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1. I'm from Charleston, SC and studied journalism at USC in Columbia. There, we toured WIS-TV, which you were a news director of for a while. You worked in local news before moving into national leadership roles at NBC and ultimately running MSNBC. What’s one early-career decision you made in local TV that ended up mattering way more than you realized at the time? Or what's one you think got you to where you are that we might not have thought of?

2. When you were building out products like NBC News Now and other digital experiments, what did "engagement" actually mean in the room (beyond clicks and time-on-site)? Can you walk us through a specific test you ran where you looked at audience behavior, made a change based on that data and either doubled down or killed an idea?

3. From an entrepreneurship mindset, how did you teach traditional producers and reporters, used to thinking in stories (not startups), to think like product builders and engagement journalists? For example, what concrete habits did you expect from them (talking to users regularly, pitching in minimum-viable formats, tracking certain metrics themselves or working on a revenue or growth goal)?

More about early career:

1. From your time overseeing both programming and new businesses, what’s one engagement skill you wish every early-career journalist had?

2. If a young journalist wants to end up in leadership, what should we be doing differently in our 20s than just chasing bylines?

3. You started out in 2000 and you've just stepped down from President of MSNBC this past January. What's your biggest piece of advice for building a career that can survive big shifts (corporate, political, technological)?

https://www.vogue.com/article/msnbc-rashida-jones-first-black-woman-to-lead-cable-new-network

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashida_Jones_%28television_executive%29

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/business/media/msnbc-rashida-jones-stepping-down.html

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/rashida-jones-announces-msnbc-exit/

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MSNBC announced Monday that Rashida Jones, the senior vice president for MSNBC and NBC News, will be its next president, making her the first Black woman to head a major television news network.

Jones succeeds Phil Griffin, who has worked at MSNBC since its launch in 1996, including the last 12 years as its president, and is the chief architect of the network's identify as a liberal alternative to Fox News, creating such media stars as Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, and Joe Scarborough. Jones will officially assume her new post on February 1.

Jones (who shares her name with a famed actor) was most recently in charge of breaking-news coverage across both NBC News and MSNBC, as well as daytime and weekend news programming at MSNBC. She played a key role in reworking the network's daytime and weekend schedules, which has given more time to the rising star Nicolle Wallace (while, perhaps not coincidentally, also minimizing the presence of Meet the Press host of Chuck Todd). The network has also added more anchors from diverse backgrounds to its Saturday and Sunday schedules; just last week, Jonathan Capehart and Tiffany Cross, both African-American journalists, were given new weekend news programs at the network.

Jones, who joined MSNBC as an executive producer in 2013, after working for a local television station in South Carolina, raised her profile this election season, producing two town-hall events with Donald Trump and Joe Biden and helping to oversee the second presidential debate, hosted by NBC correspondent Kristen Welker, which garnered glowing reviews.

"Rashida knows and understands MSNBC, in part because it's where she started when she first joined NBCU seven years ago," Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, said in a memo to staff on Monday. "She knows that it is the people who work here that make it great, and she understands its culture. She also appreciates the impact and potential of the brand."

In recent months, said Conde, Jones "has masterfully guided our coverage of the global pandemic, the social justice protests and unrest, Decision 2020, and the two most-viewed Democratic presidential debates in television history. She helped lead the preparation for Kristen Welker's role as general election debate moderator. And she has steered many of our groundbreaking editorial series."

As Variety noted following the announcement, Jones "will join a growing group of senior female executives in the TV-news business, including Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and CBS News President Susan Zirinsky."

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Rashida Jones to Be the Next President of MSNBC, Shattering Yet Another Glass Ceiling

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Rashida Jones will succeed Phil Griffin, who has been the chief architect of the network's identify as a liberal alternative to Fox News, creating such media stars as Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, and Joe Scarborough.

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1- As a leader, how do you organize your work to evolve the products you work in while being concentrated in the day by day work of breaking news? How much into the future should one plan and in which detail?

2- How do you think about audience in a very polarized scenario like the current one? Especially in Broadcast?

3- I know you launched a live event series at MSNBC, which role do you think events have in the journalistic industry and the audience engagement strategy?

4 - On an interview from some years ago, you mentioned that in the begining social media was seen as merely a marketing tool, from your experience, what do you think is the role of social media in journalism?

Sources:

https://apnews.com/article/msnbc-president-leaving-jones-d9ef19430ff321499a30d57909f6f882

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/msnbc-kive-events-cable-tv-news-rashida-jones-1236139446/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIQ5LLsI1M

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Rashida Jones is stepping down as MSNBC president on the eve of Trump inauguration

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It’s a move that comes on the eve of Donald Trump’s second inauguration as president and after a Comcast reorganization put MSNBC under new corporate management.

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1. In a 2024 conversation at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, you spoke about "creating a culture where people want to contribute." What's your best advice for creating that spirit of collaboration and creativity? Is there anything specific you do?

2. In this same interview, I loved learning about your long history of taking on leadership roles (including choosing what's for dinner). As a leader, how do you recover personally after making the wrong decision? How do you help your team move forward?

3. What's next for you professionally? Also (and please skip if this is too personal), but after such a high-profile and high-pressure role, what are you looking for next in terms of work-life balance?

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIQ5LLsI1M

https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2025/11/rashida-jones-leadership-media-msnbc-patricelli-center-entrepreneurship.html

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Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down after four years of steering the cable news network.

Jones, who made history as the first Black executive to lead a major U.S. television news network, made the announcement to top MSNBC anchors, leaders and network staff on Tuesday morning. (MSNBC and NBC News are both units of NBCUniversal.)

Rebecca Kutler, the network's senior vice president of content strategy, was named interim MSNBC president. Jones, who recruited Kutler to the network in 2022, plans to stay on in an advisory role until March.

"I came to this decision over the holidays while reflecting on our remarkable journey and the many successes we've achieved together as a team. This has been the most rewarding chapter of my professional career and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished, which has been made possible only by you," Jones said in a memo to staff.

