Feb - Local Media Association

Transcription

WWW.LOCALMEDIA.ORG ● ● ● ● ● ● INNOVATE | EDUCATE | INSPIRE
Meet the faculty
The faculty consists of some of the
brightest digital minds in North America and
Europe representing a wide range of media
companies. All are having great success
when it comes to growing digital revenue
albeit in a number of different ways.
Digital Revenue
Summit announced
T
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Local Media Association
PO Box 450
Lake City, MI 49651-0450
PRSRT STD
US Postage
PAID
Sound Publishing
98204
is partnering with The
Blinder Group to present
the Digital Revenue Summit, an event completely
focused on helping local
media companies set and
execute aggressive strategies for digital revenue
growth. This edgy, fast
paced program will run
May 4-5 at the University
of Chicago Booth School of
Business Gleacher Center
in Chicago.
Over the course of
the productive two-day
gathering, attendees will
learn the most relevant and
emerging digital revenue
practices of the day. LMA
President Nancy Lane and
The Blinder Group President Mike Blinder have
personally spearheaded
the agenda planning and
have assembled a team of
top-notch faculty members
to share expertise and
intelligence on the leading
revenue generating digital
initiatives. The program
will showcase actionable,
take to market ideas and
strategies that can be
implemented quickly with
existing resources.
"What we try to do at
this conference is to laser
focus on how to make
money today, with the
media assets that are available today,” says Blinder.
“Each session is designed
around revenue growth
and each attendee will
develop actionable ideas
and takeaways they can
use right away in their own
market”
What you can expect
The Digital Revenue
Summit will feature a
faculty led program digging
deeply into the various
components of a hard-hitting digital marketing strategy. Energized thinking,
specific intelligence and
‘how to’ advice throughout
this interactive program
will cover hot topics like:
n Native/content
marketing
n Mobile
n Video
n Digital agencies
n I ntegration with
core products
n Audio
n Programmatic
n E-commerce
n Sales & structure
n Audience extension
ecruitment &
nR
retention
ase studies, success
nC
stories, lessons learned
and growth plans for
2016 and beyond.
The faculty will convey
practical and useful
insights on the goals
they are setting in these
arenas, how they will be
accomplished, where they
will invest, how they will
staff new initiatives, what
R&D partners they use and
projected ROI’s.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Georg Burtscher
Managing Director, Marketing & Sales/
Russmedia Digital (Austria) There is no doubt that Europe is
ahead of North America when it comes
to monetizing mobile and Burtscher
Georg Burtscher will share how his company is achieving 25% of digital revenue coming from
mobile.
He’ll also bring solid expertise on content marketing/native, agency and e-commerce on digital priorities for the next 18 months.
Jeff Folckemer
Completely focused on helping local media companies set
and execute aggressive strategies for digital revenue growth
he year 2016 will
see digital revenue skyrocket
to close to 40% of local ad
spend and if there’s ever
a time to double down on
your efforts in this space, it
is now. To that end, LMA
t
FEBRUARY 2016 ● ● ● ● ● ●
Today
»
President of Affiliate Relations &
Technology, LocalEdge/SVP Hearst
Newspapers
LocalEdge is Hearst’s local digital
marketing services and digital and print
Jeff Folckermer directories company and as president,
Folckemer is leading the growth of the
local digital marketing products and services initiatives. He’s got a lot of experience and wisdom about
digital agencies and he’s bringing it to Chicago for this
summit. What are the hottest products and services
to focus on? Is this a profitable business model long
term? Moreover, for those that don’t have an agency,
is it worth starting one?
Todd Handy
VP Publisher Development, Tout and
Former Senior Executive, Deseret Digital
Media
Handy was recently hired away
from his top position at Deseret Digital
Todd Handy
Media to lead publisher development
for Tout. He brings expertise in native advertising,
programmatic, e-commerce, sales structure and of
course, video. In his new role with Tout, he is working with hundreds of media companies to create and
monetize video in a number of different ways. He’ll
bring his huge bundle of knowledge to Chicago!
Samantha Johnston
General Manager, The Aspen Times/
Swift Newspapers
Johnston is one of the industry’s
most progressive leaders on the operational side and has significantly led
Samantha
both print and digital revenue growth
Johnston
during her tenure in Aspen. A huge
part of her strategy is a commitment
to digital growth and she’ll share intelligence about
her sales approach, their investment in a major video
strategy, changes in culture and more.
Tim Murphy
VP Digital Strategy & Enterprise
Platforms, Entercom Communications
In his work at Entercom, one of the
most progressive radio companies in
North America, Murphy is charged with
Tim Murphy
deepening Entercom’s engagement
between its fans and its brands through
web, mobile, social, and digital platforms. He’s bringing his deep expertise in promotions, email marketing, audio and much more to Chicago.
2 | LOCAL MEDIA TODAY | February 2016
Q & A with...
Our credo is Innovate, Educate, Inspire. LMA
provides leadership for its members and support
for their endeavors including their pursuits
of digital innovation and transformation,
journalistic excellence, sales and marketing
expertise, audience development, communitycentric initiatives and leadership values through
the ongoing development and dissemination of
powerful, innovative and valuable resources.
LMA Headquarters:
P.O. Box 450
Lake City, MI 49651-0450
888-486-2466;
email: [email protected]
www.localmedia.org
LMA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board / SNI Vice Chairman
/ LMF Treasurer
Gordon Borrell | Borrell Associates
First Vice Chairwoman/SNI Treasurer
Suzanne Schlicht | The World Company
Second Vice Chairman
Matt Coen | Second Street, Inc.
Treasurer
Mark Poss | Big Fish Works
Secretary
Robert Brown | Swift Communications
Immediate Past LMA Chairman/
Current SNI Chairman
Clifford Richner | Richner Communication, Inc.
Directors:
Myra Cortado | Calkins Media
Chris Edwards | The Gazette Company
Christian Hendricks | The McClatchy Company
Eric Johnston | Pioneer News Group
Kevin Kampman | Winston-Salem Journal
Terry Kukle | Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Chris Lee | Deseret Digital Media
Peter Newton | Gatehouse Media
Kerry Oslund | Schurz Communications
Steven Pope | AZ Local Media
J. Tom Shaw | Shaw Media
LMA STAFF
President
Nancy Lane
312-631-3270 | [email protected]
Vice President of Operations
Al Cupo
Sales & Marketing Director
Peter Conti
Classified Avenue Director of Sales
Deanna Lewis
Sales & Marketing Manager
Lindsey Leisher Estes
Training & Development Director
Amie Stein
901.361.3642 | [email protected]
Local Media Today Editor
Deb Shaw
Accounting & Finance Director
888-486-2466 |Janice Norman
Technology Directory
888-486-2466 | Abdul Khan
Local Media Today is printed courtesy of
Sound Publishing, Inc., the largest community news organization in the state of
Washington.
The digital edition of Local Media Today is
published courtesy of Realview, a leading
provider of stunning online and mobile
publishing solutions. More about them at
realviewdigital.com.
“
Selling digital solutions to small-medium businesses,
efficiently and at scale, is a puzzle that no one has really solved.
Tons have tried. But no one has really nailed it. And yet venture
capital continues to pour into the space. Why? It’s a massive
opportunity, and those that ultimately win in the space will be
important, game-changing companies.
Local Media Today is published in print and
digitally by the Local Media Association. LMA
is a thriving and innovative association that
serves local media companies (newspapers, TV,
radio, directories, pure plays, and more) as well
as several hundred research & development
partners in the industry. LMA assists local media
companies with the digital transition via cuttingedge programs, conferences, webinars, research
and training.
“
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
Jed Williams
Vice President, Business Development and Strategy, Vendasta
Director, Local Media Foundation Board
(306) 955-5512
The startup
perspective
Q
I want to draw on the interesting perspective you have from
your varied work experience so please, enlighten us about it.
Tell us about your career path so far.
A
Well, to start, I’m a media lifer. In the early days I was a high
school newspaper editor and aspiring broadcaster calling
varsity basketball games in musty gyms! The first chapter of my
career was spent on the content side, as a radio and TV broadcaster…which now seems like a galaxy far, far away.
But I’ve always been fascinated by media’s plight to transform,
so I transitioned into business strategy. I began this chapter at BIA/
Kelsey – a media/advertising research firm and consultancy –ultimately becoming a senior analyst and leading the firm’s strategic
consulting practice. It was a great gig that enabled me to work on a
variety of challenges with a wide array of companies (media, startups, agencies, etc.)
I’ve since led business development and partnerships for two
startups: Main Street Hub, and now Vendasta. Funny thing is: I’ve
never actually worked for a media company. But I’ve worked in and
around so many of them in many ways different ways, which gives
me a different perspective.
Q
What are your biggest takeaways from your time at Main
Street Hub, a well-funded digital start up?
A
There are many. I think the biggest is: succeeding in local is
hard. Selling digital solutions to small-medium businesses,
efficiently and at scale, is a puzzle that no one has really solved. Tons
have tried. But no one has really nailed it. And yet venture capital
continues to pour into the space. Why? It’s a massive opportunity,
and those that ultimately win in the space will be important,
game-changing companies.
The challenges for SMBs are multiplying. More technologies,
more people selling to them, more fragmentation of their customer
base, and less time. This requires smarter sales forces than ever, but
also a necessary level of hand-holding. Sure, some may self-serve,
but most need help. Main Street Hub is all-in on the do-it-for-me
service model and wants to be the firm that cracks the local sales
code. But I ask, why can’t it be local media companies?
Q
Your work at Main Street Hub exposed you to many digital
disruptors. What lessons/best practices are common at
these companies? And can you talk about how these lessons can
translate for use at local media companies?
A
My biggest takeaway: obsessive focus on the mission/vision and
the specific problems you’re solving. Obviously there aren’t the
same legacy dependencies and considerations that local media companies are saddled with. But generally, successful disruptors don’t confuse
purpose with outcomes. Instead of saying “we want to diversify our
revenue streams” or “double our top-line,” they ask “what core problems
are we trying to solve?” “Why are those important?” “What is our unique
opportunity?” And then, “what is the economic engine?” And then they
tie this to very specific KPIs and hold themselves ruthlessly accountable to
these.
