Enhancing Black-Owned Newspapers in the Age of Social Media

Enhancing Black-Owned Newspapers in the Age of Social Media

by 08/22/2016

Black-owned newspapers are not opposed to the digitalization of our content or to the digital distribution of the trusted, vibrant, prophetic voice of the Black Press of America. In fact, as black-owned media companies, it makes good business sense for our newspapers to embrace digital and social media platforms that have the power to enhance and increase the value and profitability of our publications.

One mutual benefit that emerged this summer during the NNPA/DTU Journalism Fellowship program was the students’ ability to increase the daily utilization of social media as an integral component of their reporting on behalf of our newspapers. It was a summer of news reporting. It was a journalistic “Freedom Summer.” It was a print, digital and social media summer.

Brandi Montgomery and Brelaun Douglas were at “The Atlanta Voice”; Briahnna Brown and Mckenzie Marshall at the “Chicago Defender”; Victoria Jones and Rushawn Walters at “The Washington Informer”; and, Tatyana Hopkins and Sidnee King were at the “Michigan Chronicle.” In addition to writing front-page news stories pertinent to improving the quality of life of Black America, all of the NNPA fellows were actively engaged on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube.

Most of the 209 black-owned newspapers that are affiliated with the NNPA now have active websites with various degrees of interactivity and digital capabilities. But the challenge of linking social media with the world of Black-owned media, while formidable, will be a growing opportunity to enhance the future economic sustainability of Black-owned newspapers.

One goal that the NNPA is now actively planning and researching is how to effectively and efficiently establish the NNPA Digital Network ([email protected]). The truth is that by having the DTU fellows working at some of our member newspapers has helped to crystallize the need and the opportunity for the timely development of the NNPA Digital Network. Again, the digital network will not replace or supplant the NNPA’s existing network of 209 Black owned newspapers. The digital network will help to increase the market value of the trusted content of NNPA member newspapers.

We are living at a time when candidates to be President of the United States routinely communicate to their constituents and supporters via Twitter, Facebook, Google and Instagram. The national and global news cycles are now ten seconds in length. Yet, there is still market demand from millions of people across the United States and throughout the world for more in-depth and detailed news accounts of what is happening in a rapidly changing and challenging world.

Black-owned newspapers in print and their online editions provide in-depth news coverage and uplift the cultural genius of black America as part of the long unique and respected tradition of the Black Press of America. From our perspective, we are encouraged by the emergence of committed student journalists like our DTU fellows. The future maybe challenging, but the opportunities to soar with success and progress are much greater.

Social media has increased the instantaneous awareness and involvement of millions of people. It is driven by content. Black-owned newspapers are content rich. As various social media platforms become additional distribution vehicles for black-owned newspapers, the overall value of black-owned print and digital media will increase correspondingly.

Learn more about the Discover the Unexpected (DTU) program at http://www.nnpa.org/dtu/ and use the hashtag #DiscoverTheUnexpected on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter @BlackPressUSA, @NNPA_BlackPress and @NNPADTU, like our Facebook pages at NNPA Black Press and Black Press Matters.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at: [email protected]; and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/drbfc

 

 

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