The announcement comes nearly two months after Comcast announced a plan to spin off most of its cable TV networks into a separate publicly traded company, currently known as SpinCo. The new company will include MSNBC, CNBC, the USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and the Golf Channel.

Jones took charge of MSNBC in February 2021 after the inauguration of President Joe Biden and the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. She drove MSNBC to ratings triumphs on major political nights.

She retained and signed new long-term deals with the network's top talent, including Rachel Maddow. She also created a live event series; relaunched a new mobile app and premium subscription series; and made investments in other network digital offerings.

MSNBC has seen a post-election ratings dip. The network still ended last year as the No. 2 network across cable, with 807,000 average viewers daily and 1.3 million viewers in the prime-time hours.

The cable television business writ large is at a crossroads as consumers move toward streaming alternatives such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. In this business environment, some cable channels remain profitable with healthy cash flows, but other brands have rapidly declined.

In a memo to staff,Mark Lazarus, the incoming chief executive of SpinCo, praised Jones for her years helming MSNBC.

"Rashida has expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses. MSNBC is well-positioned for the future," Lazarus said in a memo to staff.

Lazarus told staff members on a network call that MSNBC will retain its name after the spin-off transaction is complete.

Jones previously served as senior vice president of NBC News and MSNBC, overseeing and leading the production of cross-network special events, including election night coverage and presidential debates.

Kutler came to MSNBC from CNN, where she spent two decades, most recently as a senior vice president.

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MSNBC President Rashida Jones steps down after four-year tenure

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Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down after four years of steering the cable news network.

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1. You have broken barriers within this industry.  When you look back over your career, what were the moments that changed the way you lead or saw something that would catapult you to the next level?

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

2. We hear a lot of uncertainty in the industry according to staff at various networks.  Technological advancements are rapidly changing how we receive information. A trend of today can be gone within a relatively short amount of time. How do you figure out what’s real, what will last, and make a decision when the pressure is high?

https://journal.businesstoday.org/bt-online/2025/breaking-barriers-building-futures-rashida-jones-redefines-leadership-in-media

3. When you stepped into the President role at MSNBC, how did you define the culture you wanted to build, and what were the steps you took to shift the culture?

https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2025/11/rashida-jones-leadership-media-msnbc-patricelli-center-entrepreneurship.html

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1. According to an article published by Wesleyan University, your career began with the launch of a handwritten neighborhood newsletter that your sister and childhood friends co-created. Do you think there is a world in which there is a return to physical news products?

2. At a place like The Weather Channel, which has a universal audience, how did your programming strategy differ from other places you have worked with more niche audiences?

3. As the News Content Director at WIS-TV you coached staff to make stories more relevant and engaging. Can you speak to which coaching methods were the most effective and how you measured their impact?

4. You have said that you felt a gravitational pull to journalism. What advice do you have as new faces enter the journalism landscape and follow their instincts to engage with the truth?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashidajones/

https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2025/11/rashida-jones-leadership-media-msnbc-patricelli-center-entrepreneurship.html

https://nabjonline.org/blog/nabj-congratulates-rashida-jones-on-historic-tenure-at-msnbc

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/business/media/msnbc-rashida-jones-stepping-down.html

https://deadline.com/2025/01/rashida-jones-msnbc-president-resigns-1236256358/

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1. With increasing political polarization, how can news organizations build trust with audiences?

2. You often mention the crucial role of mentors in early career. What kind of support do young journalists need most today?

3. What metrics are most important to you when evaluating whether to launch a new project? What do you think are the common mistakes media entrepreneurs make?

4. You’ve experienced many major news events during your career. What leadership habits helped you maintain good judgment under pressure?

Sources:

https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2025/11/rashida-jones-leadership-media-msnbc-patricelli-center-entrepreneurship.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashida_Jones_%28television_executive%29?utm

https://nabjonline.org/blog/nabj-congratulates-rashida-jones-on-historic-tenure-at-msnbc

https://hopeglobalforums.org/speaker/rashida-jones

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1. You started in local news and at "The Weather Channel" - places where engagement is about immediate, concrete service (like saving lives during a storm). How did you try to translate that level of direct, personal accountability to a massive national platform like MSNBC, which can often feel distant from the people it covers?

2. You made history as the first Black woman to lead a major cable news network. Can you share a specific example of a story or a segment where having your specific perspective in the decision-making room changed the way the network engaged with a community?

3. Given your experience, would you advise us to focus on building our own independent audience, or is the traditional path - finding a mentor and working up through a network - still the best way to build a career?

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/APn7LgtFUD4

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://nabjonline.org/blog/nabj-congratulates-rashida-jones-on-historic-tenure-at-msnbc/

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1.        Cable TV has been struggling to compete with streaming apps and online news. What has been your strategy to keep up with the times and stay ahead of the competition when you became company President?

2.        You launched a number of new initiatives during your stint. What is your principle when it comes to experimentation? How much space do you give your team to experiment and fail? What is this based on?

3.        What kind of data did you have that led you to identify products such as the live event series and premium subscription series?

·      Can you walk us through the process of product development? Who pitched these ideas to you? What made you decide to approve them?

·      Were these ventures successful? What metrics did you use?

·      Can you mention other products that failed? How and when did you decide to kill them?

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/12/07/msnbc-rashida-jones-phil-griffin/

https://apnews.com/article/msnbc-president-leaving-jones-d9ef19430ff321499a30d57909f6f882

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashidajones/

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- How did you time at MSNBC inform you about how audiences interact with newsrooms?

- Are there any newsrooms that you see providing innovative approaches to audience engagement currently? Why do you think these approaches are effective?