That’s why it’s so important for local media to make prudent and
grounded bets on digital growth. It’s neither about the sheer quantity of
experiments, or setting a revenue goal and working backwards. It’s about
solving problems that can only be identified by continuously listening to
customers and using that as the engine for experimentation.
Q
Why do you think it is so hard for media companies to create
cultures of disruption and innovation? A
First, obviously, because for the longest time they didn’t have to.
It was never a core competency. In fact, if you read “The Master
Switch” by Tim Wu, he’ll tell you in wasn’t in their best interests. But
creative destruction has happened so dramatically that to survive,
sustain, and grow, media companies weren’t left with any alternative.
But it’s not a switch that suddenly gets flicked on.
And then, there’s this fixation with buzz words like “disruption” and
“innovation” without a clear understanding of what these are. It’s sort
of like what I was touching on above. Rather than trying to figure out
how to disrupt ourselves – whatever that means – or innovate new stuff,
why don’t we step back and develop processes for fingerprinting real
problems that need solving.
Also, if you think about the literal definition of innovation, it’s very
different than invention. Why did media companies not invent Craigslist
or AutoTrader or Groupon? Because focusing on innovation means trying to devise incremental improvements to existing methods or models.
Q
At Vendasta your work involves, among other things, partnering
with local media companies to help craft and implement digital
marketing solutions. What are some of the biggest opportunities that you
find are under-tapped at local media clients?
A
Historically, we built a number of foundational digital marketing solutions that local media could resell to their customers,
particularly through their digital agencies. Products like reputation
management and social marketing. But the bigger opportunity isn’t just
helping media companies sell more solutions; it’s helping them SELL,
period.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
»
February 2016 | LOCAL MEDIA TODAY | 3
CONT. FROM PAGE 1
»
Serious about digital?
Digital Revenue Summit
Here’s a simple test
Why you should attend
This program is designed for local media
executives that are looking to truly move the
needle when it comes to growing digital revenue.
Concluding sessions will focus on developing
business plans to take home and implement.
This is a must-attend for media companies that
are serious about digital transformation.
Raging growth in digital spend
16.4%
Borrell Associates foresees
a 16.4% increase
in local advertising this year based on significant budget
increases coming for digital advertising and
political advertising.
36.4%
Digital
advertising is
forecast to grow
at another raging two-digit rate – 36.4%. And, for the first
time, digital media will account for half of all
locally spent advertising as it heads toward
what they believe will be a two-thirds share
before it levels off in 2019.
By Gordon Borrell
Chairman, LMA Board of Directors, CEO, Borrell Associates
The Details
Digital
Revenue Summit
Presented by LMA and
The Blinder Group
May 4-5
The summit is being held
at the world-class
University of Chicago Booth
School of Business Gleacher
Center, Chicago, Illinois
Full details at
localmedia.org/events
I
’ve discovered a simple way to
tell who’s serious about the digital opportunity and who’s not.
Just look for the sign.
Is it on the side of the building? On a
business card?
I’m not talking about the big sign with
the station’s call letters or newspaper’s
name. They say “we’re a TV station” or
“we’re a radio station” or “we’re a newspaper,” and we’re proud of it.
I’m talking about a sign that says, “We
get it. We’re on board. We’re transforming.”
I’m talking naming your baby and telling the world.
Let’s say you
gathered everyone
together, served
them lunch, and
came up with a fancy
name. Where is it?
Inside, where the
staff can see it? Or
on the building, in big, bold style that says,
“Here we are! Come do business with us!”
In a recent survey of 189 local media
managers whose companies sell digital
services, 34% said their unit didn’t even
have a name. Wow! Isn’t that like saying,
“I’d like you to meet son, uh, well… we
haven’t named him yet. We’re waiting to
see if he can get a job and be self-sustaining.”
Here are a few other interesting results
from that survey, conducted by Borrell
Associates last fall:
n Of those who said their unit had
a name, 67% said it wasn’t visible to the
public.
n Of those who had a logo for their
digital-services unit, we asked whether
that logo was on employees’ business
cards, bigger than any other logo on the
card. 58% said no.
How would you answer those questions? Do those answers reflect your
company’s commitment to digital media?
There’s your sign
Actually, it’s more than just a sign. A
few years ago I traveled to eastern Tennessee to meet with a longtime client
and LMA member, Jones Media. I had
convinced them in 2011 that, to grow
again, they’d need to create a freestanding
digital-services unit and invest in it like a
startup. They created High Road Digital
and located it in a small brick building
next to the newspaper offices.
After spending the afternoon with the
staff of the two-year-old digital agency,
I met with CEO Gregg Jones and other
corporate staffers.
“Well, what do
you think of High
Road Digital?” I was
asked.
“I think you
should shut it down,”
I replied.
After the initial
shock passed, I
explained why, in a short Powerpoint I had
hastily assembled after taking a few photos
of their operation.
They must not be proud of High Road,
I said, because the building had no visible
sign. They did indeed have a billboard…
which was actually a six-inch-tall plastic
model that sat all alone on a table at the
front door. Their office whiteboard was
one of the smallest you could buy, and the
furniture consisted of leftovers from the
newspaper offices – which, at that very
moment, was getting thousands of dollars
of new carpeting installed.
Their reasoning for the low profile:
Most of the business was in another city,
40 miles away.
“Move there, and put up a sign that
says, ‘We’re here, we have an identity, and
we’re a serious company.’”
They did, and their business has been
growing faster ever since.
The message is simple. If you truly
believe in the future, the signs will be
obvious.
LMA Board Retreat: 3 New Growth Plans Announced
E
Expanding training, hiring staff and a bylaws change
very January the LMA board travels on their
own dime to work on strategic planning and
growth initiatives for the next three-five years.
This year’s meeting took place in chilly Chicago and
included two days of discussions, brainstorming sessions,
debates and more. The end result was three new growth
plans and some other side opportunities that will require
further research and vetting.
The board first revisited LMA’s mission (We are intensely focused on helping local media companies discover new and sustainable business models) and decided that it
was crystal clear and needed no
tweaking. “This really sums up
what we do!” said Chairman of
the Board Gordon Borrell, “There
is no other organization like
LMA. We’ve created an environment where we can all learn from
the best of the best – across all
types of local media companies.
Kudos to meeting
LMA members, I am convinced,
facilitator Todd Handy,
formerly of Deseret
will be the successors.”
Digital Media and current
From there the group
vice president/publisher
reviewed
the successes and chaldevelopment of Tout,
lenges of 2015 and quickly set
for orchestrating two
days of highly productive
their sights on growth opportunimeetings.
ties for the next three years.
At the end of two days, three
new growth plans were announced:
n The training division continues to be a top priority
and will be expanded in 2016. The re-branded Media
LMA board chairman Gordon Borrell shot this pic from his position at the head of the table. “Enjoyed convening the media industry's Masters
of the Universe (last month) in Chicago,” posted Borrell. “Very proud and humbled to be chairman of a board of such exemplary individuals
charged with guiding Local Media Association and the media industry as a whole through a tough evolution.”
Transformation Center will provide digital training &
more for progressive local media executives across all
media types. 2015 was a record year with over 2,000 execs,
including 200+ broadcasters, taking part in LMA training
events, certifications, webinars and classes.
n Some bylaws changes will be proposed to the
membership to make all local media companies equal
members with equal voting rights and board representation. R&D member voting rights will also be expanded
and a third position will be made available on the LMA
board. The R&D community represents 35% of LMA’s total
revenue and non-newspaper media companies are at 5%
and growing. Diversifying is a good thing for LMA and
these moves reflect that.
n A new hire will be made in 2016 and that person will
come from the broadcast world. The LMA board wants to
continue to showcase the best case studies on the digital
side, regardless of media platform, and this hire will go a
long way in making that happen. They will also be responsible for broadcast membership and training sales.
“We couldn’t be more excited about these changes,”
said Nancy Lane, President, LMA, “Transforming to a true
local media association is an evolutionary process that
doesn’t happen overnight. 2015 was a real turning point
for us as many broadcasters started to use LMA’s training
and certification programs. We can all learn from each
other when it comes to the digital battlefield and there are
also tremendous opportunities for partnerships in local
markets. 2016 is going to be a game-changing year for us.”
Last Call for Mega-Conference
T
AUSTIN, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 22-24
here’s still
time – but not
much! – to get
yourself to Austin, Texas
for this month’s MegaConference. Running
February 22-24 at the JW
Marriott, this conference is produced by
Local Media Association,
Southern Newspapers
Publishers Association
and Inland Press Association and is on track
to bring over 700 media
professionals together.
The program, under
the deft leadership of
former Gannett publisher Carol Hudler (who
possesses a Stanford University MBA), has been
fine tuned for local media leaders to learn well
conceived strategies for
all aspects of a modern
media company. Ample
time for discussion and
debate has been built in
to the sessions enabling
a healthy dialogue to
help flesh out strategies.
And the large attendance
enables world class networking among media
industry leaders from all
parts of North America.
“I am really proud of
this event and our partnership with Inland Press
Association and Southern
Newspaper Publishers
Association,” said LMA
President Nancy Lane.
“In five short years, this
conference has grown
into one of the major
industry gatherings.”
Highlights are many
but a few to consider:
n Top notch speakers
and program including
New Futures for News
keynote from Professor Jeff Jarvis, director
of the Tow-Knight
Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at
the CUNY Graduate
School of Journalism
n Over 20 general and
breakout sessions
n Heavy focus on digital
AND print – customize your experience
by choosing which
concurrently running
sessions are best for
you
n General sessions featuring senior-level media executives from a
diverse mix of innovative media companies
n Huge industry trade
show in a modern,
interactive format
n Tech oriented solutions via ‘revenue
stage’ programs
n Invaluable networking
with a wide range of
industry peers
Full details at www.mega-conference.com. Walk in registration available.
