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News, information and much more for independent online news publishers. 
Survey shows mobile development is focus, paywalls fading
 
A new survey shows news publishers are focusing on mobile development, and putting a lot less emphasis on paywalls.

"The percentage of publishers prioritizing paywall development, however, has fallen nearly in half. (That could be because their paywalls are already built out; it could also be because paywall revenue has plateaued or even dropped for many publications.) In 2013, according to the survey, 48 percent of media excutives said paywall development was “absolutely crucial.” This year, 27 percent said it was among their top priorities."


LION member spotlight: Spokane Faith and Values
 
LION member Tracy Simmons, publisher of Spokane Faith and Values, runs one of the only local news sites in the country devoted to the coverage of religion.

In this week's Q&A, she talks about how in-person gatherings have deepened readers' engagement and loyalty to the site. 

"We are building community! I didn't expect it, but it's happening. I didn't want SpokaneFAVS to be another site with a bunch of online talking heads ..."

Read the full interview on LION's website.


LION member's crowdfunding effort off to strong start
 
The Lo-Down, an independent local news site in Manhattan, is crowdfunding a special reporting project on the survival of small businesses on the Lower East Side.

Josh Stearns writes about how the project is a perfect blending of community engagement, solutions journalism and alternative revenue sources.

"By listening carefully to their community Ed Litvak, Traven Rice and The Lo-Down Team were able to tap into the passions of their readers but also meet specific needs. Thus, the crowdfunding campaign is also a community building effort, inviting more people more deeply into the reporting process."

LION is offering a free member webinar in July on crowdfunding local journalism.


Can local news sites be part of the podcasting boom?
 
Some argue that we are only at the beginning of a "podcasting boom."

This week's news that Spotify is adding podcasts and news programming to its popular streaming music service will likely push it along.

Time magazine is experimenting with audio versions of its articles and is seeing a big increase in time spent on its mobile site as a result.

Related:

Why so many podcasts are brought to you by Square Space. Advertisers have found success sponsoring podcasts, but it's not the same mix of businesses that dominate traditional advertising.


How much should a reporter be expected to produce?
 
Have you ever asked this question of yourself or staff? Steve Buttry explores how much a reporter for a digital news site should be expected to produce in any given day or week.


Will local publishers sign up for Facebook instant articles?
 
Can local publishers have success with Facebook's invitation to publish content directly on their site in exchange for a generous revenue share? Word is that the service will be opened up to local publishers within the next few months.

Depending on who you ask, publishers are surprisingly on board, or not on board.

The New York Times' CEO says that the deal's value goes far beyond an ad revenue share. He thinks "increased awareness" from the Facebook audience will boost subscriptions to and advertising on its own platforms.

And finally, the deal gets The Onion treatment: "Media organizations make pilgrimage to Facebook headquarters to lay content at the feet of Mark Zuckerberg ..."

Related:

What engagement looks like for six top Facebook pages.

Publishers may find 70 cents is better than a dollar with Facebook revenue share.

Jeff Jarvis wonders what Google will do in response to Facebook's latest move.


Solutions journalism, revenue ideas, local trends at LION gathering

Free for members and only $25 for non-members, a LION Publishers "Independents' Meeting" in Philadelphia June 6-7 will give local online news publishers, people considering starting their own sites and others interested in local journalism a unique opportunity to learn from publishers who are innovating in journalism and the revenue that supports it.

The founders of two celebrated Philadelphia local news startups - Jim Brady of BillyPenn.com and Brian James Kirk of Technical.ly Philly - will be among the speakers at LION Publishers' "Independents Meeting" June 6 and 7 at Temple University's downtown Philadelphia campus.

The focus of Brady's site has been "mobile first" and reaching millennials. Kirk's site has been held up as a great example of how a local news business can be built around one particular topic.

Also:

Jesse Holcomb of Pew Research Center will speak about the organization's major recent study of local news media.

Jan Schaffer of J-Lab will speak about a guidebook she recently co-authored on legal issues facing digital news sites.

Keith Hammonds of Solutions Journalism Network will talk about the concept of solutions journalism and how it can strengthen newsrooms' community engagement.

There will also be workshops and panels on topics relating to local publishing, covering real-world strategies for revenue, including crowdfunding, membership programs, alternatives to display advertising, and hands-on technology demonstrations and effective reporting tips.

CLICK HERE to register!


Billy Penn on curation, breaking news and reader engagement

A few interesting updates on Jim Brady's Billy Penn local news startup in Philadelphia.

