?• Should you engage the mobile audience?• Instructions, encouragement for

mobile/tablet use?

Engagement questions• Review crowdsourcing questions• Is the community already discussing?

Should chat and/or curation be part of the project?

• Will project stimulate discussion? Should you plan chat and/or curation after publication?

Engagement questions• Might your project inspire action by

some in the community?• Do you provide how-to-respond info

(links, phone numbers, locations)?• Poll (scientific or not) before or after

publication?

Social media questions• Do you need hashtag, special account for

your project?• How should you curate/join/lead social

media discussion before & after?• Should you create Facebook page/group

for project?• How can you target promotion?

Interactive questions?• How do words, visuals best interact in

this story?• Let reader direct, rather than linear

story?• Map or photo as storytelling base?• Timeline?• What’s best tool?

Interactive story tools• Storify• Thinglink• NewHive• Prezi• Creatavist• Collaborate with hacker• Learn coding yourself

Slides, links & more• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• stephenbuttry@gmail.com