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Designing the next phase

for newsroom technologists

Brittany Renee Mayes, Washington Post

Tyler Fisher, News Catalyst

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Hi! Let’s design the future.

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This session will be captioned live!

  • When speaking to the group, please identify yourself.
  • If you want something you say to be off the record, please say so.

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We’re all here to help journalism get better.

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For journalism to succeed...

  1. Newsroom technologists must have real power in their organizations.
  2. Experimentation and product development must be central to how an organization operates.
  3. News organizations must represent and be radically inclusive of their communities.
  4. Cultivating positive culture and interpersonal relationships is key to developing sustainable newsrooms.

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Where are we now?

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“The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.”

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Large group discussion

  • Have you seen these succeed?
  • Are these the wrong goals?
  • Are these feasible in the next X years?
  • What roadblocks do you see to achieving them?

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1

Newsroom technologists must have real power in their organizations.

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a

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2

Experimentation and product development must be central to how an organization operates.

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3

News organizations must represent and be radically inclusive of their communities.

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A selection of City Bureau headlines

  • What You Can Do to Prevent a Census Undercount in Illinois
  • Chicago’s Board of Education Just Changed How Its Meetings Will Be Run
  • There’s Still No Accountability for Police in Public Schools. Here’s How You Can Weigh In
  • Welcome to Our User Guide to Local Government
  • Your Power in City Government Depends on These Lori Lightfoot Appointees

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4

Cultivating positive culture and interpersonal relationships is key to developing sustainable newsrooms.

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A healthy workplace cultivates...

  • More open lines of communication
  • Better collaboration opportunities
  • Stronger storytelling capabilities
  • Higher retention rates
  • A culture of respect and understanding

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How can newsroom technologists help journalism succeed?

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Think about your goals in three categories:

  1. Individual goals
  2. Organizational goals
  3. Industry goals

15 min.

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Report back

8 min.

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Pick one high-level goal

What can we do now on an individual, organization and industry level?

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15 min.

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Report back

8 min.

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Thank you!