Ideas worth stealing: These strategies will help journalists earn news consumers' trust
Read the key findings, go deep on which strategies worked and search a database of almost 500 Facebook posts at TrustingNews.org.
MORENewsrooms tackling agriculture: Start with inventory and build
By Tim Schmitt, project manager, GateHouse Media
You're the editor of a small-town paper in a community covered by sprouting corn fields, or majestically wrapped in wind-blown wheat. You know agriculture plays an important part in shaping the economics of your region, but how do you get at the heart of it? Here are some tips.
MOREAiken Standard publishing free wedding, engagement announcements in 2017
Free wedding and engagement announcements will feature a standard-sized 2-column photo – which is about 3.5 inches wide and 5 inches deep – accompanied by a written description up to 500 words.
MOREHow to connect with your mobile audience: 5 lessons from 2016
By Jean Hodges, senior director of content, GateHouse Media
Due to the overwhelming number of readers accessing their news digitally, 2016 saw huge strides in the development of mobile news.
After a year of developing mobile audiences using tools that focused on providing them with more engaging content, more quickly, we've found five ways you can easily adapt to suit your own mobile audience.
MORE3 ways newspapers can better serve readers in a post-election world
By Jean Hodges, senior director of content, GateHouse Media
The election may be over, but that doesn't mean journalists can put their collective feet up and relax. With all the attention placed on the way the media covered the election, it's vitally important to learn from what we heard from readers and use it in our planning going forward.
GateHouse Media has a few ideas for how journalists and newsrooms can get to the heart of what matters most to their readers in this post-election world and write the stories that will have the most impact on the communities they serve.
MOREBuy an ad, get one free
The Sumter Item's new TV book sold out of advertising before its first issue, making Editor and Publisher Jack Osteen a believer in the concept.
"If you don't have it, and you don't already have a good TV product on the weekends, then it's worth doing," Osteen said.
MOREWhy great storytelling starts with visuals, planning
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune's recently published “What happened to Mason?” is a seven-part narrative by Chris Anderson on the mystery behind a missing solider. In addition to superb storytelling, the newsroom devoted a great deal of effort to the visuals.
Jennifer Borresen, the newspaper's projects visualization editor, explained the importance of telling stories visually in high-end projects and the lessons she learned from the creation process.
MOREIncrease newsletter engagement with A/B testing
For newsrooms, A/B testing can be a powerful tool for gaining insight into audiences to see how best to engage with readers.
Earlier this year, StarNews participated in A/B testing with the newsroom's Facebook account, testing which types of content struck more of a chord with followers. The staff was able to establish some important best posting practices. Read about them here!
MOREHere’s some trivia: What’s worth your while? Quizzes
You've got a whole checklist of things to do, so why carve time out of your busy schedule to post a quiz on your website? You might be surprised at the return on time investment.
MOREDatabases for education reporting and back-to-school coverage
Schoolhouse (reporting) rocks, because of the infinite amount of reporting to be done, but can also be a little overwhelming for the same reason. Here are some favorite databases for school data that all reporters ought to have in their arsenal.
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