- From your experience are there any trends or obstacles (politically, technologically, habitually) that are emerging that newsrooms will have to navigate to develop or maintain audiences?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashidajones/

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2025/11/rashida-jones-leadership-media-msnbc-patricelli-center-entrepreneurship.html

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1. When you think about your four years at MSNBC in a directoral position, what achievement are you most proud of as you navigated MSNBC into record viewership? Is it the metrics? Is it the people hired? Is it the activations?

2. After graduating from undergrad in 2002, you went back to complete an MBA in 2024. What prompted this decision considering you were already deep into your career and the director at MSNBC?

3. You are a long time member of NABJ, how have networks and organizations like NABJ, continued to prove themselves as a resource no matter what stage of your career that you're in?

4. What have you been up to since wrapping up your advisory role at MSNBC in March!?

Sites:

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashidajones/

https://nabjonline.org/blog/nabj-congratulates-rashida-jones-on-historic-tenure-at-msnbc/

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Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down after four years of steering the cable news network.

Jones, who made history as the first Black executive to lead a major U.S. television news network, made the announcement to top MSNBC anchors, leaders and network staff on Tuesday morning. (MSNBC and NBC News are both units of NBCUniversal.)

Rebecca Kutler, the network's senior vice president of content strategy, was named interim MSNBC president. Jones, who recruited Kutler to the network in 2022, plans to stay on in an advisory role until March.

"I came to this decision over the holidays while reflecting on our remarkable journey and the many successes we've achieved together as a team. This has been the most rewarding chapter of my professional career and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished, which has been made possible only by you," Jones said in a memo to staff.

The announcement comes nearly two months after Comcast announced a plan to spin off most of its cable TV networks into a separate publicly traded company, currently known as SpinCo. The new company will include MSNBC, CNBC, the USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and the Golf Channel.

Jones took charge of MSNBC in February 2021 after the inauguration of President Joe Biden and the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. She drove MSNBC to ratings triumphs on major political nights.

She retained and signed new long-term deals with the network's top talent, including Rachel Maddow. She also created a live event series; relaunched a new mobile app and premium subscription series; and made investments in other network digital offerings.

MSNBC has seen a post-election ratings dip. The network still ended last year as the No. 2 network across cable, with 807,000 average viewers daily and 1.3 million viewers in the prime-time hours.

The cable television business writ large is at a crossroads as consumers move toward streaming alternatives such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. In this business environment, some cable channels remain profitable with healthy cash flows, but other brands have rapidly declined.

In a memo to staff,Mark Lazarus, the incoming chief executive of SpinCo, praised Jones for her years helming MSNBC.

"Rashida has expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses. MSNBC is well-positioned for the future," Lazarus said in a memo to staff.

Lazarus told staff members on a network call that MSNBC will retain its name after the spin-off transaction is complete.

Jones previously served as senior vice president of NBC News and MSNBC, overseeing and leading the production of cross-network special events, including election night coverage and presidential debates.

Kutler came to MSNBC from CNN, where she spent two decades, most recently as a senior vice president.

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MSNBC President Rashida Jones steps down after four-year tenure

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Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down after four years of steering the cable news network.

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1) As a former manager, do you think MSNBC’s rebranding to MS.Now was successful? Would you have approached it differently?

2) At a recent event, you mentioned that your default is to be a leader. What laid the foundation for your journey to becoming a newsroom leader and manager? Which hard and soft skills are essential for leaders in today’s news industry to thrive?

3) During your time at MSNBC, you launched a series of live events. How effective are events as a tool for audience engagement? What was your experience balancing cost versus impact? Which tools or products engaged audiences the most?

More Questions:

4) What do you see as the next big trends in the industry? Where should we focus, and what skills should journalists and newsroom teams develop?

5) You managed MSNBC through highly polarized and challenging news cycles. What’s your biggest takeaway from that experience? In your view, is it easier or more effective for newsrooms to operate during high-intensity periods or calmer times?

6) What was the average age of the MSNBC audience, and how do you see the future of broadcast journalism evolving?

Sources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashidajones/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_NOW

https://www.ms.now/

https://www.newscaststudio.com/2025/11/17/ms-now-graphics/

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-steps-four-year-tenure-rcna187574

https://apnews.com/article/msnbc-president-leaving-jones-d9ef19430ff321499a30d57909f6f882

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1. When you were working at MSNBC, how did you think about your audience? And as a follow-up, where do you think cable news succeeds in engaging its audiences and where does it fall short?

2. During your time at MS, you experimented with live-event models. There was the day-long summit at BAM in September 2024, an invite-only event with Jen Psaki, Steve Kornacki and Stephanie Ruhle, the DNC event with Symone Sanders Townsend and Luke Russert. What did you learn from holding these?

3. At the beginning of your tenure at MS, there was a lot of discussion across the news division about how to capture younger views - a Washington Post article from the time calls it “the white whale of the cable news industry.” What were the difficulties in getting that viewer demographic to tune in? And did you see any markers of improvement?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/business/media/msnbc-rashida-jones-stepping-down.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/05/24/msnbc-rashida-jones/

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/msnbc-kive-events-cable-tv-news-rashida-jones-1236139446/

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/28/audiences-are-declining-for-traditional-news-media-in-the-us-with-some-exceptions/

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1. Can you describe a pivotal moment that shaped your transition from newsroom roles into product development and digital strategy?

2. You moved from strategy roles at The Wall Street Journal to join the Inquirer in 2021; what problem were you hired to solve first, and how has that mandate evolved as VP of Product?

3. A recent case study credited your team’s partnership with the newsroom for strengthening the Inquirer’s live-blog product. What specific workflow or design changes made the biggest difference in reader value and newsroom adoption?

4. You’ve described news product as sitting at the intersection of journalism, design, tech, and business. How did you structure your team to balance those disciplines on day-to-day coverage versus longer-term initiatives?

5. Looking back at your WSJ economics/strategy work, what resilient product practices from a global newsroom transferred cleanly to a regional brand—and what absolutely did not?

