We've just released a new report from The Digital Edge called "Newspapers as Networks: Redesigning Around Social Media."
Here's an excerpt:
Jumping from a typical newspaper Web presence to the Facebook-driven, Web 2.0-fueled social media craze takes just one click.
At least that’s the case in Racine, Wis., where prominent links on the Journal Times’ homepage send users to user-contributed material such as an October photo of a pitifully bandaged puppy. “This is what my poor Casanova looks like after $1,300 of surgery,” reads the accompanying blog entry from a newspaper reader. Another click took you to the author’s profile page, featuring photos of a middle-aged widow who splits her time between Racine and Florida, plus thumbnails of nearly a dozen of her online “friends,” who go by such monikers as “LizardMom” and “GrayKitty.”
A growing number of newspapers are dabbling in this highly personal space, allowing users to create blogs, post photos or news items, and even create profile pages packed with the same sorts of widgets and friend lists you can find on MySpace or Facebook. On sites like Racine’s JournalTimes.com and USAToday.com, user comments share top homepage billing with news content. As newspaper Web sites begin adding social networking features, publishers are taking more than a passing interest in sites like Facebook.
Mark Toner, who regularly contributes to PRESSTIME magazine for NAA, wrote the report. Digital Media Federation members can download the full report as a pdf.
Coming later this week from The Digital Edge:
Campaigning for Ads
How Newspaper Web Sites Can Increase Political Advertising Revenue
"Political spending online may double or triple with each coming election cycle. But some analysts are unsure whether newspapers are doing enough to sell their Web sites as potential places for candidates to advertise," Paul Berger wrote in this new report from The Digital Edge. The report gives insight from newspaper executives and political analysts on how to maximize political campaign spending on newspaper Web sites.
And, we'll announce the finalists for the 2008 Digital Edge Awards!