6. Openness to change

Many independent news organizations may feel more comfortable with content innovations, as most of them are at heart journalistic projects, driven by editorial, not commercial, ambition. 

And there has been a positive shift in mentality in many digital news organizations in the past few years. More news leaders have begun to approach managing a digital business with a refocused mindset. They are open to new ideas and experimentation. Every time a company tests something new and fails, it provides valuable information about what went wrong and, importantly, what went right. Starting from that point, it becomes easier to make changes and try again, continually learning and innovating. 

For traditional media seeking to build online audience and revenues, it is extremely important to break down the wall between different distribution channels and the newsroom. A newsroom needs to work directly with all platforms that distribute the content it produces, no matter whether it is video, text, audio or infographics, and no matter whether it is print, TV, radio or online. Without an integrated newsroom, it is almost impossible to tailor content production for an intended audience and distribution channel. Many legacy media organizations struggle with inertia and reluctance inside their newsroom toward changes in existing workflow, but this must be overcome if a legacy outlet is to successfully adapt.

This article is part of the #mediadev guest post Media Viability: 6 strategies for success.

Read more:

1. Business as important as editorial
2. Flat organizational structure
3. Clearly defined brand and audience
4. Diversified revenue 
5. New and creative ways to connect 
6. Openness to change