Sources:

https://muckrack.com/beckybowers/bio

https://theorg.com/org/inquirer-academy/org-chart/becky-bowers

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/wsjs-bowers-hired-by-philly-inquirer-as-director-of-product/

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1. We recently learned about budgeting for products and teams. How do you figure out the amount of money to invest in individual products? Do you calculate that investment based on an estimated boost in subscriptions or another metric?

2. It seems Inquirer Food took about a year to conceptualize and build. I assume you needed to solicit buy-in and participation from people in other departments outside of product to help it come to fruition. How did you determine how much time to ask of members of other teams? And do you have any advice for ensuring a smooth management structure when working with folks from other teams?

3. For Inquirer Food, you created many products, including a restaurant finder, maps, a homepage, and an Instagram account. How did you decide the right number of products to build? And how do you measure success for the whole project when you launch so many products at once?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

https://www.inquirer.com/food/inquirer-food-letter-from-editor-20250527.html

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1. You've talked in interviews about how during the pandemic your team partnered with the newsroom to create a live blog, which built more trust between the two. Can you talk about that process? How did you build bridges between people who might not have previously worked together?

2. Gameday Central seems to be a resounding success for the Philadelphia Inquirer. What was the process of building that product and how has it evolved since its launch?

3. When you do speaking engagements and master classes, what are you most hoping to get across to journalists about audiences and product thinking?

Sources:

1. https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

2. https://digiday.com/media/we-can-do-this-for-all-of-our-sports-with-gameday-central-the-philadelphia-inquirer-bets-on-live-streaming-video-sports-coverage/

3. https://viafoura.com/wp-content/uploads/Viafoura_Case-Study_Philly.pdf

4. https://x.com/acpress/status/1983534763693473874

5. https://studentpress.org/nspa/philadelphia-story-schedule/

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1. As someone who is well-versed in product and product development, what do you foresee as the largest areas of product growth over the next 5 years?

2. When developing a news product, what is the most important audience consideration?

3. You have worked across several publications. When you come into a new role, how do you get acclimated to the newness of the audience and the needs of that audience?

4. In your current role, how do you carry and apply your prior experience as a strategy editor for The Wall Street Journal?

5. At The Philadelphia Inquirer, which product have you found to yield the most engagement? And why is that?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://muckrack.com/beckybowers/bio

https://events.digitalcontentnext.org/tech-product-innovation-2022/speaker/483779/becky-bowers

https://www.wsj.com/news/author/becky-bowers?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcVSNEhyakmyxH-Pj3tOE0v3gfQ-1ihJ1Auld3cQ2XOa2o7zLYJsI_76PkHewE%3D&gaa_ts=6911efc0&gaa_sig=R6wZ7LsZjU7vJbLwujHIpPw0CT2JNjo0rT_OarfmbIcl7WUfP4FE-t9eknmD9Lu6smAlYtdxP5U_un8-GJ_FEg%3D%3D

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I know you work in live events as a product, is it different the strategy you apply to come up with a new live event product in comparisson with a tangible and weekly or daily product? How so? Why a “food fest”?

Which role do you think live in person events have in the journalism industry today?

I’ve seen that you decided to put some of your repórters in front of a camera with topics like “things to do in the weekend” or entertainment, how did you make that decision?

What would you say are the 3 things to create a successful news product?

Considering that newsletter and podcasts are everywhere, which do you think would be the news prodcuts to star paying attention to?

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1. You recently gave a talk at MediaFest25 titled “News Product Is the Future of News.” What kind of news products do you see shaping that future?

What will news products look like five years from now?

How do you think Gen Alpha will consume news?

What will keep audiences engaged as people increasingly move away from traditional news?

2. At The Philadelphia Inquirer, what product are you currently working on? What’s the most audience-engaging product you’ve ever launched?

3. What’s the worst news product you’ve ever launched, and why did it fail or not work out as planned? What’s one thing you wish someone had told you earlier about news product design?

4. When is the right time to stop a product? Many legacy newsrooms tend to hold onto things because “that’s how it’s always been done.” How do you decide when to move on? Or completely re-think and shift the whole strategy just as the inquirer did almost ten years ago.

More Questions:

5. How do your news products generate revenue? Or is your main focus to create engaging, user-friendly experiences that drive subscriptions indirectly?

6. You’ve launched verticals in food and sports over the past two years — which performs better, and why?

7. I saw that your product development team has 13 members — what advice would you give to smaller newsrooms or startups that can’t afford that many staff?

8. Do you prefer developing and implementing audience-facing products or internal tools? Why?

9. What does a typical workday look like for you? How often/closely does your team collaborate directly with the newsroom and journalists?

10. Do you usually come up with a new product idea first and then test for audience demand, or do you start by identifying a community need and then design a product around it?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://www.wsj.com/news/author/becky-bowers?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqexNfrnhZz9lZVvK-mFnOKhAkN1SClJMy65QiW_FhQkdKDH0T_VzmKLlm7GDmo%3D&gaa_ts=69116327&gaa_sig=RlrU9I24uk5vRgBn2LQn_kVxgs23Z1Pn602Y4FkGZJD8mGCZmTgT__JK0GJ94f6iXPHPNxKPArk30i-eIoPPgw%3D%3D

https://x.com/beckybowers?lang=en

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

https://upstatement.com/case-study/philadelphia-inquirer

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Questions:

1) You have a lot on your plate and a lot of different tasks to manage (i.e. product strategy, apps, events, newsletters, employees to manage etc.)- how do you decide what deserves the majority of your attention on the day to day?

2) How do you think your time doing 12 years as St. Petersburg times/ Tampa bay times as a business editor has built up your skill level to be prepared for this role? Especially as people like us who are simultaneously sharpening our traditional journalism skills within an engagement program?

3) According to your socials, it’s clearly that you enjoy flowers, banking, and things of that nature. How do you make sure to find time for joy and decompressing amongst a busy work load?

