Navigating the modern newsroom with digital first workflows

In 2009, Aaron Jansen, now Sales Director of EMEA at Arc XP, played a crucial role in launching the Alaska Dispatch—a digital first news site. The initial phase was promising; they broke several stories, garnered attention, and secured a well-funded owner. Engaging in impactful journalism, they influenced the news cycle, spoke truth to power, and, above all, enjoyed the process. Through their successes, a challenge emerged—they weren’t making any money.

In a surprising move in 2014, the organization acquired the Anchorage Daily News, the largest and oldest newspaper in the state. Essentially, this forward-thinking, tech-savvy news organization chose to embrace decades of tech debt, a massive printing press, and an outdated business model—all of which were operating at a financial loss.

Suddenly, Aaron found himself faced with a new job: merge a fully digital newsroom, with one that still gauged achievement by the prominence of bylines on the front page of the paper.

From Aaron’s experience with Anchorage Daily News, three key takeaways emerged:

1. Everything starts with culture: Change is daunting, but Aaron emphasizes the need for empathy, buy-in, and a defined North Star to guide organizations through the transformation.

2. Don’t forget about your workflow: Once culture is aligned, the tactical focus shifts to workflow optimization. Breaking down silos, rethinking meetings, and using data to drive decisions become crucial.

3. Align your tech stack: Highlighting the necessity for technology to complement cultural and workflow changes, Aaron stresses the importance of a flexible tech stack tailored to individual newsrooms’ needs.

Despite facing challenges, the Alaska Dispatch and Anchorage Daily News not only successfully emerged under new ownership but also achieved significant milestones. Their accomplishments include winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2020 and gaining national recognition through a network TV show in the United States.

Aaron’s personal journey continued with a transition to Arc XP, where he has been instrumental in the digital evolution of newsrooms worldwide. For deeper insights into Anchorage Daily News’ digital transformation and the valuable lessons learned, watch the full video presentation above.