ISOJ 2007

1. 1
chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Everything changes when you make readers leaders
Dean Betz, online news editor

2. 2chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

3. 3chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

4. 4chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

Changing the way we cover news
– for the better

5. 5chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Blogs

Engaging our writers – and our Web site – more
with readers

Providing more perspective on topics than we
could with our own staff alone

Changing the way we cover news
– for the better

The future? It's not about us.
It's about the readers

6. 6chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

7. 7chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

8. 8chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

Still the newspaper’s voice

9. 9chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The staff

Blogging by reporters and editors

Still the newspaper’s voice

First steps at building a relationship with the
readers through comments and feedback

10. 10chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

11. 11chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

Started as a daily
commentary on
popular culture for
staff

12. 12chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
MeMo

Started as a daily
commentary on
popular culture for
staff

Now one of site’s
most popular
blogs, earned
honors (including
an EPpy) for its
clever, oblique
angle.

13. 13chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

14. 14chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

15. 15chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

Launched early
2006

16. 16chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Mama Drama

Early step at giving
community a voice

Launched early
2006

Original videos,
great comment-
conversation

17. 17chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

18. 18chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

Real-time
reporting of
storm’s approach,
massive
evacuation

19. 19chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Hurricane Rita

Real-time
reporting of
storm’s approach,
massive
evacuation

Readers connect,
share experiences
in comments

20. 20chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

21. 21chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

22. 22chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

Share tips on gas,
supplies, highway
congestion

23. 23chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
The Road Home

Readers’ report on
evacuation via
phone, e-mail, text

Share tips on gas,
supplies, highway
congestion

‘Networked
journalism’ on a
simple scale

24. 24chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

25. 25chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

"Number One …
the Houston
Chronicle. By a
mile"

Relationship with
readers:
“Alternately
inform, and be
informed by them”

26. 26chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

27. 27chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

28. 28chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

29. 29chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

30. 30chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

Comments, reader
participation

31. 31chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Best blogs

Ease-of-use, clear
navigation

Currency

Quality of writing,
thinking and
linking

Voice

Comments, reader
participation

Range, originality

32. 32chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

33. 33chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

34. 34chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

Readers added
depth via
comments

35. 35chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Changing reporting

Reporters blogged
Enron trial live

Readers added
depth via
comments

Back-and-forth
grew into “Ask
Mary”

36. 36chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

37. 37chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… from pets

38. 38chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to guns

39. 39chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to gadgets

40. 40chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
Readers add
breadth

… to faith

41. 41chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

42. 42chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

43. 43chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

44. 44chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

Make groups

45. 45chron.com
Blogging: Just the beginning
It’s not about us

It’s about the
network

Tools for people to
tell their own
stories

Make groups

Drive the news