All last week we released a series of visuals depicting how media organizations should strategically integrate their networks to build out maximum impact for their content. Each visual illustrates the four “networked layers” that we theorize in our book Beyond The Echo Chamber, including: networked users, self organized networks, institutional networks and networks of institutions. We firmly believe that for media organizations to not only provide high quality journalism, but to stay relevant, they must learn to reorient themselves for a 21st century media ecosystem. These visuals lay the pathway for that evolution.

For each visual, we provide a definition of each network, common characteristics that define the network and strategic questions for media organizations to ponder as they think about how to integrate these networks into their daily and long-term production, distribution, deepening of current audiences, expansion into new audiences and overall impact of their content. We also provided a bonus “cycle of engagement” visual that shows a step-by-step process (media organizations can opt in anywhere on the cycle) that depicts the “how and why” of network interaction (including fundraising and revenue generation opportunities).

Below is a slideshow that brings all these visuals together, showing how each network builds upon the other. We’re excited for media organizations to use these visuals in their short and long-term strategic planning and happy to answer any questions or respond to feedback.

We’re finally here! Today we examine and visualize the last of the four layers of networks taken from our book Beyond The Echo Chamber. In this post, we offer not one, but two visualizations that illustrate how media makers can integrate and interact with the final network layer: Networks of Institutions.

As a quick recap, over the last few posts we have examined and visualized three of the four layers including:

• Networked users: See Monday’s post
• Self-organized networks: See Tuesday’s post
• Institutional Networks: See Wednesday’s post

Networks of Institutions bring together all of the previous layers—users, self-organized groups and institutional networks—to form the most complex and powerful of all the networked layers.

With this layer, we break down the walls preventing journalism and media organizations from working together and with other organizations. In fact, we argue, in this new networked media environment, when faced with increased competition and reduced resources, collaboration and cooperation are key to impact.

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Welcome back to the second in our blog series on the Four Layers of Networks. Taken from our book Beyond The Echo Chamber (buy your copy today!), we are not only defining, but visualizing these four layers. They include:

• Networked users: See Monday’s post on this first and foundational layer.
• Self-organized networks
• Institutional Networks
• Networks of Institutions

Today we take a look at how media organizations must strategically think about integrating and interacting with the second layer: Self-Organized Networks.

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