In today's media landscape, making technology decisions can be tough for small to medium news organizations dealing with uncertainty, low budgets, lack of tech expertise, and incomplete information. Effective communication adds complexity. However, technology is essential to the success of every modern news organization.
By leveraging new technologies like AI, media organizations can better understand their audience's preferences and behaviors, facilitating personalized content delivery and improving audience engagement, therefore, building their own sustainability. The use of AI can also help local news outlets streamline their operations and reduce costs, allowing them to focus on delivering high-quality, impactful journalism to their communities. We believe that by embracing technology in a thoughtful and strategic way, we can ensure that the media industry continues to evolve and meet the needs of audiences in today's online sphere.
To support our community of product thinkers, innovators, and change agents at the forefront of technological advancement, we have created an accessible guide to help them make and communicate technology decisions in their organizations with a holistic view. Our goal is to help our community navigate these obstacles and make informed decisions that prioritize the needs and interests of their audiences and communities.
About the Guide
In this guide, you will find a framework that aims to guide small to medium organizations on how to make technology decisions strategically and better comprehend the impact of technology within their news organizations. This framework encourages holistic decision-making, as it is essential to understand your organization's unique needs, goals, and mission. By doing so, you're poised to make informed trade-offs and embrace technology that genuinely aligns with your growth ambitions.
The framework explores four key areas for effective and holistic technology decision-making:
- Mission, Vision, and Goals: Understand your organization's core purpose and objectives. Let these principles guide your technological aspirations, ensuring alignment with your overarching mission.
- Technology Needs and Trade-offs: Delve into your technology requirements while considering the trade-offs inherent in every decision. Balance is key as you navigate the landscape of options.
- Media Processes & Resources: Evaluate your existing processes and resource availability. Uncover potential bottlenecks and identify opportunities for optimization.
- Implementation Planning: Solidify your strategy with effective planning. Outline the steps, allocate resources, and establish timelines to ensure seamless integration of technology.
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About the project
“Optimizing the News Tech Stack: A Holistic Framework for Technology Decisions in News Media Organizations” is an original project created by Feli Carrique as her Capstone Project for the Executive Program on Leadership and Innovation at Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
About the author
Felicitas Carrique is a Product manager and leader navigating the intersection of journalism, tech, and media business models. She is currently the Executive Director of the News Product Alliance, a community of support and practice for news product professionals and product thinkers working together toward a more sustainable and ethical future for the news industry. For her leadership, she was featured as "One to Watch" in the News Industry by Amy Webb’s Future Today Institute annual Tech Trends Report.
