Tech Journalism: The New Era
Shining a light on tech journalism - a collaborative effort between NSoJ and the International Data Group.
Features
Priyanka Giri and Virginia Arivu (BA '23)
NSoJ, in association with the world's leading tech publishing firm, The International Data Group (IDG), is holding a tech journalism workshop aimed to understand an organization’s target audience, the business side of tech and the fundamentals of tech news writing. Mr. Eric Knorr, Editor in Chief, and Mr. Galen Gruman, Executive Editor for Global Content are the speakers for the ongoing workshop.
The initial session of the workshop was held on May 7 where the speakers addressed the business side of exchange and tech reporting. This included service journalism (applicable to customers) and trade journalism which includes any industry-related news such as mergers, company’s product launches, etc. The IDG aims at combining service with trade journalism by obtaining expert opinions and strategies and providing resources to professionals to enable career growth.
The speakers highlighted the importance of target audiences - customers, tech professionals and investors. Tech professionals include managers, IT decision-makers such as chief information officers, chief information security officers, software developers, network engineers, and architects. On the other hand, the speakers addressed the importance of the stock market and its effects on the organization.
Further, the speakers spoke about knowing one’s target audience. The emphasis was on understanding the customer’s needs, aspirations, and fears; interacting with them through events and interviews; identifying how competitors analyse audiences; conducting surveys; and managing as well as directing traffic towards popular stories. This was connected to the methods used by publications to generate revenue, namely advertisements, sponsorships, lead generation, customising content, and affiliating e-commerce facilities in order to attract and grow the customer base.
They also spoke on the essential difference between the editorial and business aspects of an organisation. They emphasised the importance of an independent editorial team that establishes trust among the audience through accuracy, utility, and understanding. The editorial is a separate entity supported by a business that is focused on the audience’s needs and must align with the overall business agenda of the organisation.
The remaining sessions are expected to address the dynamics involved in reaching a specialised audience and the application of tech journalism to other areas.
