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.
