Dubai: The craft of journalism that has served the print media so well. Will still hold true in the digital domain?
Yes, according to said Rodney Gibbs, a digital innovation and product development executive at Texas Tribune.
“At the same time, we are trying to adapt to modern devices," he said. "In some ways, we are very traditional and we treat it very traditionally -- How you do your story, (how) you verify your sources."
Texas Tribune is a five-year-old digital media outlet.
“In some other ways," said Gibbs, "we try to push how you tell a story, how to you use Instagram to tell a story, how you can tweet a story. I don’t think we have mastered it, but we are getting there.”
Local focus
Apart from an adherence to a certain level of journalistic standards, other factors for success include a focus on “local” news and issues. There's the challenge of diversifying revenue sources, too -- through advertising, corporate sponsorship, individual donations, fundraising and holding events.
Gibbs said the same formula of Texas Tribune can be implemented elsewhere.
However, it should take into consideration its surroundings and focus should be on issues specific to that area.
“We have a very politics/policy focus; they (other digital media outlets) might focus on something else (such as) environment, sports, etc,” said Gibbs, who was in Dubai for a workshop hosted by Dubai Press Club on social media.
“Our vision is to serve the journalism community as a source of innovation and to build the next great public media brand in the United States.”
Launched in November 2009 as a non-profit organisation with six staff, Texas Tribune now employs more than 50 people, which include 28 journalists and four programmers.
In 2013, it had total revenues of $5.39 million, while expenses were $4.69 million.
Apart from politics, Texans are interested in immigration and healthcare issues, Gibbs said.
Texans like identifying with their state and interested in issues “even if it is something tens of thousands miles away… that helps us.”