LOCAL MEDIA
ROCKS
LMA President Nancy Lane
@localmediarocks • [email protected]
10 resolutions for
local media companies
W
ant to truly transform your media
company this
year? Check out these ten
must-do action items:
1. Double down on
events. Launch a division if you don't have
one. Expand it if you do.
And dedicate separate
resources if you want to
be successful. With profit
margins of 30-50%, this is
a must-do in 2016!
2. Create a culture of
disruption and innovation.
Leaders must be open,
accessible and transparent. Failures should be
accepted as part of the
process and not punished.
Encourage collaboration;
break down walls. The
atmosphere should be fun. 3. Digital requires a
separate staff and separate
resources. If you want to
hover at 10% or less, go
with an integrated model. 4. Native advertising
is here to stay. Embrace
it and find a model that
works for you. 5. Make video a top
priority. And then find
ways to monetize it. Many
local media companies
are starting to figure it out.
It requires an investment
and time to grow. 6. Email marketing
remains one of the most
effective advertising
vehicles out there yet most
local media companies are
barely scratching the surface with this opportunity.
Make it happen in 2016.
The ROI for advertisers is
off the charts and they will
pay a premium. (Editor’s
note: Re-read Ruth Presslaff’s column in January
issue of this newsletter for
her terrific tips on making the most of your email
database.)
7. Hire a data scientist.
And let them go crazy
with analyzing data and
proposing ways to use and
monetize that data. It is
a must-have position for
progressive local media
companies going forward. 8. Treat new businesses like a start-up. Invest,
be patient for profits and
pivot when necessary. Pain
before gain for sure!
9. Hire the best talent you can find in 2016.
Our industry needs the
brightest minds out there
working for us. Aim higher,
pay more... the ROI will be
huge!
10. Continue to innovate on the print and
broadcast side of the
business. Be sure to have
people in the company
dedicated to just growing
the core business. Guess
what will happen? If you
burden them with digital,
events and more, the core
will shrink even more and
the shiny new toys won't
grow much either. 2016 is going to be an
exciting year but it will also
be a differentiating year.
Will you be growing or
shrinking? Now is the time
to decide on a course and
make it happen. Did I miss
something on your top
10 list for next year? If so,
please reach out to me at
nancy.lane@localmedia.
org.
Nancy Cawley Lane writes a blog about disruption in local media and her thoughts are
definitely worth the read. Check it out at https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/11309770
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FAMILY FEATURES
C
reating a perfect outdoor oasis — the first step toward a summer filled with
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Furniture that fits
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Accent your style
Once your furniture is in place, you’ve got a blank slate to play with and most
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Be sure to layer in treasures that are uniquely you — lanterns, wall decor, statues
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Remember, small changes can make a big impact. Refresh last year’s patterns
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Find more tips to transform your boring backyard into a refreshing retreat at
www.pier1.com.
Gifts of Summer
If summer finds you doing more
party-going than party-throwing,
show your gratitude by bringing
along a little something that
recognizes all the work that goes
into hosting a perfect party.
Think about items that can be used
at the party, such as wine charms
or a citronella candle with a lantern
for a practical, yet fun gift.
Everyone loves a good party
game. Pier 1 Imports’ Horseshoe
Game or Ladder Ball & Bean
Bag Game are great hostess
gift options.
If you’re attending a potluck, bring
your famous dessert on a serving
dish that you know the host will
love and leave it behind so it can
be enjoyed for parties to come.
Summer Entertaining
Once your beautiful outdoor space is
complete, you’ll undoubtedly be eager
to showcase your hard work. Make entertaining a breeze with these tips from the
experts at Pier 1 Imports:
Highlight your party’s main
attraction — the food.
If you’re hosting the whole family for
a cookout, make memories during a
sit-down meal around your outdoor
dining table. Freshen up the meal with
dinnerware that’s as eye-catching as it
is durable. Easy-care melamine and
fresh-hued acrylic stemware pieces let
your guests enjoy without fear of shattering glasses or the festive mood.
A less conventional approach that is
perfect for drinks and small bites —
serving carts. They bring action to the
party, whether that’s on the patio, in the
garden or poolside.
Create a one-of-a-kind tablescape.
Combine your favorite accessories, such as handcrafted
trays, detailed lanterns and a colorful bouquet, to create
a cheerful centerpiece that instantly feels like summer.
Give your party buffet a personal touch with an eclectic
mix of your favorite serving dishes. Think multi-use
beverage tubs, cheery cake stands and bold chip and
dip trays.
Think about the light, both day and night.
For a daytime pool party, protect guests from sunburn
and the heat by investing in colorful umbrellas to provide
a little shade — and the perfect place to sip a cold drink.
When the sun sets, opt for a more romantic glow that
lights up the night. Strategically placed lanterns in a
variety of styles, shapes and colors will be the light
of your party.
For mood lighting at the touch of a button, Pier 1 Imports’
outdoor LED candles resemble their melted wax counterparts but offer a bit of added magic. They’re compatible
with a remote control (sold separately) that allows you to
set a timer with automatic shut-off.
Out-think
Business as usual doesn’t cut it in today’s continuously
changing media industry. Outsmart the future, be more
innovative, challenge yourself and dare to be different
Subscribe to the publishing industry magazine for out-thinkers. E&P
digs deep and delivers stories that stimulate ideas, strategies that
make you money and hard-hitting opinion that moves you to action
Subscribe to success
editorandpublisher.com/subscribe
LMA Director to keynote
at America East
Innovation
Mission
Announced
LMA’s Amie Stein also on speaker lineup
C
Sellout expected; reserve your spot soon
MAY 22-27 • NEW YORK CITY AND SAN FRANCISCO
T
he 7th annual
Local Media Innovation Mission
is set to take place May
22-27 in New York City and
San Francisco. Over the
years, the group has met
with the world’s leading
technology and media
companies during the
intense week-long tour.
About 25 senior-level local
media executives attend
each year and LMA is once
again expecting a sellout. Prior visits include:
Google (multiple times),
Facebook, LinkedIn (had
a private meeting with
co-founder Allen Blue
in 2014), Twitter, Pinterest, Yelp, Yahoo, eBay,
BuzzFeed, Hearst, McClatchy, The New York
Times, The Wall Street
Journal, CBS, Wordpress,
Mashable, YP, Plug and
Play Tech Center and
about 100 others. This year
that group has extended
invites to YouTube, Apple,
Facebook, Conde Nast,
Huffington Post, Airbnb,
Uber and more. The final
agenda will include a
diverse mix of media,
technology and disruptive companies that can
provide insights to media
executives that are looking
to transform their business. What you can expect
The week-long study
tour, developed and led
by LMA President Nancy
Lane, is intended to enable
senior level media professionals to:
n Witness innovation in
action
n Have access to some
of the most disruptive
minds of our time (the
IM meets with founders
and high-level executives)
n Learn about new con-
After the 2015 Innovation Mission participant Ruth Presslaff said
“I come away smarter each year, with relationships that will last a
lifetime.” Presslaff is shown here with Tom Yunt, center, president
and CEO of Wick Communications and LMA Vice-President Al Cupo
during the 2015 I.M. visit to Yelp.
hristian Hendricks, The McClatchy Company
vice-president of
products, marketing and
innovation and Local Media
Association board member,
will be the keynote speaker
at the this year’s America East conference
in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Hendricks will
share McClatchy's reinvention story as well
as speak to the “untold" transformation of
local media from an operator’s perspective. The conference runs April 4-6 at the
Hershey Lodge.
America East, a media business and
technology conference, is administered
Chris Hendricks joined McClatchy in 1992 as an
by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Assoadvertising manager and marketer and has been
ciation and 14 co-sponsoring state press
in a digital and innovation leadership role since. He
helped steer its digital efforts from simple ideas to
associations and media partners. This
year’s conference will feature an expansive a $200 million line of business.
technology trade show and sessions on
sales, podcasting, video, big data, native advertising, virtual reality, disaster recovery
and more. LMA’s Amie Stein will be conducting multiple sessions at this event.
The conference is expected to attract more than 900 attendees from 20+ states and
various circulations and areas of responsibility. With its convenient, central location
in Hershey (near Harrisburg), America East is the largest regional conference for the
industry on the East Coast.
For more information, visit the America East website at www.america-east.com.
Whose voice do
industry leaders seek?
Just ask them.
“Kevin Kamen works relentlessly. Whenever he
speaks about the publishing business or companies, I
pay close attention.”
— Paul Tash (Mr. Tash is Chairman of the Pulitzer
Board and CEO/Chairman of the Tampa Bay Times.)
“Kevin Kamen is one of the world’s best-known
and most-prolific brokers of media properties and
companies.”
— Gypsy C. Gallardo, CEO/Publisher of
The Power Broker Magazine
Peer to peer discussion, before, after and during the study tours
stops, is a huge part of the learning experience.
tent strategies
n Discover new revenue
streams/sustainable
business models
n Experience a week of
networking with peers;
build lifetime relationships in the industry
Participants will dive
deeply into the practices
and cultures of the companies visited, engage with
the folks who are making things happen, have
meaningful discussions
and debates after each of
the visits and be the first to
Whose judgement do they trust?
receive the in-depth follow
up report. The value of the
overall experience and the
relationships developed
cannot be overstated.
Get on the list
Participation is limited
– the small group aspect of
this study tour is an integral part of the learning experience. Reservations are
accepted on a first come,
first served basis . If you are
interested in attending, you
are encouraged to sign up
early at www.localmedia.
org/foundation/innovation-mission/
To discuss if this is a good fit for you, reach out to
LMA President Nancy Lane at [email protected]
“Kevin Kamen correctly predicted as far back as
2010 that a buyer would be willing to pay $42 million
to $51 million for The Journal … ‘They paid about $4
million to $5 million more than they should have,’
Kamen told WPRI.com … Kamen suggested Gatehouse
was motivated to pay a premium in part to ensure a
competing newspaper chain didn’t get The (Providence)
Journal instead.”