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/wsjs-bowers-hired-by-philly-inquirer-as-director-of-product/

https://bsky.app/profile/beckybowers.bsky.social

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750 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

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1. Was it difficult getting a legacy news organization to embrace a new way of thinking about engaging with an audience? What design obstacles, if any, did you encounter when making the shift/implementing a new strategy?

2. We've learned that collaboration between news desks is vital for successfully applying new initiatives or strategies. Have there been any instances that didn't go as you planned where you learned from a mistake or had to rethink a strategy?

3. As someone who's worked at more local newsrooms (Tampa Bay Times, Philly Inquirer), and a national player (WSJ) what are the differences you experienced in trying to apply new strategies? Is one more receptive to new approaches or vis-versa?

source:

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/details/experience/

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If the product is news: The Philadelphia Inquirer case study — News Product Alliance

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The Philadelphia Inquirer, the third-longest continuously operating daily newspaper in the US, has made an impressive shift towards embracing digital as a legacy news operation.

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Questions for Becky Bowers by Chrissy Wang

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Questions for Becky Bowers by Chrissy Wang

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1.Did you create Gameday Central? How did you come up with the idea, and do many people use it?

2.I read on your LinkedIn profile that you started out as a reporter, then became an editor, and later started audience-related work. I also saw in an article that you mentioned how working in news product design can be challenging for people in early careers. How did your experiences as a reporter and editor influence the decisions you make in work right now? Could you share an example?

3.Based on your experience, how do you integrate audience feedback into the news product design thinking? Could you share a specific example?

Sources:

https://events.digitalcontentnext.org/tech-product-innovation-2022/agenda-speakers

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://newsroom.journalists.org/2023/08/26/news-product-thinkers-develop-new-career-pathways

https://muckrack.com/beckybowers/bio

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Questions for Becky Bowers:

1. How does The Philadelphia Inquirer balance traditional storytelling with the need to experiment in multimedia formats?

2. What role does audience feedback and engagement data play when your product and newsroom teams decide which digital features or storytelling formats to invest in?

3. As someone who bridges the editorial and product worlds, what advice would you give young journalists who want to collaborate effectively with designers, developers, and data teams in a modern newsroom?

Sources:

https://muckrack.com/beckybowers/bio

https://theorg.com/org/inquirer-academy/org-chart/becky-bowers

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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1. I just read that the Philadelphia Inquirer has a 13-member product team, which is laudable given that other newsrooms don’t even have such a team. What drove the company’s decision to invest this much in product development?

2. How can smaller and newer newsrooms start their own product development teams with much limited resources? - What are the roles and functions in product development do they need to onboard to be able to start a functional product development team (or even just one person in start-up newsrooms).

3. Which of the products that you launched would you say has been the most successful and what’s your measure for saying that?

4. Can you describe the steps that you take from ideation to product launch and beyond?

5. What are the most important considerations that you take into account before launching a product?

6. Have you had products that flopped? How long did it take before you finally decide to pull the plug?

7. In your LinkedIn profile you mentioned that you helped launch “biweekly cross-functional priorities conversation with product, editorial, marketing and sales.” Can you describe how a typical meeting goes? What are the usual agenda items?

8. Can you give some concrete examples of what such meetings were able to accomplish?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybowers/

https://newsproduct.org/blog/if-the-product-is-news-the-philadelphia-inquirer-case-study

https://jtimes.yourweb.csuchico.edu/fall15/bowers.php

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1. Strategy

What operational frameworks guide your decisions around integrating new technology into newsroom and product strategy?

Sources:

•       AI in the Newsroom case studies

•       NYT newsroom AI use

2. Finance

Given ongoing financial pressures and the need to innovate, how do you decide which journalism products or experiments get funded or cut? Can you share a specific example where community engagement influenced the financial direction of a product?

Sources:

•       WSJ's Bowers hired by Philly Inquirer

•       Becky Bowers LinkedIn profile

•       AI and journalism financial implications

3. Operations

What have been the biggest pain points or successes when connecting cross-department teams (like editorial, product, and tech) to launch or improve digital products? How do you move from siloed thinking to true collaboration?

Sources:

•       JournalismAI global survey

Washington Post AI tools and workflow

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Questions

1.    Subscriptions: How has the subscription model has changed what you prioritize. What kind of content keeps subscribers coming back versus what just got clicks when everything was free? Have there been any surprises?

2.    AI and quality journalism: Work with colleagues to integrate AI into our app and site and other products to better serve our audience while maintaining Reuters highest editorial standards.  How are you using AI and what are some trends? How are you enforcing standards?

3.    Managing the newsroom shift: How do you get the whole newsroom on board with digital-first thinking? I imagine some journalists are more comfortable with traditional reporting, so how do you lead that cultural change and get everyone excited about new ways of storytelling?

Sources:

1. Reuters Plus Studio (Video, Podcasts, Articles, Infographics, photo essays) Content Studios

2. Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 - "The State of Digital News Publishing" Key findings from the Digital News Report 2024

3. Columbia Journalism Review - "AI in the Newsroom: Opportunities and Challenges" Artificial Intelligence in the News: How AI Retools, Rationalizes, and Reshapes Journalism and the Public Arena - Columbia Journalism Review

4. Nieman Lab - "From Free to Fee: News Publishers' Subscription Strategies" Less is more, and discounts work: A new study looks at the minutiae of paywall strategy | Nieman Journalism Lab

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1. During your time at The Wall Street Journal, you ran operations in both London and New York. In what ways did the needs of those audiences differ?

2. As you move into your role at Reuters, how do you approach learning the expectations and needs of an audience that is new to you?

3. Among the things you will be diving into at Reuters is the Reuters app. What are some of the considerations that will go into shaping the way that the app is used and programmed into the lives of Reuters patrons?

4. After 21 years at the Wall Street Journal, what advice do you have for the next generation as they enter into audience development roles?

