TaikaTilaus has many local newspapers as clients, and we aim to help them thrive. This includes offering insights into the latest research in the field of media.
In her final paper for a project on saving local media in Finland, Hanna Käyhkö, a researcher for the Reuters Institute and editor-in-chief of Karjalan Heili, presented eight strategies for local newspapers to stay relevant and successful. She also discussed what is currently working for local papers and how AI could support them in the future. In this blog post, we will summarise her findings.
Successful Models in Use
This section examines effective practices that local media have already adopted to stay relevant and engaging for their audiences. These models have proven successful across various outlets and can offer valuable lessons for others.
- “Investigating with a digital-first outlook”
Shifting from a print-first to a digital-first approach has proven effective for other local outlets. Publishing new, engaging, and investigative content keeps readers returning to your site daily for updates.
- “Intentional story choice”
Commit to selecting only those stories your team can deliver well. Avoid filler content and focus on what truly matters. Quality over quantity wins.
- “A new approach to the workday”
Concentrate your work shifts on weekdays, when people do their best work. Having just one or a few staff members on alert for breaking news frees up resources and improves employee satisfaction.
- “The watchdog role”
Hold local politicians and officials accountable. Reporting on corruption and misdemeanours builds trust with your readership.
- “Repositioning and audience profiles”
Focus on the digital medium to attract younger readers. Create reader profiles and tailor your stories to these audiences. Monitor content performance and adjust accordingly.
Formula for Success
This section presents concrete strategies and approaches that local newspapers can use to improve their operations and better meet their audiences' needs. The formula for success provides clear guidelines and ideas, from producing local content to rethinking advertising strategies.
- “Generate local journalistic content”
Prioritise producing localised content. If you are part of a larger newsgroup, add localisation wherever possible.
- “Collate or aggregate public data”
Provide crucial information to your readers by leveraging technology and public data. This could include weather forecasts, event calendars, construction schedules, opening hours—anything that might interest local residents.
- “Rethink your advertising pipeline”
Your readers want to see advertisements from local businesses. Consider offering marketing support to these businesses.
- “Introduce award programmes”
Host local competitions on your site, such as voting for the best restaurant or the most scenic hiking trail.
- “Commission user-generated content”
Encourage user-generated content like photos, videos, essays, and poetry. Make it competitive by allowing readers to vote on the best submissions in various categories. Regularly update the commission to keep the content fresh.
- “Add serialised wellbeing tools”
Incorporate daily motivations, meditations, and stretching breaks on your site to coincide with major stories. This encourages daily site visits and keeps readers engaged.
- “Think about games”
Develop a daily game, like a crossword puzzle, that readers can play. This encourages regular site visits and adds entertainment value. A successful example is the New York Times’ popular Wordle game.
- “Create services that foster community”
Become a gathering point for the local community. Add a forum where people can discuss stories, request help with tasks like babysitting, or find like-minded individuals for hobbies. This also provides valuable insights into your community’s needs and interests.
How AI Can Help Local Media
This section explores how artificial intelligence can support the growth and development of local media in the future. We look at various ways AI can enhance content production, customer service, and the reader experience.
- “Searching for content”
AI can assist in gathering content leads by identifying trends on social media and collating data from various sources.
- “Document analysis”
AI can simplify complex documents by creating summaries and presenting data in an easily digestible format. It can also help structure information and analyse reader feedback.
- “Translation into different languages”
AI can quickly translate content into different languages, potentially broadening your audience.
- “Creating social media content”
AI can generate social media posts for various platforms from a single news story with only a few prompts.
- “Newsletters“
AI can assist in drafting newsletters and even personalise them for different reader segments.
- “Comment moderation”
AI can moderate your comment section and flag inappropriate content.
- “Content conversion”
AI can convert content into different formats, such as reading aloud news stories for readers who prefer listening over reading.
Summary
The strategies and insights presented by Hanna Käyhkö provide a comprehensive plan to support the success of local newspapers in Finland. The successful models and the formula for success highlight the importance of focusing on quality, producing local content, and addressing the needs of the community. Additionally, AI offers new opportunities for developing local media and enhancing the reader experience. By adopting these strategies and leveraging the tools offered by AI, local media can strengthen their position and ensure a sustainable future.
Sources:
In search of the winning formula for local news: the role of needs & trust
by Hanna Käyhkö
