Acting globally, thinking locally: how five Iowa newspapers developed news content and business strategies for online delivery

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2007-01-01
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Neznanski, Matt
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Eric A. Abbott
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Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
The Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication offers two majors: Advertising (instructing students in applied communication for work in business or industry), and Journalism and Mass Communication (instructing students in various aspects of news and information organizing, writing, editing, and presentation on various topics and in various platforms). The Department of Agricultural Journalism was formed in 1905 in the Division of Agriculture. In 1925 its name was changed to the Department of Technical Journalism. In 1969 its name changed to the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications; from 1969 to 1989 the department was directed by all four colleges, and in 1989 was placed under the direction of the College of Sciences and Humanities (later College of Liberal Arts and Sciences). In 1998 its name was changed to the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.
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Abstract

A comparative case study design is used to investigate the online strategies of five Iowa newspapers, including Web content, policy, and how the company evaluates success. The influence of the organization on strategy and Web model is also considered. The corporate structure of the cases ranges from a rural privately held weekly (circulation 4,212) to a regional employee-owned daily (circulation 64,062), to a statewide, chain-owned daily (circulation 154,268). Findings indicate that the newspapers investigated are transitioning from the early stages of online news delivery to more formal tactics regarding their online presence with early integration of the online product into company policy and newsroom practices. Multiple business models are in development, while newsrooms struggle with added demands for Web-specific content placed on current staff, stagnant personnel resources, and ethical ambiguities when dealing with online reader feedback. These general themes are discussed in the context of organizational and technological change.

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Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2007