5. In what ways do you see journalism expanding? What is the future of engagement journalism?

Sources:

1. https://www.wsj.com/news/author/jennifer-j-hicks?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdv5YT35kFSKvtZFtpLScLKNHwfjOXI0DiPJ501zJCkA_n7vrhgaujuRB7nlrU%3D&gaa_ts=68ff5f34&gaa_sig=-HRuUzcV3VkiGNvfDmgk23Q4QFjO59i8GPc8KN38pQdTqCMdwQbJeZbc5Kw3NyVsb8dpwF_2b-v0-o2TMJ34hg%3D%3

2. https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director

3. https://talkingbiznews.com/media-news/reuters-hires-hicks-as-digital-director/

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1. As Editor of WSJ Europe from 2009 to 2012, you led The Wall Street Journal’s digital operation in London. That was a period marked by major events like the European debt crisis, the Arab Spring, and the London Olympics. What motivated you to take on that position in London? How did that experience influence you?

2. At the Wall Street Journal, you worked on audience engagement by tailoring content to the platform (for example, by creating richer posts on LinkedIn to attract new subscribers). How do you plan to apply these at Reuters?

3. Now, as Reuters’ Digital Director, what new product or features are you most excited to launch or expand?

Source:

https://www.inma.org/blogs/product-initiative/post.cfm/news-publishers-priorities-shift-from-traffic-volume-to-reaching-the-right-audiences

https://talkingbiznews.com/media-news/longtime-wsj-staffer-hicks-departs-after-21-years/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjhicks/

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Interview Questions for -Jennifer J. Hicks: 

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Interview Questions for -Jennifer J. Hicks: 

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1. On audience & engagement: “Given your experience at both the Wall Street Journal and now Reuters, how do you balance pursuing growth in digital audiences (apps, newsletters, social) with maintaining journalistic quality and trust - especially in a global newsroom context?”

2. On digital product + newsroom interplay: “You’ve led newsroom product teams and digital platforms - how do you see the newsroom and the product/engineering teams working together most effectively? What are some common friction points and how are they resolved?”

3. On subscription business strategy: “In your new role at Reuters, one priority is accelerating growth of the subscription business. From your perspective, what storytelling, format, or platform innovations are most promising for turning loyal readers into paying subscribers in today’s media environment?”

4. On documentary filmmaking work: “As a student of documentary filmmaking , I’m curious: how does a global agency like Reuters think about long-form storytelling (e.g., video documentaries, immersive features) within its digital strategy? Are there new formats you’re excited about?”

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1. You’ve held many leadership roles, including as a news editor, in digital partnerships, and in audience. What do you see as a common thread, or way of thinking, that has helped you succeed in these roles? Teach us your ways! (please)

2. How do you view the future of digital news at Reuters? And what part of your vision for Reuters do you think set you apart in the selection process?

3. How do you offramp projects when the platform algorithms change and that project isn't reaching audiences anymore? How do you know when to pull the plug? And what goes through your head when you are making that choice?

https://talkingbiznews.com/biz-news-help-wanted/full-time/reuters-seeks-a-digital-director/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjhicks/

https://reutersagency.com/about/standards-values/

https://reutersagency.com/about/our-trust-principles/

https://www.reutersprofessional.com/content-studios/p/1

https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director

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Reuters seeks a digital director - Talking Biz News

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We expect the successful candidate to be based in our New York City bureau. Reuters are looking for a visionary digital leader to run our digital news team. Having recently moved to a subscription model for our news app and website, we want to strengthen Reuters digital news products so they are indispensable to our subscribers around the […]

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Jennifer Hick's Questions - Mariam Hydara

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Jennifer Hick's Questions - Mariam Hydara

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Questions:

1) Considering you have established the WSJ's digital operations in London - is there any differences you've seen in how you approach audience engagement internationally versus in the U.S.?

2) What made you decide to continue your education and get a master's degree at Columbia University in an industry where people seem to value experience above all else?

3) A part of job description is to work with colleagues to integrate AI into Reuter's app and site to better serve the audience. How have you balanced this task while still remaining filled with integrity and maintain "genuine" human relationships with your audience?

Sources:

1) https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director

2) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jenniferjhicks_reuters-hires-hicks-as-digital-director-activity-7366992117828698113-NuJJ/

3) https://talkingbiznews.com/biz-news-help-wanted/full-time/reuters-seeks-a-digital-director/

4) https://www.inma.org/blogs/product-initiative/post.cfm/news-publishers-priorities-shift-from-traffic-volume-to-reaching-the-right-audiences

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Jennifer Hicks to join Reuters as Digital Director

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Jennifer Hicks to join Reuters as Digital Director

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1. Congratulations on the new position! The announcement of your hiring included a whole host of products you’re overseeing - Reuters.com, the Reuters app, newsletters and social offerings. In the two months since you’ve started there, what’s the avenue for growth you’re most excited about expanding?

2. In your time at the Journal, you established the their digital operations in London. How did your time in London shape how you think about U.S. publications’ global reach? And in what ways will that inform your work at Reuters, one of the world's largest international multimedia news providers?

3. In various interviews, you talk about the impact your education has had on you, whether it’s in an interview with the Gaylord College alumni group at Oklahoma University, where you highlighted mentors like Jack Willis, who shaped your journalism career, or at the Norman Public Schools Foundation Hall of Honor induction ceremony where you said the public school system was “at the heart of your story.” In what ways do you see your career as a newsroom leader carrying on that legacy of education and mentorship?

https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjhicks/details/experience/

https://www.ou.edu/content/dam/gaylord/jaymac/docs/alumni-spotlight/jennifer-johnson-hicks.pdf

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/the-beauty-of-public-education-npsf-inducts-two-into-hall-of-honor/article_7f97e46c-0196-11ef-ad11-83e285ba383b.html#:~:text=On Monday%2C the Norman Public,of honor at Monday'%20luncheon

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1- I’ve seen that you have experience working in partnerships within the newsroom, what would you say are the things to consider when analyzing a partner for a specific product?