— Ted Nessi, WPRI 12, Providence, Rhode Island
Kevin B. Kamen
President/CEO
Getting it
right matters!
Considering selling your publication? You
should have your title financially valued
correctly and listed for sale. Call or come visit
Kamen & Co. Group Services to assist you.
[email protected]
www.kamengroup.com
KAMEN & CO. GROUP SERVICES
NY (516) 379-2797 • FL (727) 786-5930 • FAX (516) 379-3812
626 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556
LMA’s Media Transformation Center is open for business
Training offerings aimed squarely at media companies
Aligned with its mission to "help local media companies discover
new and sustainable business models," LMA will continue to build
high-quality and cost-efficient training programs that prepare and
develop organizations to evolve into successful media companies of
the future.
A full description of all training offerings and
pricing is found at localmedia.org/training.
T
MEDIA SALES TRAINING
TEMPLATES/WORKBOOKS:
ENOUGH FOR 14 ONE-HOUR
TRAINING SESSIONS
Easy for busy sales managers to implement;
cost is just $25/week
This turn-key “train the trainer” program, delivered
via live webinar, is designed to give your managers a ready
to go program that will provide them with 14 separate
training modules to conduct with their sales team. Each
module contains presentation materials, guided conversations points and most have an accompanying individual
or group exercise, as well as suggested management
follow-up, coaching and feedback opportunities.
Next webinar:
Fri, Feb 26, 2016 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM ET
TWO SALES CERTIFICATION COURSES
A proven revenue
booster, LMA offers two
Sales Certification training programs. Both are
self-paced e-learning programs and professionally
developed by LMA and media sales training guru Stephen
Warley. A passing grade of 90%+ is required before certification is issued.
The Basic Media Sales Certification consists of eight
modules that prepare ad reps to successfully present
effective solutions that drive client-value and generate
measurable sales-results. It covers everything from digital marketing to how-to sell an integrated solution.
The Advanced Digital-Sales Course offers tactical
approaches to selling digital products and using digital
media to increase and capture qualified leads. It consists
of 26 training modules, divided into five segments.
More info: Contact LMA’s Peter Conti at peter.conti@
localmedia.org to discuss sampling these offerings and
pricing packages for your company.
LMA uber-trainer Amie Stein in action. To discuss how LMA can assist with your special training
needs or to brainstorm if the LMA offerings are a good fit for your company, contact LMA Director
of Training and Development Amie Stein at [email protected]
“
The Light Digital engaged LMA Director of Training Amie Stein to help in three
crucial ways: to train our SMB digital sales team on cutting edge products and sales
techniques; to consult company leadership on new ideas; and to keep us informed
of relevant benchmarks and industry trends. Working with Amie directly through
an on-going, custom program is a good move for us as we continue to grow our
broadcasting and digital businesses.
— PAUL BENTON, Managing Director,
GOOGLE CERTIFICATION TRAINING
Google AdWords
If you’re selling search, or
thinking about, certification is
a must-have. Via live webinars
conducted periodically, the
training sessions include vigorous Google AdWords training,
mock exams and a study guide
to follow course materials. The
training will be conducted via the GoToTraining platform,
so training is easily accessible via your own computer (five
one-hour webinars).
Next set of webinars: Mon., March 14 –
Fri., March 18 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
“The Google Ad Words Certification was a critical
element to launching our Digital Agency. It’s extremely important for the employees who are responsible for executing
digital PPC, Video or Display campaigns within the Google
Network to completely understand the who, what, when,
where and why of the process. It will place your team as
experts in the community and grow trust and credibility
amongst your clients. This certification is one major piece of
the digital pie to creating an effective agency.”
— JENNIFER CASEY, VP of Sales, Heritage Broadcasting
Google Analytics
Sales Team: Analytics Certification-Training
This training is intended to arm your sale professional
with the competence, and confidence, to have meaningful conversations
with their advertisers regarding
the importance
of analytics. This
training prepares
your sales professional to become Google Analytics Certified (the exam is
administered by Google). Content Team: Google Analytics Training
Are your editors, reporters and audience development
managers just scratching the surface when it comes to
“
here has never been a more critical
time to develop and maintain the
utmost proficiency when it comes to
media strategies and tactics. LMA recognizes
that with its ongoing commitment to making
affordable, practical and effective media-centric
training available. In fact, the LMA board of
directors identified training as one of the top three areas of emphasis for the organization this year.
Building on the uber-success of the training division last year – over 2,000 execs,
including 200+ broadcasters, took part in LMA training events, certifications, webinars
and classes – 2016 will see even more first-class training programs for the industry.
“As we near the three year anniversary of Local Media Association's Training Division we find it timely to formalize the offerings under the umbrella of the new Media
Transformation Center," says LMA Director of Training and Development Amie Stein.
““If you look at the collection of training programs, workshops, certification courses,
e-learning and webinars, we truly are the most comprehensive industry resource for
media companies who are focused on transforming their business and developing the
talent within their organization”
Here’s a look at some of the offerings:
Baybridge Communications, LLC
using analytics to understand your audience? Do they
know how to use the data to drive content decisions that
will result in more audience engagement and reach? This
training will help everyone gain a better understanding
of what data is available and how to apply it in a practical
fashion. As a bonus, this training prepares them for the
Google Certification exam too.
Next set of webinars: Tues., March 15 –
Fri., March 18 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
“The training, study materials and mock exams provided my team with the best foundation possible to not only
pass the Google Analytics exams, but pass well above the
exam requirements. All of this has provided my team with
the leverage and confidence to work within the analytics
platform and help provide various departments across our
company a deeper understanding of reports and information regarding our websites.”
— CRINDALYN LYSTER,
Director of Digital Services, EO Media Group
EVENTS TRAINING
Creating and Growing a
Money-Making Events Division
Based on the success of
our recent Events Workshop and the heavy interest
within the industry to grow
their events divisions, LMA
is now offering an online
training program designed
to provide publishers, ad directors, marketing directors
and events specialists with the tools and industry best
practices to start developing their own strategic plan.
Consists of six modules.
Next set of webinars: Mon., March 21,
12:00PM – 2:00PM ET. Tues., March 22 –
Fri. March 25. 12:00PM – 1:00PM ET
"The LMA events training session is a critical first step
for East Bay Newspapers ramp up of an events division.
The resources shared will be relied on heavily as we build
out our plan." — JOCK HAYES, Director of Events, East Bay Newspapers
Memoriams success story
Background: The Frederick News-Post, a Local Media
Consortium member, is published daily by the Randall
Family, LLC in Frederick, MD. With a circulation of 26,371,
their obituary processes were typical of many newspapers.
The move to Memoriams was intended to increase obituary revenues, better meet the needs of their funeral director
partners, and streamline workflow.
Before Memoriams: Dedicated staffers processed obituaries and Editorial managed the
weekends. Obituaries were received via fax, e-mail and walk-ins, then were proofed and manually entered into their system. Often obituaries went through several revisions between the
newspaper, funeral directors and families to arrive at an acceptable rate and proof. Revenues
were not increasing and the procedure was time-consuming and error-prone.
Solution: Adpay provided hands-on implementation consultation for roll-out. The Memoriams self-serve tool displayed cost according to their rates and an immediate print preview.
Content was approved by funeral directors and families in real-time. After submission, text
and photos flowed directly into their pagination system. “Memoriams has made my life so
much easier,” said Connie Hastings, Sales Director. The Memoriams team provided on-site
funeral director training to ensure a successful launch to 46 funeral homes. Funeral directors
started using the system immediately. “We were worried that some of our traditional funeral
directors might struggle with the change, but they adapted quickly and are quite happy,” said
Geordie Wilson, Publisher. The News-Post has fully adopted obituary submission exclusively
through Memoriams. Funeral directors save time, and cite appreciation for the streamlined
approach for local and out-of-market placements in a single order. Results: Increased local revenues by 25% n Memoriams Network increased out-of-market
obituaries by 12% n Reallocated full-time staffing to other sales efforts and eliminated editorial staffing on weekends n Integrated content and billing seamlessly into front-end system n
Eliminated errors and make-goods
Contact: Deborah Dreyfuss-Tuchman, EVP Sales • (o) 847-998-9923 • (m) 847-477-5533 •
[email protected]
Memoriams
Price and place an obituary in over 2,800 newspapers
The only platform that:
Increases revenues locally
Drives more obituaries for the newspaper industry
Enhances funeral home partnerships
Is available to newspapers at NO COST
“Memoriams is a simple way to get all of my newspaper submissions
done quickly and on time. It also takes all the guess work out of how
much the obituaries will cost, giving the family more control over
what they pay.”
-Kurt Olding, Lane Funeral Homes
Youngstown, OH
Contact us at [email protected] or (303) 268-1527
A product of
Youneeq increases revenues
and user engagement levels
A sampling of the results we are generating for our clients:
At Glacier Media
n 30% Reduction in Bounce Rate
n 59% increase in Page Views per User
n 34% Increase in Session Times
“Youneeq has provided Glacier Media’s digital publishing operations an effective, automated and low cost method to engage our audience, increase our organic web traffic and improve
overall ad and content performance across our network in BC. There are many solutions available to us that claim to enhance our audience experience and streamline operations however
Youneeq is unique in generating engagement and delivering comprehensive audience and
content insights, in real time, without additional resource allocation or new processes required
to achieve success.” - Chris Johnson, Glacier Media
At Block Communications:
At Truth Publishing:
n 13% Decrease in Bounce Rate
n 32% Decrease in Bounce Rate
n 29% Increase in Session Times
n 8 times Increase in Session Times
Other client results:
n Youneeq is delivering an estimated 13% incremental increase in page views at a 32% ROI.
n Revenue increased with eCPM improvements of 5.62% and 8.38% respectively.
n Revenue increase attributed to Youneeq pages on average range between 5% -20%
n Youneeq delivered an average of 13% additional page views at an approximate value of
$7/m/pvs at a cost of $4.67/m/pvs
The bottom line:
Youneeq generates results immediately, is simple to install, requires little to no support,
and creates new revenue streams and business models. Try Youneeq for free for 30 days there’s
zero risk to try. We guarantee results.
