the gab digital strategy and consulting guide

The GAB Digital Strategy Guide for Broadcasters was created specifically to aid Georgia television and radio stations as they expand and enhance their content on digital products and platforms.  

Digital has surpassed broadcast in audience, and this is the moment to diversify broadcasters’ reach in order to create a “both/and” paradigm. We still want to serve with and support our legacy platforms, but we also need strong journalism, storytelling and entertainment on the digital products where audiences are, so they can be informed and engaged members of their communities — connecting with our broadcast newsrooms and brands for years to come.

There are many ways to develop and engage audiences with digital products. It can easily be overwhelming, and change is constant. 

So, a partnership between GAB members and Dr. Amanda Bright with University of Georgia’s Cox Institute Journalism Innovation Lab will work to create practical, sustainable paths forward that are not only based on best practices and research but also solutions capable of being monetized.

Through this guide and individual consulting sessions with Bright — both free to GAB members — you can gain a pragmatic checklist of what goes into a successful digital expansion for your station, along with tools and techniques on how to make that transition (or make your digital products more robust) for news or music/entertainment stations.

 

** To ensure that this guide is available only to active GAB members, please email our office to request a copy.

FAQ's About The Digital Strategy Guide

Do I need to read the entire Digital Strategy Guide?

Answer: Not at all. Each section is only about a page or two — written for efficiency. You can just go to the part of interest for you, whether that’s audio on digital or the section about analytics. Each can be consumed separately and as needed.

What if I don’t know much about digital platforms or technologies?

Answer: Don’t worry! This guide is meant to start you at the ground level for each area, and if there are questions or areas that are unclear, Dr. Bright is happy to do a consulting session with you to explain or demonstrate.

Must I do a consulting session to use the guide?

Answer: Definitely not. It’s quite possible that a section of the guide will lead you to desire a larger conversation or strategy session with Dr. Bright, but it’s not required.

“News organizations that have not yet fully embraced digital will be at a severe disadvantage. The next few years will not be defined by how fast we adopt digital, but by how we transform our digital content to meet rapidly changing audience expectations.”

— Nic Newman, Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions 2023 from Reuters Institute/University of Oxford.

FAQ's About The Consulting Sessions

How long do digital consulting sessions take?

Answer: You can sign up for a 45-minute individual session (One-on-One Digital Strategy Session), a 1-hour group session (Group Brainstorming Session) or a 30-minute quick chat (Quick Digital Strategy Session) through Dr. Bright’s Calendly link.

Do I need to pay for these sessions, and can I only complete one of them?

Answer: Through a partnership with GAB, Dr. Bright is available for as many sessions as you and your station need — free of charge.

Do I need specific questions or digital goals for a consultation session?

Answer: Not necessarily. If you are interested in specific areas, let Dr. Bright know when you sign up for a session, but she is happy to research your station and current digital presence before the consultation and provide a handful of specific recommendations as well.

Still Not Convinced? Read More

The key advantages of the guide includes detailed sections for digital including:

  • Developing your digital purpose, audience and message
  • Understanding the current digital strengths and weaknesses of your station
  • Setting specific, strategic digital goals
  • Transforming your staff to include digital integration in your structure
  • Revisiting your visuals, design and brand across products
  • Selecting and sustaining social media platforms
  • Developing an audience-friendly website or app
  • Producing email newsletters
  • Delivering audio across platforms and products
  • Using video in dynamic ways for digital products
  • Understanding analytics and how they inform decision-making
  • Diving into emerging trends such as AI, influencers, chatbots, and cybersecurity

Digital consulting sessions for TV and radio stations with Dr. Amanda Bright can provide:

  • an outside perspective on current strategies and products.
  • research about your station to add audience and digital capabilities.
  • new ideas based on your specific context and needs.
  • further understanding of how the GAB Innovation Fellows or Digital Natives programs can help your station reach its digital goals.