2- Many big and traditional media outlets have apps as a product, how is that working as a revenue strategy considering that the way people consume news is changing with open AI search engines?

3 -  While Reading your description at Reuters, you are going to be managing a lot of products, how do you organize yourself in your daily work?

4- As a product and audience engagement especialist, which would you say are the plataforms and products we should be looking at in the future?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjhicks?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director?hs_amp=true

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1. You’ve worked at the forefront of journalistic innovation for most of your career – so what do you think is next? When you think about younger audiences, particularly Gen Alpha, how do you imagine they’ll consume news in the future?

2. Since Reuters is a news wire rather than a primary news outlet, who do you think of when you talk about audience engagement? Is your main audience other journalists, or do you also target the general public?

3. How do you ensure a sustainable business model when so many newsrooms are financially struggling and cutting budgets, while Reuters still relies on them as paying clients?

4. What would you recommend to someone who doesn’t want to be a traditional reporter anymore but wants to help drive innovation and strategy in a newsroom? There aren’t really internships or clear entry points for those roles – how can one “dock” or connect to that field?

5. If you were advising early-career journalists, which field or area would you recommend they specialize in? Where do you see the most opportunities right now?

SOURCES:  https://reutersagency.com/media-centre/jennifer-hicks-to-join-reuters-as-digital-director

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjhicks/ https://www.reuters.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@reuters?lang=en

https://www.instagram.com/reuters/

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1. In your new role you will analyze the Rest of World’s “biggest wins.” From an audience perspective, how would you quantify a “big win”?

2. As a fan of the New York Liberty team, which highly engages with audiences, are there any areas of audience engagement that can be adopted from their tool belt and applied to newsrooms?

3. Across the publications and roles you have held, is there a specific method that stands out as the most sustainable way to build brand loyalty?

Additional curiosities:
1. When you start at a new publication, what is your process for assessing where the current audience is and where you want to go? How did the starting place for the Rest of World audience differ from that of the Protocol?

2. What audience data informed the choice to take away the pink underline beneath pull quotes?

Sources:

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

https://restofworld.org/inside/product-updates-august-pull-quotes-beats-merchandise/

https://www.janeseidel.com/about

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/

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1.    Engagement Metrics - Which numbers about your audience are most important? not just how many people clicked or saw your content? And how do you explain why those numbers matter to the rest of your newsroom?

2.    Platform Shifts - Social media apps and how people find news online - - are always changing. How does Rest of World decide which platforms are worth investing in? (i.e. time, money, people, etc…), and when to pull back from others?

Future Skills - What tech skills or data analysis abilities will engagement journalists need to have in the next five years to succeed in this field?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/

https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/dnr-executive-summary

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16522354.2024.2442232?af=R&utm

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

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1. I'm beyond curious what it looks like to "[overhaul] our SEO approach." Especially in the age of AI responses on Google search results! Can you walk us through how you designed a better system for today?

2. I've seen creators on social media allude to certain topics being "shadow banned" on TikTok and Instagram. With algorithms (that are owned by tech giants) potentially de-prioritizing topics that impact their bottom line, how do you make sure conversations critical of tech moguls actually reach audiences?

3. Rest of World launched a merch line in August. That move leaves me super curious about the role of creating a sense of belonging between listeners. Do you see Rest of World readers as a community? A cool club? Are they more "consumers" of content, or are they a group that interacts with each other? How do you think of your audience? And do you need to create a sense of belonging to maintain readership?

Source list: https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/ https://restofworld.org/2025/meta-drops-fact-checking-partnerships-global-watchdogs-scramble/ https://restofworld.org/inside/product-updates-august-pull-quotes-beats-merchandise/ https://www.janeseidel.com/work

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Jane Seidel promoted to Director, Audience & Analytics

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Seidel has been key in advancing Rest of World’s reach and impact.

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1. How did your experience at Elon University shape your career path? I also went to college in North Carolina, and I’m curious, did that experience change you in any way?

2. I read your story about “phone number neighbors” published in The Wall Street Journal. How did you find that story? Was it connected in any way to your work in audience analysis?

3. I’m really curious what does a typical day look like for you as an audience analyst? What kinds of things do you design or analyze?

4. What do you think is the most important skill in audience engagement? Do you think it’s something that can be taught, or is it more about adapting and learning on the job?

Source：

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/

https://www.janeseidel.com/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-is-this-friendly-texters-annoy-strangers-with-number-neighbor-messages-11569594806

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1. You’ve been apart of multiple teams at several newsrooms. In your experience, how important is collaboration between engagement teams and other news desks? What does/did that collaborations look like in your current or previous newsrooms?

2. How has your editorial experience helped shape how you approach your current role or implement strategies?

3. What role does SEO, audience analytics/metrics play in your strategy/role? How important is it?

4. I saw you took photos at UCB a while back. Do/did you have a favorite UCB house team?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

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1- I found it really interesting the “Digital Divinity” 9 weeks long newsletter that you have at Rest of the World. I think it can be functional in terms of a short term commitment from the audience. Could you talk about how and why you chose that timeframe and how it worked for the newsroom?

2- You mentioned that you worked with off-paltform data in order to make decisions at WSJ, which methods did you use to get it, any other apart from interviews? Was it worth the investment?

3- Which role do you think the algorithm plays in today's audience engagement strategy?

4- As an audience director, which is your everyday relationship with the content and the story itself? How did it change during the years and in the different positions you had?

Sources:

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

https://www.janeseidel.com/about

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jane Seidel is an audience editor and data analyst who previously worked at The Wall Street Journal and Politico’s tech offshoot, Protocol. She has nearly ten years of experience running digital operations in newsrooms.

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1.) How do you balance data - like clicks and engagement - with your own editorial judgment?

