Broadcast to Internet: Repurposing Content

Principles of Convergent Journalism

Wilkinson, Grant, and Fisher (PG 75-90)

What is Repurposing a Story?

Repurposing: taking a news story and tailoring it to a different medium. Click here for the dictionary definition.

News organizations repurpose stories created on air for the web. News operations must have a prominent web presence to stay above the competition. People want news on demand, anytime throughout the day. News organizations must be organized and deliver news content in every medium.

Web Stories

Combines print and electronic media. Stories on the web can be short or long. Posting stories on the internet is inexpensive. Unlike television, footage on the web can be shown all day and all night.

Many TV stations contract web organizations to build out their websites.  News sites are designed to constantly replenish postings on the web. Now web outlets are used for the main source of news, not just to promote a news organization brand.

User Friendly Websites

Users want clutter free and easy to read sites. Websites enable viewers to be interactive. People can voice their own opinions through chat rooms, blog comments, polls, etc. For news organization to effectively brand their identity, web material must match the content to stories produced on-air. Check out CNN’s user-friendly website.

Web Shells and Presentation

Web shells are space on the web dedicated to report on a specific topic. Presentation of stories on the web must include interactivity, short/ tight sentences, photos, polls, comment boxes etc.

Using Video

Digitizing online content for the web is common when using interviews, podcasts, and video. Technology has allowed video to be portable. Reporters can film their own audio and video and upload it to the web in seconds. Final Cut Pro, Premiere, and Avid are all editing programs that news organization utilize to snip and edit footage quickly and efficiently for web usage.

24/7 News

With news happening every second of the day, audiences want access immediately. The web is a great tool to have instant information and breaking news. Web content is so common that many reporters now give their web versions of their stories to news directors when turning in their broadcast version.