10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

Master Class moderator

Jodie Hopperton
Product Initiative Lead, International News Media Association (INMA)

There has been fragmentation of the distribution channels over the last 10+ years. Smart home devices such as Alexa are far from reaching their potential, AirPods are becoming the norm in many places, and there is a huge growth of other types of wearables. But it’s not all about new devices. These devices allow us to move away from screens. In this module, we’ll seek to answer:

• If consumers are getting screen shy, where are the new opportunities?
• How can we think about bringing news off-screen onto other devices?
• How are media organisations making the most of audio?

10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

As media organisations are looking to build products that reach readers in new ways, many are going beyond just informing their readers to providing tools that help their everyday lives. For many, this is about creating a habit for readers. By having readers interact in a deeper way, we’re moving from a “sit back” experience to a “lean forward” one, which means a slightly different product mindset. In this session, attendees will discover:

• What tools and utilities could you offer readers to help with their lives?
• How can these create new touchpoints with your readers?
• How can we increase retention with users through the use of tools and utilities?

10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

Consumer expectations are different. News has become a commodity, and insights are more valuable - insights in relation to the individual consumer even more so.

At news organisations, we have a wealth of expertise that we have tapped into from a content point of view, but not always a product point of view. Just think about The New York Times Cooking. Despite the plethora of recipes available elsewhere online, enough people feel that The New York Times channel gives them what they need that they are willing to pay for it. And by buying Wirecutter, they solve another user problem: What product/brand should I buy? It gives advice that people can rely on, saving readers time doing the research. This third module covers topics such as:

• Which products are being ‘pivoted’ to meet customer demand?
• What products are related to our in-house expertise that can be used outside of news, both to inform and to entertain?
• How do we determine which non-news products people will pay for?