Contact: Mark Walker 866.515.0110 ext 102 or [email protected]
Legacy.com's
Next Generation Obituary
Drives Meaningful Results
Lufkin Daily News Improves
Efficiency, Quality with SLP Turnkey
CtP Solution
Legacy.com's newest platform was updated
recently and is positioning newspapers for digital success. By offering the features that users
expect when they visit an online obituary, Next Generation Obituary (NGO) leads to great
results in user engagement, traffic and revenue for newspapers, while strengthening their
relationships with funeral homes.
The Lufkin Daily News has joined a growing number of newspaper companies switching to affordable thermal CtP solutions
that use no processing chemicals. Southern Lithoplate (SLP)
successfully matched the Texas daily with the CRON-ECRM
TP36 plate recorder and SLP Liberty NXP no-process thermal plate.
“We wanted to adopt an ecologically responsible approach to production by eliminating
the plate processor and chemical-development stage,” said Billy Ricks, production director.
“The CRON-ECRM and Liberty NXP clearly were the way to go.”
The Lufkin News, a member of the Southern Newspapers group, has a Sunday circulation
of 13,500 and daily circulation of 10,400. The newspaper also prints other area papers and
commercial projects. It transitioned from a film-based prepress workflow to violet-laser technology in 2009, choosing SLP Replica ECO LCV® low-chemistry plates.
“We’re keeping the violet device as a backup,” Ricks said. “With the amount of work we do,
we always needed two CtP units.”
The TP36 offers a flexible choice of configurations and output speeds to meet customer
needs.
“With 64 laser channels, our TP36 images 68 to 70 plates per hour at our plate size,” Ricks
noted. “From the way the computer interfaces with the machine to the order it outputs plates,
the CRON-ECRM gives us a quicker, more streamlined workflow.”
Liberty NXP plates mount on press without first running through a chemical bath. Plates
self-develop within a few turns of the cylinders.
“We print a sharper and cleaner product,” Ricks said. “We also use less water to print. The
entire process is fast, efficient and more environmentally friendly.”
Cox Media Group Sees 47% Increase in New Users
Cox Media Group's decision to upgrade to NGO has led to meaningful results for Cox.
During the first half of 2015, there was a 38% increase in sessions per notice, a 32% increase in
social shares and a 47% increase in new users, compared to the previous year. Brian O'Shea,
Manager of Website Operations at Cox, shares his satisfaction: “Obituaries and funeral notices
are important to our audience. … I am grateful that Legacy understands the importance of this
content category to new and returning readers.”
Newsday Strengthens Funeral Home Relationships
Newsday improved category performance when they upgraded to NGO as well; they saw a
45% increase in photo entries, an 18% increase in social referrals and a 25% increase in organic
search activity. Their switch to NGO was driven primarily by Newsday's larger funeral home
outreach initiative. NGO allows them to provide the best product with more branding opportunities to their funeral home partners so that the funeral homes make Newsday part of the
conversation when helping the family members of the deceased make arrangements.
To read the full case studies, go to sales.legacy.com/ngo.
Contact: Claire McAlpin, Marketing Associate • Legacy.com
[email protected] • 847.492.7265
Contact:
Michael Phillips, SLP Director of North American Sales • [email protected] • 609-276-2115
Presenting
THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE,
LOW-ROI, NO-PROCESS PRINTING
PLATE AND CTP SOLUTION:
CRON-ECRM
Thermal CtP
Experience fast, highest quality imaging with
the perfect balance of efficiency, quality and
cost…just as over 100 newspapers have in
the past 6 months!
“We print a sharper, cleaner product. We also use less water to print.
The CRON-ECRM and Liberty NXP were clearly the way to go.”
Billy Ricks, Production Director
Lufkin Daily News, Texas
Liberty NXP
No-process thermal plates
Experience real freedom from processors,
chemicals, gumming and ovens with the only
true no-process printing plate.
Southern Lithoplate, your exclusive
provider of CRON-ECRM CtP and
Liberty NXP no-process printing plates.
(800) 638-7990 or SLP.com
One stop shop for recruitment advertising
LNP Media Group Works with RealMatch to Become One Stop Shop for Recruitment AdvertisingIncreasing Online Recruitment Revenue by 79%
Problem: Increase Recruitment Advertising
Revenue and Attract New Advertisers for LNP Media Group
Tactics: Switch to RealMatch’s Programmatic Recruitment Advertising Platform and
Ecommerce Portal, Account Service, and Hire Sales Rep
First, LNP Media Group in Lancaster, PA, which publishes LancasterOnline.com and the
LNP newspaper, launched a one-stop shop online solution (print, online, and job ad distribution to thousands of job sites) utilizing RealMatch technology.
Second, LNP’s RealMatch account manager helped create bundled online and print packages, offered pricing guidance, and hosted in-person training.
To further support this new initiative, LNP added an outside sales rep to call on new employment advertisers. The rep is specifically responsible for bringing in new clients. The paper
set a monthly growth target of 3 percent year over year.
Results: LMP Media Increased Self- Service Ad Revenue by 700% in One Year
LNP Media Group implemented RealMatch’s online tools and self-service online ad placement, which resulted in increased revenue of about $22,000 per month —or roughly 400 new
ads. LNP also implemented job ad price increases due to superior performance with RealMatch’s Total Talent Reach distribution without losing business.
Additionally, LNP offered upsells such as “Social Boost,” where a listing is promoted
through social media, as well as priority listings and run of site advertising for recruitment.
Posting upsells delivered an increased $35,000 per month compared to LNP’s previous vendor.
The most impressive growth LNP has been seen thus far has been in the self-service ads
placed online. LNP went from about $15,000 in self-service revenue in all of 2013 to an average
of $10,000 per month in 2014.
Contact: Melissa Murphy | Marketing Director, Brand & Communications 212.419.4649 x 233 • [email protected] • www.realmatch.com
AutoConX Systems new real estate
platform helps The Joplin Globe
become marketplace leader in
real estate listings
Search engine and display advertising is a complex environment.
It is hard to do well without a large outlay of resources. AutoConX
Systems has an extensive team that specializes in vertical platforms
such as Automotive, Agriculture and Heavy Duty Equipment.
Challenges: AutoConX wanted to expand its service offerings to Real Estate and grow its
business without overextending resources.
Publishers needed a platform to help bring home buyers and sellers together in a local
market
Solutions: Real Estate and Rentals Search and Display Vertical powered by the AutoConX
Inventory Marketing (AIM) tool
Benefits/Results: “This platform is exactly what we needed to be the marketplace leader
in real estate listings.” Brent A. Powers, Director of Advertising, The Joplin Globe
The Joplin Globe located in Joplin, Missouri, selected AutoConX Systems to host their Real
Estate vertical. “I am very excited about our newly launched 247homesearch.com powered by
AutoConX Systems”, said Powers. “We have had great feedback on the look of the site as well
as the functionality. The responsive design is cutting edge and relevant for today's reader and
real estate professional. The site has created a level of confidence and credibility between us,
our readers and our Realtors. We are truly bringing “buyers” and “sellers” together. AutoConX
Systems has been great in assisting us from brainstorming to the execution of product offering
and solutions. The members of our local MLS board, Ozark Gateway Association of Realtors,
have also been great partners in assisting us with the MLS feed and the overall scope of the
project. We look forward to updating you all on our success in growing new partnerships and
relationships with our local Realtors.”
Contact: Trisha Snow, Vice President of Sales • [email protected] • tel:(778)%20724-0948
MARKETING
Reinforce relationships
or build new ones with
a brand new real estate
vertical website.
Unlimited accounts,
ask us about our limited
time pricing
offer.
p
www.autoconx.com
Personality Quiz Delivers 1,300
Leads to Furniture Store
A local furniture store in Paducah, KY, Higdon Furniture, has
traditionally only advertised onair with WPSD-TV. The business
wanted to build up their email
database, highlight many of their products, and drive foot traffic to their store. WPSD-TV’s
promotion team came up with a unique solution that combined the engagement and shareability of a quiz and the excitement and simplicity of a sweepstakes. The result? A “What’s Your
Home Decor Personality?” quiz and $500 gift card giveaway.
n A personality quiz & sweepstakes hybrid provided an advertiser with a unique solution
n The advertiser collected 1,300 email addresses
for qualified leads
n Quiz featured questions centered entirely
around the advertiser’s products
n Survey Questions helped advertiser understand what furniture their audience wanted to
purchase
For more information about the opportunity
with quizzes, email [email protected].
Being an R&D
member has its
benefits
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Your Guide to
Generating Revenue
and Collecting Data
with Quizzes
•
•
Listing in the online R&D directory
Two seats on the LMA board are reserved for R&D
partners
Right to vote on all LMA issues
Monthly logo and contact listing in Local Media
Today
Ribbons at LMA conferences/events identifying
your company as an R&D partner
Verbal acknowledgement at the annual business
luncheon
Quarter-page advertisement in the annual R&D
partner issue of Local Media Today
Premium listing in the exhibit/sponsor brochure
at LMA conferences and events
Inclusion in the R&D committee appointed by the
LMA board of directors
Sponsorship of one free-member-webinar per
year including verbal recognition and a twominute presentation (based on availability)
“The very fabric of LMA is innovation and
progressive thought. It shows through the
programs, membership and how they treat
each member of their community with
respect.” - R&D member Neil Greer, Local Media
Foundation board member and CEO/co-founder of
ImpactEngine.com
secondstreetlab.com/quiz-playbook
To find out more about your benefits or becoming an R&D
member contact Deanna Lewis – [email protected]
202-384-5022
Streaming content: the revolution is already here
guest columnist
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Calkins Digital
C
all it what you will – the video
revolution, the most disruptive innovation since the rise
of the Internet, the OTT tsunami, or yetanother distribution platform for local
news – 2015 has been a fast-paced year
for those of us working in the Over-TheTop environment. And 2016 promises to
raise that bet.