2.) What do you do when the numbers and your instincts don’t match?

3.) At Rest of World, you reach readers in many different regions.
What are the best ways to grow audiences for niche or under-represented stories?

4.) You often work between editorial, product, and business teams.
What’s the hardest part of getting everyone aligned - and how do you explain data so it makes sense to each group?

5.) As journalism students focused on engagement, we’re trying to find our place between storytelling and data.

What advice would you give us on how to build a career -  or find our role - in this constantly changing space between content and analytics?

Sources:

https://muckrack.com/jane-seidel

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

How governments use facial recognition for protest:

https://restofworld.org/2024/facial-recognition-government-protest-surveillance/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Narrated by:  Jane Seidl

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1. What are the differences in methods when it comes to reaching large audiences through a non-profit organization such as Rest of World compared to a larger, for-profit legacy organization (i.e. WSJ)?

2. You've worked at most of your previous companies (Protocol, WSJ) as well as Rest of World for 2-3 years, considering the industry that you're in what let's you know that it's time to move on?

3. You have a background and experiences in analytics, data, audience development, and product. Which of these skills do you feel was the hardest to develop while also making you a competitive hire?

Sources:

https://www.janeseidel.com/work

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/details/experience/

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

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Jane Seidel | Data, audience, product work

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Jane Seidel is an audience editor and data analyst who has experience in scaling data capabilities in global newsrooms, analyzing and targeting audiences, executing user research, and launching journalism products.

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Questions: You’ve been working in different audience development and engagement roles for big and small newsrooms for the last 6 years and you’ve seen a lot of technological developments in that period.

1. Describe what a typical day as a Director for Audience & Analytics looks like.

2. What do you think about the level of recognition in the industry of the role of audience development and engagement in media organizations (and other sectors)? And how does this affect our career prospect?

3. What’s your top 3 advice for journalists looking for an audience development and engagement role?

4. What metrics are the most reliable for gauging success in your experience? Can you cite examples? How did these metrics impact the organization’s content strategy?

5. What’s the most effective strategy that you’ve seen for audience development and engagement offline?

OTHER QUESTIONS if we have more time:

1. What are the fundamental differences in your audience development and engagement strategy for legacy newsrooms like the Wall Street Journal and a nonprofit niche (smaller) newsroom like Rest of World?

2. What challenges have you faced with the editorial team at the WSJ about their reception of your audience data? How did you manage the pushback?

3. How did AI affect the way you approach your role? How do you stay abreast of all the tech developments that impact your role?

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/details/experience/

https://muckrack.com/jane-seidel

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

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Questions:

1. You’re an expert when it comes to SEO – with Google’s new AI-generated summaries, how has your approach evolved? Is SEO still as important as it used to be, and how have these summaries influenced Rest of World’s overall SEO strategy?

2. Since your job deals so much with metrics and performance, how do you balance data-driven insights with editorial judgment? How do you make sure you’re not just optimizing for what “clicks best”? And what happens if a journalist pitches an important story that your data suggests might not perform well?

3. analysis for more than eight years now. What have been some of the biggest changes in how audiences engage with content during that time? If you had to highlight three key takeaways, what do you think works best to build and sustain an engaged audience? Which metrics matter most to you — is it interactions, shares, time spent on site …?

More Questions:

1. Many newsrooms struggle to convert social media engagement into actual website traffic, where their revenue typically lies. How do you approach that challenge at Rest of World?

2. At the recent INN conference here at the school, there was a discussion about whether social media should primarily be used as a marketing tool to drive audiences to newsroom platforms, rather than meeting them where they are. What’s your take on that?

3. Some people – like Nilay Patel from The Verge – argue that it’s not content but distribution that’s king. Do you agree? Has distribution become more important than the content itself?

4. When you conduct user interviews, do you find that people are honest about their interests and needs? Have you noticed any recent shifts between what audiences say they want and what they actually engage with? What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in audience engagement and growth?

5. Which analytics tools or platforms do you rely on most to understand your audience metrics? In what ways do you use AI for audience analysis?

6. You’ve been working in audience

7. From your experience at the WSJ, how open-minded are more traditional or senior journalists when it comes to adjusting aspects of their coverage — like headlines or story angles — to perform better online?

—

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemseidel/details/experience/

https://www.janeseidel.com/work

https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

https://restofworld.org/

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Questions:

1. In the announcement of your promotion to Director of Audience & Analytics, the release said your position would entail "looking for new ways for [Rest of World] to boost returning readership on [their] site, and connect [with readership] off-platform..." In the 14 or so months since you've been on the job, what are some of the ways your team has worked toward that goal? Have their been any successes you're especially proud of?

2. Many of us are taking "Metrics and Outcomes" next semester - a class you've previously taught and, according to the course catalog, are teaching next semester. As we're getting ready for the class, what are some things we should be paying attention to and thinking about when we're reading/watching/listening to news in order to see it through a "metrics and outcomes" lens?

3. I saw on your website's "About" section you love going to New York Liberty games. As a season ticket holder myself - have to ask - do you think Sandy Brondello should have been fired?

Sources:

1. https://restofworld.org/inside/jane-seidel-promoted-to-director-audience-analytics/

2. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mmD2KxyY9fdSMnZm2R8BXi4wiZeydu2KgYR8nkpgKzE/edit?tab=t.0

3. https://www.janeseidel.com/about

# data[].attributes.body
Being prepared for an interview is job #1 of any journalist. You will have multiple opportunities to meet with guest speakers over the course of this term, and you will get the best out of these sessions by researching them in advance. For this assignment, you should read and/or listen to/watch material relevant to the guest speaker and the ideas they are coming in to discuss, ie, conduct a “clips search,” just as you would for any interview you are doing for a story (or a job interview). By Monday at noon, you should submit:

1. A list of 3-5 sources you used to prepare for the guest speaker

2. A list of 2-3 questions you generated for the speaker, based on the research you’ve done.