One Sweedish newspaper has opened up the newsroom, leading to increased revenue. Image: Flickr / lydiashiningbrightly / CC-BY-SA
Facing declining revenues and growing competition, many newspapers are shutting down. A few newspapers are turning into social media powerhouses and marketing consultants. One Swedish newspaper is growing by opening the news process up to readers.
Norran creates an open newsroom
Norran is a regional newspaper in Sweden that was hit hard by the recession. Advertisers dropped, readership dropped, and subscription income dropped. In an effort to rebrand the newspaper and improve readership, the editor-in-chief decided to open up the newsroom. A senior journalist each day monitors a chatroom where the list of stories for the day are posted along with minutes from newsroom conferences. Readers are encouraged to comment on stories, ask questions and make suggestions about stories.
The effect of an open newsroom
Since opening up the newsroom to readers and observers, Norran has seen a jump in both traffic and social referrals. The “instant feedback and the personal reply” has also strengthened the brand of Norran, according to the editor-in-chief. The expanded input from readers has also helped the paper expand coverage to include a wider variety of topics. The editor also has said that she believes the the open newsroom has helped engage the hearts and minds of the readers. Of course, the open newsroom also comes with pitfalls.
“You have to answer in a good way, a polite way and a knowledgeable way, or you can lose trust.”
All about the money
The big question many industry watchers are asking is whether the open newsroom has helped Norran make money. The short answer is yes. Many advertisers who left at the height of the recession have come back to the newspaper, including online properties. The open newsroom takes relatively little capital. Instead, it is a change in attitude in the newsroom toward more open, interactive reporting that is proving a worthy investment for the newspaper.