What exactly is OTT? Gordon Borrell
put it succinctly in an introduction this
summer: “Skipping the FCC, cable and
satellite red tape, OTT – or ‘over the top’
– means surpassing set-top boxes and
delivering video programming directly to
television via broadband Internet access.”
Consider these recent headlines:
n The number of households using devices to stream video to TVs is quickly
closing in on the total number of cable
households in the U.S.
n By 2018, one in five U.S. households
will not subscribe to cable or satellite
TV and by 2019, 4 out of 5 people in
the U.S. will be regularly using a connected TV device.
n Between 2013
and 2019, it’s
estimated global
sales of streaming devices will
jump by nearly
200 percent.
In addition to the continued projected growth in this space, a majority of
U.S. homes currently use OTT streaming
services to access entertainment, information and news at home and at work.
And though the market as a whole is
still fragmented across the devices people use to stream content - Roku, Apple
TV, Amazon Fire TV, gaming consoles or
smart TVs - local media organizations,
for a large part, are still absent from this
“
…perfection on the technique in which we deliver our local
news and information shouldn’t be the aim in this quickly changing
environment. Measuring the growing audience on what’s working
while growing capabilities and content is a powerful process.
growing environment. Why?
The reasons we’ve heard at Calkins
Digital are not surprising, but the similarity across the board has been. Since
August, we’ve spoken team-to-team with
dozens of local media companies across
the U.S., from Washington to Texas,
sharing our OTT video strategy. Calkins
Media newspaper and television station
properties launched some of the first
local media channels on OTT starting
in 2013, so the following questions and
concerns sound familiar:
n What is OTT? I/we/the boss doesn’t
get what this is or why we should
consider it.
n How do we attain a return on our investment in OTT technology and apps
if the audience is likely small?
n And, content: our video strategy
isn’t far enough along; we don’t have
enough evergreen content; and we’re
worried about the video quality, all
make the list.
Some ideas
There are no silver-bullet answers
here, but through a quick survey of my
team, here are some ideas:
To the first issue, maybe we can
blame a clunky name or the fact that
OTT is used to refer to not only streaming devices, like the Amazon Fire TV,
but also content delivery, like the Hulu
app on your iPad. Despite that, educating
ourselves and others on the key trends
and audience behaviors in this growing
environment will continue to be critical.
To the content issue: You’ve heard it
before and here it comes again: iterate,
iterate, iterate. Pushing a video strategy,
setting new content goals and launching
branded channels in OTT are processes
(not events!) that take time. In local
media, our default is set at getting things
Mega-Con session spotlight
Brandon
Hughes
Logan
Molen
“
Emily Dresslar
'Going Big on
Video and OTT'
A golden opportunity to hear more about OTT will be at this month’s
Mega-Conference in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Hughes, publisher of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, will
share highlights from Morris’ development of AGNTV in Amarillo.
And, Logan Molen, SVP and COO of The Bakersfield Californian, will
showcase their video strategy which includes 26-40 hours of live stream
programming an on demand video across a number of OTT platforms.
More about the Mega-Conference on page 5.
Emily Dresslar, left on panel, at the NewsTech Forum.
right on the first go – a news story, a
broadcast, a client’s ad. But perfection
on the technique in which we deliver our
local news and information shouldn’t be
the aim in this quickly changing environment. Measuring the growing
audience on what’s working
while growing capabilities and content is a
powerful process.
At Calkins, for
example, we’ve
moved into creating
linear channels in our
OTT apps, in addition
to local news and shows
on demand, because we
can see that engagement
for these playlists is high.
And finally, the thorny
ROI issue: Typical of early innovation,
there’s no easy path to investment return
on already limited resources in local
media. For us, the potential to reach
new audiences by following the eyeballs
was an opportunity too great to pass up.
Flipping the question around, how do we
defend our brands? In other words, what
is the cost of NOT establishing our local
media brands as the go-to stop for our
markets on platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV? That
was enough for us to invest.
At December’s NewsTECHForum, David Rhodes, president of CBS News, was bullish on the future of news in
his keynote talk with Harry
Jessell, publisher/owner of
TVNewsCheck. What will
continue unabated looking forward, said Rhodes,
will be the need for strong,
accurate, original reporting. Combine that with the
strength of the consumer
adoption of streaming technologies and,
for us, the OTT revolution isn’t coming.
It’s already here.
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The LMA staff is on the go hosting
conferences, speaking at various industry
events and conducting training across North
America and Europe.
The upcoming schedule includes:
with LMA...
IOWA NEWSPAPER CONVENTION
AND TRADE SHOW
February 4-5, Des Moines, Iowa
LMA’s Amie Stein will be conducting three sessions at this event:
n Leveraging contests, promotions and events
for revenue growth
n Digital best practices for advertising and
news/leveraging existing data
n Growing active accounts with non-traditional
ads OHIO NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
February 17-18, Columbus
LMA’s Amie Stein will be involved in two sessions at this event. She’ll moderate the Ad
Directors and Editorial Roundtables in which
participants will discuss current issues and ideas
in rapid fire format. Stein will also be involved in
a breakout session Mining Data for Dollars.
GOOGLE ANALYTICS TRAINING
February 29, March 9,
Northern and Northwestern U.S.
LMA’s Amie Stein will be conducting training for
a regional broadcast company at locations in the
northern and northwestern parts of the U.S.
BORRELL LOAC
February 29-March 1, New York City
LMA’s Nancy Lane and Peter Conti will be attending the 7th annual Local Online Advertising
Conference presented by Borrell Associates.
AMERICA EAST
April 4-6, Hershey, Pennsylvania
LMA’s Amie Stein will be conducting multiple
sessions at this news media industry event. The
America East Media Business & Technology
Conference attracts more than 900 attendees
from 20+ states and various circulations and
areas of responsibility.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF BROADCASTERS SHOW
April 16 - 21, Las Vegas, Nevada
LMA’s Nancy Lane will be a panelist with executives from IAB and BIA-Kelsey on day two of this
event. NAB is the chief advocate of America's
broadcasters and the NAB Show® covers
filmed entertainment and the development,
management and delivery of content across all
mediums.
Some of the group
during the visit to
Google on a past
Innovation Mission.
LOCAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 7TH ANNUAL
INNOVATION MISSION
May 22-27, New York City
and Silicon Valley
LMA President Nancy Lane will lead a small
group of senior level executives on this weeklong study tour with visits to a diverse mix of
innovative media and technology companies.
NEW YORK NEWS
PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
June 12-14, Sarasota Springs, New York
LMA’s Amie Stein will be a featured speaker at
NYNPA’s Ninth Annual Sales and Marketing Conference and will conduct a session on Google
Grants and a Social Media Bootcamp.
DIGITAL BOOT CAMP & SMB WORKSHOPS
May 27-29, Southeastern U.S.
LMA’s Amie Stein will be conducting a three-day
digital boot camp for an award-winning southeastern newspaper company.
LEAP MEDIA SOLUTIONS ROUNDTABLE
August 24-26, Vail, Colorado
LMA’s Nancy Lane will be one of several faculty
members at this gathering and her lecture will
revolve around the takeaways from the 2016
Innovation Mission.
WAN-IFRA WORLD
NEWS MEDIA CONGRESS
June 12-14, Cartagena, Columbia
LMA’s Nancy Lane will be conducting a small
market workshop at this international gathering.
To schedule training, inquire about these
events or to discuss conference
speaking opportunities, contact Peter Conti
at [email protected].
Local Media Association R&D Members
Ad
Mall
PRO
Become a R&D Member
• Right to vote on all Local Media Association issues • Monthly logo and contact listing in Local Media
Today • Quarter page advertisement in the annual R&D partner issue of Local Media Today • Premium
listing in the exhibit/sponsor brochure at LMA conferences and event
Contact Al Cupo, [email protected] , for more information
Happenings
Current and former Post and Courier
photographers going over the photo
report for consideration for a certain prize.
The paper was awarded last year’s most
prestigious Pulitzer Prize, the Public Service
gold medal, for its series about the deadly
toll that domestic violence takes on South
Carolina women.
Local Media
Membership
News
NEWTON EXPANDS ROLE
AT GATEHOUSE
GateHouse
Media has
named Peter Newton
as its Chief
Revenue
Officer. In
addition
Peter Newton to this role
at CEO
of Propel Business Services,
Inc., Newton now leads the
company’s corporate advertising and consumer marketing
functions. Newton also serves
as a member of the LMA board
of directors.
“In this expanded role,
Peter will continue to guide
our broader business services
strategy. Additionally, his dual
responsibilities will enable
increased alignment between
our developing network
of ventures and our field
sales operations, as we work
together to grow new revenue
streams,” said Kirk Davis, CEO
of GateHouse Media. “As the
architect of Propel Marketing’s
revenue and organizational
growth, Peter has consistently
provided strong counsel, support and vision, as we have
worked to evolve the digital
acumen and accountability
of the GateHouse Media field
sales organization.”
YUNT TO LEAVE WICK;
JOIN UCC
Tom
Yunt,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
(CEO)
of Wick
Tom Yunt
Communications
Co., has resigned his position
effective April 5, 2016, Steve
Phillips, Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Wick
Communications, announced
today.
Yunt has accepted a positon as Chief Operating Officer
(COO) with United Communications Corporation (UCC)
based in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
He said his decision to leave
was a personal one driven by
the desire to be closer to his
children and grandchildren
who live in Iowa.
“The company and the
Board of Directors are disappointed to see Tom leave, but
we understand his need to
be closer to his family,” said
Steve Phillips, chairman of
the Wick board of directors.
“During his two years at Wick
Communications, Tom has
worked with diligence to
return the company to a more
solid performance, enabled by
a clear strategic plan, capable
leadership, and disciplined execution and with an emphasis
on our valued employees.”
