With an increasing number of channels and contact points on the one hand, and ever finer target group segments on the other, the demands on communications departments are constantly rising: to work faster and more effectively, to create a cross-media and creative dialogue with employees, customers and stakeholders using credible and relevant messages. In addition, communication plays a key role in corporate development. Innovation capabilities and new business models create permanent demand for change and require an agile organization that supports strategic goals across divisions and functions while turning employees into co-designers. The classic communications department as the “mouthpiece” of corporate management, structured according to channels and target groups, is now a thing of the past. The Corporate Newsroom is a model for further development.
The Corporate Newsroom is where corporate communications are merged, coordinated and harmonized. Internal and external communication flow together. At the organizational level, the newsroom concept aims to reduce hierarchies, shorten decision-making paths, eliminate unnecessary duplication of work and deploy the flexible use of resources and know-how. The core idea behind the Corporate Newsroom is to think in terms of topics rather than channels – a change in perspective from “inside-out” to “outside-in”. Processes, functions and roles are oriented towards the core ideas of agile working. This way, the Corporate Newsroom can become the role model and vanguard of an agile organization, a marketplace and nerve center for interaction within the company as well as between the company and its business environment.
The newsroom concept leaves ample scope for the further development of communications departments who are seeking answers to the new demands being placed on their roles. Transforming office spaces – or tearing down walls – is by no means essential; Because there is no such thing as the one and only solution. It is important to find a way that is adapted both to the existing corporate culture as well as individual resources and communication goals.
Why K12?
K12 is well equipped to support companies in setting up and developing Corporate Newsrooms. We recognize the real challenges in external and internal communication through our experience in the areas of corporate communications and change communications. We know which methods are proven in practice during the further development of organizations. Last but not least, we have the digital know-how for orchestrating a wide variety of channels, for using data in conception, control and automation processes.
Our Empowering Change approach is based on involving all relevant stakeholders within the company from the outset – from the definition of objectives to conception, and from implementation to further development in daily operations. Because we value a pragmatic approach that leads swiftly to tangible success.
Corporate Newsroom concepts for smaller organizations
Our services for the conception and introduction of the Corporate Newsroom:
- Analysis: Exploring the status quo, key aspects and influencing factors of existing communication
- Strategy and argumentation: Guiding principles for conception and implementation, expectations of corporate culture and internal culture from the company’s perspective (vision, role, goals, connection to corporate strategy) and employees’ points of view
- Concept: Definition of roles, processes, responsibilities and coordination routines
- Accompaniment of the change process: Creating an organizational/cultural framework
- Content audit and content strategy: Strategic topic planning, topic searching, collection of events, milestones etc,
- Topic and channel responsibility: Definition of strategic core topics, allocation of the most important initiatives and projects, allocation of personnel responsibilities such as sponsor, owner etc.)
- Editorial guidelines and planning methods including checklists
- Editorial support, also for audio and video formats
- Process design and coaching
- Use of data in processes: From the operationalization of strategy, listening and “outside-in” content to ongoing evaluation
- Editorial Kanban
- Fake news management
- Format configurator
- Influencer Listening
- Automation options for channel management
- Bots or the use of AI or Machine Learning in text production
- Composition and detailed objectives for project teams
- Development of platforms (virtual/real) for exchanging experiences
- Pilot Projects / “Quick Wins”
- Newsroom simulator
- Monitoring of intermediate results and obstacles
- Adaptation of key topics to formats and channels
- Editorial systems, storylining, templates, time planning, and “song sheets”
- Workshops on agile methods (Scrum, Design Thinking etc.)
Our partners for the “all-in-one” Corporate Newsroom solution
K12 has extensive expertise in areas relevant to the implementation of Corporate Newsrooms – including a strong nework of reliable partners.
For specific challenges, such as automated text production, analysis of reputation risks, development of fake news management processes or analysis of big data, we work closely with specialists from our Cognitive PR (to the article series).
Sieber Senior Advisors supports us in automation. The company pressrelations provides data that are indispensable to ensure current developments are followed “live” in the newsroom.
