Reynolds Fellow launches media technology ratings and review site
The first Angie's list-style review site for media technology, MediaExecsTech was launched officially this week.
Developed by LocalMediaInsider for its more than 400 media subscribers, MediaExecsTech was part of a fellowship at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism this past year.
Any member of a journalism-based media company can now join the network by paying a fee of less than $2 a week. Users then get access to the resource center of best practice case studies.
“Our job is to produce better intelligence through peer-sharing,” said Reynolds Fellow Alisa Cromer, founder of LocalMediaInsider. “In the past, when our subscribers worked on a multi-media project, they accessed our resource center of best practice case studies to find who had succeeded elsewhere, how they did it, and what resources they used.”
Now, with the help of MediaExecsTech, subscribers can also look directly for technology resources that other media executives have endorsed, whether or not there is a case study, said Cromer.
The network intends to help solve the problem of finding the best options quickly, so executives can work smarter.
“There are multi-millions invested in thousands of technology tools that are often free, almost free or at least very high ROI for media to use. The challenge is to quickly find the best tools for the task, ” said Cromer. “Between the executives’ picks and the review recommendations, we make the process of finding technology simpler and faster.”
Recommended companies range from ad networks and pay-per-lead software to email platforms and CRM systems. More than 300 companies in 80 categories and subcategories of technology have been recommended and rated by media executives in the network.
To launch the network, the marketing research department of the University of Missouri interviewed two hundred media executives by telephone and transcribed the rating and reviews.
As a result, the network launched with more than 300 reviews from print, radio and television executives.
Having access to knowledge across a variety of different media is important to the network because of converging technologies. In the digital world, a newspaper company can launch a newscast and a television site can launch a classifieds platform. A radio station may compete with both of these when launching a sports or weather app in its market.
“Our goal is to create a resource center for media companies to partner as they evolve into multi-media companies. To help them work smarter, make better decisions, and better media,” said Cromer. “We are always finding interesting technology we didn’t know existed. And sometimes when you know the technology is there, you can do new things or find efficiencies that you would not have tried otherwise.”
Members of the network can search by highest ratings, most ratings, or newest ratings by category.
Upon joining, new members to the network are asked to rate and comment on two resources they use.
Technology is rated in five key areas: price, customer service, functionality, competitive advantage and how well it integrates.
Members can also click on the people who left reviews to find who they are and how to contact them, creating a referral network.
“We are hoping to partner with other media associations to help them better serve their members, who are always asking for referral for technology,” said Cromer.
Owned by NewMediaHub, LLC., LocalMediaInsider.com is also evolving. Programmer Kashif Ali and Chief Technology Officer Danielle DanGoia, president of ThreeFiveSolutions, will stay on as permanent team-members. A custom paid content gateway that allows for membership levels and customized partnerships with other associations designed for LocalMediaInsider by Creative Circle Media Solutions has also been activated.
A new round of surveys this month will bring another 100 members from broadcast and magazines into the network.
Contact:
Alisa Cromer
alisacromer@localmediainsider.com
About the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute works with citizens, journalists and researchers to strengthen democracy through better journalism. RJI seeks out the most exciting new ideas, tests them with real-world experiments, uses social science research to assess their effectiveness and delivers solutions that citizens and journalists can put to use in their own communities.
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