BERG TO KANSAS CITY
The
McClatchy
Company
promoted
Tony Berg
to president
and pubTony Berg lisher of The
Kansas City
Star. Berg previously served
as The Star's vice president for
advertising.
Berg, 38, has spent 15
years in the news industry in
a variety of sales executive
and leadership roles. Berg is a
Kansas native and graduate of
the University of Kansas.
"Tony has a strong record
of digital and print sales success at our company," said Patrick Talamantes, McClatchy's
president and chief executive officer. "His leadership,
teamwork and passion for the
Kansas City community will
serve The Star, our readers and
our advertisers well."
CNHI PUBLISHER
JOINS POYNTER
ADVISORY BOARD
The Poynter
Institute, a
non-profit
media
training and
research
Karen Andreas center, has
named
Karen
Andreas, regional publisher of
CNHI’s North of Boston Media
Group, to its national advisory
board. Andreas was among
five appointments announced
by Poynter last month, includ-
ing the selection of Rob King,
vice president of ESPN’s
SportsCenter and News, to the
board of trustees, the institute’s
governing body.
Also named to the Poynter
Advisory Board were ABC
“Nightline” co-anchor Byron
Pitts; Vox Media, Inc.’s Vice
President for Growth and
Analytics, Melissa Bell; and
Time Inc.’s Editorial Director
of Audience Strategy, Callie
Schweitzer.
HENSCHEN PROMOTED
IN ARIZONA
Mark Henschen, vice
president
of operations and
circulation,
has been
Mark Henschen promoted
to president and
publisher
of the Arizona Daily Star.
The Daily Star is owned by
Lee, and its business operations, Tucson Newspapers Inc.,
are owned jointly by Lee and
Gannett.
Henschen succeeds Chase
Rankin, who left the Daily
Star in 2015 to become vice
president of advertising at
the Arizona Republic in
Phoenix. Henschen has served
as interim president and publisher since June of 2015.
"Mark has been a champion of outstanding customer
service and reader relations
his entire career, and that focus
has been a hallmark of his
highly effective and engaged
leadership style," said Lee
Enterprises Vice President of
News John Humenik.
NEW PUBLISHER AT
THE REGISTER-MAIL
Scott Carr
has been
named the
new publisher at The
RegisterMail (Illinois), a
Scott Carr
GateHouse
property. Additionally, Carr
will be the group publisher for
GateHouse’s western Illinois
publishing group.
BH MEDIA GROUP BUYS
THE FREE LANCE-STAR
BH Media Group has
acquired The Free Lance–Star,
its website and print operation
from Sandton Capital Partners
for an undisclosed sum. With
this acquisition, the Omaha,
Nebraska based BH Media
Group now owns 32 daily
newspapers, as well as related
weekly newspapers, in Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Iowa,
Nebraska, New Jersey, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Oklahoma and Texas.
“The Free Lance–Star is a
strong newspaper in a terrific
market, and we’re delighted
to be its new owner,” Terry
Kroeger, CEO of BH Media
Group, wrote in a news release.
“We welcome the employees
of The Free Lance–Star and
Print Innovators to BH Media
Group, and we look forward
to working with them as we
continue to serve our readers
and advertisers in the Fredericksburg region.”
LOCAL MEDIA
CONSORTIUM PREMIUM
CONTENT NETWORK
REACHES 133 MILLION
UNIQUE VISITORS
IN NOVEMBER
The Local Media Consortium (LMC) reports that its November 2015 monthly unique
visitor count exceeded 133
million, as measured by comScore, reaching 51.4 percent
of the total U.S. population
and placing it as the 7th most
visited news entity included in
comScore's tally.
"We're extremely proud of
the LMC's unique visitor count
and ranking. These findings
validate the scaled premium
and brand-safe advertising
network we've worked hard
to create as a solid solution
for advertisers," said Christian
Hendricks, Chairman of the
Local Media Consortium's
executive committee and
Vice President for Products,
Marketing and Innovation at
McClatchy. Hendricks is also a
member of the LMA board of
directors.
BLOCK ISLAND TIMES
IS SOLD
The weekly Block Island
Times, the lone newspaper
on this destination island
for high-worth individuals
from New York, Connecticut
and Rhode Island since its
founding in 1970, has been
sold to the owners of Central
Connecticut Communications
LLC, publishers of two dailies
and other publications.
DV
&M
SANDTON CAPITAL PARTNERS
HAS SOLD
FREDERICKSBURG (VA)
FREE LANCE-STAR
31,700 daily circulation
34,000 Sunday circulation
TO
BH MEDIA GROUP
a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway
We are pleased to have represented Sandton Capital Partners
in this transaction.
Dirks, Van Essen
& Murray
Santa Fe, NM
t: 505.820.2700
www.dirksvanessen.com
L M A
There's a lot
going on at…
Upcoming webinars
T
Invest only time; learn a lot
he next set of LMA-sponsored webinars currently scheduled are at NO COST to LMA members so mark your calendars and register today
for these ‘quick bite’ 30 minute sessions. The presenters
will succinctly deliver their message and allow time for
Q&A. Don’t miss these golden opportunities to expand
your knowledge.
Register today at localmedia.org/webinars.
culture supports strategy or strategy supports culture — or
both — is one that comes up in companies of all sizes and
ages. Our panel will consist of CEOs who have changed the
culture in their local media companies.
Moderator: Beth Lawton, author of “Building Culture: Beyond Ping-Pong Tables”
Friday, February 26
11:30 -12:00 ET
Building the Right
Customer Rapport
Tuesday February 2
3:00-3:30 ET
How Newsy Can Help Your
Site Attract, Engage and
Monetize Millennials
Freddie Godfrey
Free to LMA members
Owned by the E.W.Scripps Company, Newsy is the
preferred video news provider for premium publishers
who want to capture and monetize an engaged millennial
audience. Their award-winning, 65 person newsroom, that
grew out of the Reynold’s School of Journalism, creates
and syndicates 1000+ pieces of original short-form content
each month, covering: U.S. news, world news, politics,
business, entertainment, technology, science, health
and sports. With a unique business model that gives the
publisher control over how to monetize the content, their
videos are FREE and they simply share the revenue generated from the advertising. Partners include Raycom Media,
Capitol Broadcasting, AOL, MSN and Comcast. Learn all
about Newsy and how you can get started.
Presenter: Freddie Godfrey, Director, Content Syndication, Newsy
Tuesday February 9
3:00-3:30 ET
Mike Blinder
How are you being perceived when you make contact
with that critical advertising prospect? Some experts say
that they are pre-disposed whether they will do business
with you within the first few seconds. Others state that what
you say have very little to do with your odds to win their
business, as how you say it. Mike Blinder will talk about
what it takes to have the right B2B rapport to improve your
sales each and every day,
Note: This session is for ALL salespeople, management, sales, inside/outside, regardless of product being
presented!
Presenter: Mike Blinder, President, The Blinder
Group
Thursday, March 17
3:00-3:30 ET
Cold Calling Alternative:
Learn How to Create an
Inbound Lead Strategy
Stephen Warley
Building Culture:
Beyond
Ping-Pong Tables
Beth Lawton
Free to LMA members
Free to LMA members
Culture is increasingly becoming a determinant factor
in the success or failure of a business, its initiatives, ventures and product development. The question of whether
n WEBINARS
n CONFERENCES
n BOOTCAMP
BootCamp moves east
Wall Street Journal
to host
N
ext month’s acclaimed Deseret Digital
Boot Camp, in partnership with LMA, is
coming to New York City and is open for
registration. The Wall Street Journal will host the twoday event, set for March 2-3. Attendance is limited
and remaining slots are reserved on a first come, first
served basis.
This is an intense program designed for seniorlevel managers and executives that truly want to
transform their media company. At the core of the
program, DDM provides two days of training courses
intended to accelerate digital competencies in a company's daily digital operations. The program conveys
best practices in a disciplined environment and demonstrates the success of DDM’s practices in real-time.
Nearly 100 media executives have attended the
LMA’s three camps in 2015, and the reviews have been
stellar. “Executable ideas. DDM was very granular and
action-oriented. Fantastic,” said a recent Boot Camper
from Baybridge Communications.
Details and registration at www.localmedia.org/
training
BONUS OFFERING: LMA has teamed up with
the Borrell Local Online Advertising Conference being
held February 29-March 1, also in NYC, for a special
combo registration rate. Save up to $600 if you go to
both high-powered events.
Free to LMA members
Cold calls have lost much of their effectiveness over the
past few years. Stop chasing down potential clients and
get them to come to you by creating an inbound sales lead
strategy. Learn how to create sales content that converts
highly-qualified sales leads for your local media organization!
Presenter: Stephen Warley, Digital Revenue Consultant, Local Media Association
Upcoming Local Media Conferences
Digital Revenue Summit
May 4-5, 2016
Gleacher Center, Chicago
The faculty consists of six to eight of the
brightest digital minds in the media industry representing TV, radio, newspapers and
more (think Entercom, Hearst, Swift and
more). This agenda focuses on how to significantly grow digital revenue in the next
12 to 18 months. Program will tackle video,
native, e-commerce, mobile, audience
extension and more backed by case studies
and best practices.
Social-Mobile-Video
Produced by Borrell Associates, Local Media
Association & Local Search Association
August 17-18, 2016
Gleacher Center, Chicago
Now in its fourth year, this conference
is edgy and forward thinking. Specifically
designed for digital executives who are
focused on social, mobile and/or video, the
agenda features a diverse mix of speakers.
Executives from Google, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Instagram have participated in past events along with media
company execs that are killing it in these
formats.
Local Media Innovation
Conference & Tech Expo
September 18-21, 2016
The Westin Peachtree, Atlanta
Local Media Events Summit
November 2016 Dates to be announced soon
Chicago
The only conference dedicated to local
media innovation across all platforms, this
is LMA’s signature event. The program is
laser-focused on helping local media companies develop innovative cultures/strategies and discovering new and sustainable
business models. The Tech Expo features
nearly 100 progressive R&D partners that
can help media companies on the digital
side of the business.