He explained his take on curation (link directly to other sources instead of summarizing their content to steal an extra page view) in this Q&A with American Journalism Review.

His editor, Chris Krewson, wrote about the site's coverage of the city's recent fatal train crash

And Billy Penn is one of the only news sites we know of using Slack to engage with readers.


Tools and Tips: Advertising and Revenue

TIME SPENT: The Financial Times is experimenting with a new way to charge for digital advertising - based on how long an ad was viewed rather than just how many times.

AD FRAUD: Google's secret war against digital advertising fraud.

EMAIL: How a successful email marketer adds thousands of addresses.

MEMBERSHIP: Melody Kramer's Nieman fellowship on public media membership could have lots of applications for nonprofit news sites in general.

VERIZON AND LOCAL: Verizon now owns a large advertising tech company. What that means for local publishers


Tools and Tips: Journalism and Technology

PUBLISHERS AS APIs: Quartz, the online business news site, is describing itself as an "API." Fortune says APIs could save your business from "getting Ubered." And here's some advice on how to use data to find the right content distribution channels.

THE ARTS: What is the role of the digital age arts critic?

ARCHIVES: Will the Boston Pheonix's archives be rescued? And what happens if digital-only news organizations' archives aren't preserved? Gone forever.

FREELANCE: A new website wants to change the way freelancers work.

ENGAGEMENT: Defining public engagement: a four-level approach. Also, Josh Stearns offers a "crash course in listening for journalists," and nine audience engagement insights from Pro Publica's Amanda Zamora.

INTERVIEWS: "Don't be boring" and six other interviewing tips.

SEARCHING: Expert search tips for finding who, when and where. And Twitter's new search results interface expands to all web users.

BEING SEARCHED: Google changes how "quality" is assessed in search rankings. And here's some tips on adding meta tags to articles to optimize for social media.

STORY COMMENTS: The Dallas Morning News is changing online story comments to "satisfy its silent audience."

CODING: An online course for reporters who want to learn how to code

MATH: An online course aimed at helping journalists better understand numbers and statistics.

FOIA: A directory of Freedom of Information Act contact persons at various federal agencies.

DATA: Pro Publica's Scott Klein says that publishers can afford data journalism

INTERACTIVES: How a trade magazine made its online features more immersive.

LIBEL: The ins and outs of why some libel suits are successful and others not.


Industry News

ALL ABOUT PRINT: Despite all the talk of digital transformation, most newspaper reading still happens in print. Ken Doctor has more about the "great devaluation of the American daily newspaper."

PRINT RIP: Advance is closing a weekly newspaper that has been serving northern New Jersey communities for more than 50 years.

PARTNERING: Why Philly.com partnered with seven other organizations to create the ultimate primary election site.

KNIGHT FOR-PROFIT: The Knight Foundation has been putting some money into for-profit journalism technology companies.

GOOGLE AND TWITTER: A new search collaboration shows how much the tech giants need each other.

USA TODAY: Editor says it might not be publishing daily in print within four or five years.

NEWSROOM CUTS: The Wall Street Journal and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel are both offering buyouts.

MORE NEWSROOM CUTS: Digital First Media has laid off its city editor, digital editor, a longtime photographer and others at The Saratogian and Troy Record in New York. Former DFM innovation editor Steve Buttry has some thoughts about continuing efforts to sell the newspaper chain, now likely in parts.

TRIBUNE PAY: Tribune newspapers are paying their new digital chief a $625,000 base annual salary.

NABJ: The schedule is out for the National Association of Black Journalists' annual conference.

FOIA: Kansas lawmakers are grappling with Freedom of Information Act issues.

NIEMAN FELLOWS: The Nieman Foundation has announced its new class of fellows. Check out their backgrounds and projects here

VIDEO: Nielsen explains how it's adapting to the rise of online video.

DAILY NEWS: The New York Daily News still awaits a savior


Is Your LION Publishers Membership Up for Renewal?
 
For many of our LION Publishers members, it's time to renew! Your membership includes participation in the LION Publishers Den on Facebook, networking and support from fellow LION publishers, our new newsletter, discounted rates on media liability and directors and officers insurance and more. 

Plus, being a member gives you access to a members-only rate to the LION Summit – a savings of up to $175 compared to the non-member rate. If your membership is due for renewal, please go to www.lionpublishers.com/members/dues to submit your payment. Those who opt for multi-year membership save, and easy, secure payment options are available via credit card or through Paypal. (Not sure when your membership expires? You can look it up easily on LIONPublishers.com.)

Thanks to our current members who have already renewed!
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