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A special team at the @WSJ put together this 142 page report to figure out how to drive growth at the newspaper
This is exactly what you'd expect when you design by committee
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/7275737/WSJ-Report.pdf
This is exactly what you'd expect when you design by committee
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/7275737/WSJ-Report.pdf
The goal: Get WSJ to 100 million monthly readers by 2024. Here 1 tactical rec:
"Through exploring our data, we have identified where our taxonomy and metadata - including tagging, fall short in enabling the strategy editors to dig even deeper into....
"Through exploring our data, we have identified where our taxonomy and metadata - including tagging, fall short in enabling the strategy editors to dig even deeper into....
...our user behaviors when interacting with our text, videos, graphics and interactives"
Dafuq? How does this get you to 100 million visitors?
(Let's put aside that as the central goal for right now)
Dafuq? How does this get you to 100 million visitors?
(Let's put aside that as the central goal for right now)
The competitor section where they studied "competitor content pivots" features case studies of
* The Globe and Mail
* Dallas Morning News
* Hartford Courant
* Aftenposten
What?!
They want to attract a younger audience and didn't bother looking at pubs like @MorningBrew
Huh?
* The Globe and Mail
* Dallas Morning News
* Hartford Courant
* Aftenposten
What?!
They want to attract a younger audience and didn't bother looking at pubs like @MorningBrew
Huh?
How is this a tactical recommendation?
"We should keep our finger on the pulse of what's trending and maintain a few different ribbons of contextual stories that add to a reader's understanding of major news stories or specific topics?"
Crystal clear, right?
"We should keep our finger on the pulse of what's trending and maintain a few different ribbons of contextual stories that add to a reader's understanding of major news stories or specific topics?"
Crystal clear, right?
Last absolutely
tactical recommendation
"When it comes to social media, we need to maximize the potential of each platform individually and customize our content to take advantage of those platforms"
tactical recommendation"When it comes to social media, we need to maximize the potential of each platform individually and customize our content to take advantage of those platforms"
Not all the ideas are gibberish
Some like this have some nuggets of wisodm but are so vague as to be the epitome of non-tactical
"We need to focus more on growing unique visitors to our platforms through newsletters"
Some like this have some nuggets of wisodm but are so vague as to be the epitome of non-tactical
"We need to focus more on growing unique visitors to our platforms through newsletters"
The problem prob started with the goal (100 million visitors)
And so instead of maximizing value to the enterprise (News Corp), this report tried to optimize (poorly) within their fiefdom
So many opps with Dow Jones (none discussed)
And so instead of maximizing value to the enterprise (News Corp), this report tried to optimize (poorly) within their fiefdom
So many opps with Dow Jones (none discussed)
Dow Jones has some amazing assets including:
* Newswires
* Factiva
* RiskCenter
* FX select
* PEVC
* DJ Risk & Compliance
These things with WSJ should be peanut butter & jelly
* Newswires
* Factiva
* RiskCenter
* FX select
* PEVC
* DJ Risk & Compliance
These things with WSJ should be peanut butter & jelly
There are media reports of discord at the @WSJ because of this report and the lack of action being taken after its issuance
They should be disappointed that it took a shitload of ppl 1 year to come up with 25 mostly jargon-filled recs that don't actually provide a real strategy
They should be disappointed that it took a shitload of ppl 1 year to come up with 25 mostly jargon-filled recs that don't actually provide a real strategy
Ok. 1 more tactical rec (I f'n love that label)
"If we want to continue focusing on audio, we need to add staff to the podcast team producing 7 of our 8 shows to guard agst burnout and turnover and to allow for experimentation and innovation. We've also identified some areas..."
"If we want to continue focusing on audio, we need to add staff to the podcast team producing 7 of our 8 shows to guard agst burnout and turnover and to allow for experimentation and innovation. We've also identified some areas..."
"...of opportunity for cross-functional teams to collaborate on content. This also includes training our reporters on collaboration with the visual, video and audio teams"
That's one priority with like 5 different things going on
That's one priority with like 5 different things going on
1. Does audio drive visitors? (the goal) who knows?
2. They snuck the part abt burnout in. It's got zero to do with the goal
3. Did someone say cross-functional?!!!!
4. Training reports on collaborations with other teams!!!!
WTF does this have to do with the 100 million goal?
2. They snuck the part abt burnout in. It's got zero to do with the goal
3. Did someone say cross-functional?!!!!
4. Training reports on collaborations with other teams!!!!
WTF does this have to do with the 100 million goal?
Pages 11-14 detail how many ppl provided input in this report
It is over 200!!!
And it took 1 year to put this together
Yes - you read that right
200 people and 1 year
Strategy should be not be done by consensus/ democracy. When it is, you end up with toothless recs like this
It is over 200!!!
And it took 1 year to put this together
Yes - you read that right
200 people and 1 year
Strategy should be not be done by consensus/ democracy. When it is, you end up with toothless recs like this