Did you know that media companies
that have invested in events divisions are
seeing profit margins of 30 to 50% and
revenue in the seven-figures? This summit
showcases best practices and ends with a
half-day exercise to develop a three-year
business plan to launch or expand an
events division.
Fuller details for all conferences and online registration found at localmedia.org/events
Effective selling is a skill that must be developed
Sales training:
Investment, not
an expense
By Peter Conti
Sales & Marketing Director, LMA
"I
n many companies, 20 percent
salesperson as a marketing and advertising
of the sales force delivers 80
expert who can solve their marketing and
percent of the revenue" accord- advertising problems.
ing to Salesforce.com. Why not
A trained sales team can generate new
aim to help 100 percent of your sales team
opportunities, which can lead to huge
achieve its potential?
returns for a company. The better trained
Too often, when companies are looking
your sales team is, the better results for your
for bottom-line savings, many start to cut
entire company.
training budgets. Why? The usual thinkIt may sound simple but it is not always
ing is that it is a fast win. Training can be
so easy in practice. Salespeople need
costly and the money saved looks good on
training in the areas of listening, probing,
the bottom-line. Training is also difficult to
uncovering unseen needs and in conveyquantify. It is not so
ing the value of their
easy to determine
products.
The better trained your sales advertising
the exact return on
Along with
a training investreinforcing value,
team is, the better results for
ment. (“How many
salespeople need
your entire company.
extra banner ads
to boost customer
did we sell because
satisfaction. It is easy
of the sales training?”)
to neglect many current clients with all the
Sales departments are the core of the
demands on a salesperson today. However,
company. They produce the revenue that
good salespeople know that they need to
makes a company succeed. However, our
get closer to their clients and bring them
universe is changing dramatically and
new ideas and plans for strengthening their
daily. Salespeople need to be trained with
business. Salespeople need to be trained
the latest skill sets in order to sell in today’s
in how to maintain and retain their current
ever-changing market.
clients.
The amount of information a prospect
In addition to maintaining their existing
has at their disposal is vast. Business owncustomer base, salespeople must always be
ers are much better educated today than
growing that base. The old ways of finding
they were years ago. They can Google any
new prospects do not work much anymore.
digital marketing topic and get as much
Today salespeople need to be trained and
information or more than the salesperson
up-to-date on the latest digital tools that
may have. They have already researched
they can leverage for reaching a prospect.
the products and services the salesperson
Salespeople must know how to find quality
may be selling. They expect a salesperson
prospects, the facts and myths of prospectto be able to come in and tell them in
ing, how to find high-potential prospects,
detail about their marketing products and
how to find prospects online and how to
services, how they will work for them and
develop a prospect script.
what kind of results they can expect. They
Solution
expect a salesperson to understand all
LMA offers media-centric, economifacets of an integrated marketing campaign
cal and effective training alternatives.
and to communicate the benefits and risks
You can put your salespeople through the
involved with a digital advertising camLMA online sales certification courses that
paign.
allow the salesperson to take the course
As such, a salesperson needs to be
at their desk and at their own pace. There
skilled in communicating, negotiating and
operating in a consultative fashion with the is one for basic sales training and one for
advanced digital sales training. You could
prospect. All these skills come in to play
take advantage of the Google AdWords and
when it is time to secure the order when
Analytics training offered through the live
given the opportunity.
LMA training webinars. You could also hire
Salespeople also need to reinforce the
LMA’s Director of Training and Developvalue of their products and services with
ment Amie Stein to come to your market to
current clients. It’s not about selling more,
do in-house training rather than sending
it is about finding more ways to add value.
people out to (more expensive) training
A salesperson can reinforce their expertise
courses.
as a problem solver, they can better posiBy wisely selecting high quality and
tion the benefits and advantages of a clicost-effective training, you can keep your
ent’s product and they can provide an ROI
analysis. These are all ways of adding value. clients happy, increase your client base and
The client wants to be able to consider their increase your sales revenue.
“
“
For more information contact Pete at [email protected]
How do they do it?
Since joining Swift Communications as its leader at The
Aspen Times, Samantha Johnston has helped her team
achieve significant revenue growth in both print and
digital. Don’t miss next month’s Q&A interview with Sam
to learn more about her strategies.
Coming in March issue of Local Media Today!
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Q&A
CONT. FROM PAGE 2
»
There are so many aspects of the local sales model that need to be re-thought. Datadriven marketing, true consultative selling, smarter packaging, better training…a better
mousetrap all-around. That’s the problem we’re laser-focused on solving today through
big ideas like data-driven marketing automation and sales pipeline management tools
that are built specifically for local media – not one-size-fits-all systems. Now it’s about
bringing all of this together.
Q
“Build it or partner?” – a common question media companies ask, especially
when looking at digital solutions. How should media companies evaluate
partnership opportunities? When is it good to partner? When is it not? Tips to help the
assessment process?
A
I think this question ultimately comes down to honestly evaluating core
competencies. Or, to borrow from Jim Collins, what can you be the best in the
world at? And what is the economic engine tied to that? Everything else augments this
vision, and if it lies outside of core competencies but pushes forward this mission, then a
partnership path makes sense.
I work at a product company. We’re proud geeks! We LOVE to build stuff. It’s in our
DNA. But as we’ve grown bigger, and grown up, we’ve had some hard learnings – namely, we can’t build everything. But we want to solve huge problems – our appetite has
never been bigger. How do we reconcile this? We make honest assessments about what
we can build that’s world class, and if it directly aligns with our mission. When considering an opportunity, if the answer is no to the first and yes to the second, then we’ll look
for great partners to extend our mission.
To me, the single most important quality in a partner is customer obsession. I don’t
use that term flippantly. They should obsess over how to help you grow. They should
be proactive. You should feel confident enough in them that you pick up the phone to
bounce ideas off them that may have nothing to do with their product because you trust
them.
like advertiser audit reports and top-notch reporting systems to allow them to focus on
selling, not process. Train them like crazy, and then train some more! At the end of the
day, you have to invest to get return, so paying and incentivizing competitively against
the digital pure plays that have been land grabbing both market share and top sales reps
are critical.
I realize that wholesale overhauls are difficult, and in many cases unrealistic. But I
also know that building telesales centers, verticializing sales forces, and marketing fullspectrum digital offerings requires a different breed of seller.
Q
A
What can local media companies do to build and strengthen relations with their
advertising clients?
I think as an industry we have to stop just relying on our brands. Yes, those
brands are important. Let’s not minimize that. But advertisers have more
challenges that ever – they need partners who consistently deliver results, regardless of
any history with them. I think this comes back to listening…really, genuinely listening.
We kick around the term “consultative selling” a lot, but are we really doing that in
earnest? Or do we bring preconceived notions and rhetorical questions to sales conversations? Are we authentically trying to solve their specific problems, or trying to protect
our margins and hang on to existing budgets?
I’m not naïve. I know the harsh industry realities we face. But until we truly deliver
the solutions that our advertisers are pining for, we’ll lose market share. This doesn’t
mean selling more things – the sales bag is already plenty full! It means selling smarter,
and more thoughtfully.
Q
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for local media companies in 2016? A
It’s a tough environment out there – there isn’t money to burn, so smart bets are
essential. I think we also know that there isn’t a single silver bullet. You’re going
to need to make several bets then find a few that really pay off.
n Live events are one that local media companies can take advantage of right away,
with their established brands and access to content and newsmakers.
n I think you’ll see sales forces become more data-driven this year, which should
make them more efficient and consultative.
n Speaking of data, publishers will protect, collect, organize and utilize more data
than ever to produce more relevant content and deliver more meaningful advertising.
n And leading technologies that have really only been accessible at enterprise level
will start to become much more relevant to local advertisers. Programmatic display
and video top that list.
Q
What industry thought leaders do you follow on a regular basis?
A
Q
Media companies often have to choose where they want to funnel revenue
development energies and resources, especially as the pace of digital evolution
whirs faster and faster. How can media companies get more prudent about choosing the
right bets to make? And ensure that these bets have a higher outcome of success?
A
First, listen to customers – obsessively! Both readers and advertisers. Let’s stop
pushing them what we think they want or what we want them to want, and start
observing their behaviors and assessing their attitudes. From there, we can identify key
themes that fuel ideation, story mapping, and prototypes to test. It’s the truest way to
achieve product-market fit; i.e. build products and services that directly solve problems
that users have identified.
I think I already mentioned this, but also understand how digital bets can build
on core competencies. Local media orgs are market leaders in several areas: content
creation, brand awareness, community engagement, and more. To make disparate
resource commitments to wildly different areas that don’t tie back to your foundational
advantages is inefficient. We’re not VCs; we’re not incubators. Let’s find smart ways to
take advantage of the things we do best.
Q
A
Turning to sales productivity. Tips for recruiting/training and incenting sales forces?
Thoughts on how local media companies can boost sales efficiencies?
Well, aside from leveraging data and technology to make a more efficient
machine, there’s the people dilemma. I believe digital sales success requires an
entirely different mode of thinking.
For instance, hire reps that may have never sold traditional media. Give them tools
I wrote my Master’s thesis on the principle of creative destruction, which is
rooted in elements of “the innovator’s dilemma,” so I follow and admire practitioners of these ideas. Clayton Christensen, Tim Wu, Chris Anderson, Penny Abernathy
(my mentor in graduate school). Also, my background isn’t in product, but I’ve grown to
admire smart product builders with perspectives on how to systematize iterative,
successful product development. Paul Graham and Ben Horowitz come to mind.
Q
Finally, what are some of your best business maxims?
A
“Don’t be competitor obsessed; be customer obsessed.”
“Always have a bias toward action. There’s value in calculated risk-taking.”
“Find the right balance between working IN the business and working ON the business.”
“Hire good people, and get out of their way (but don’t leave them alone!)”
Finally, one from my CEO (I’m biased, I admit):
“10x, not 10%.” Think about exponential opportunities instead of incremental improvements.
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Feb - Local Media Association

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