The use of audience data and metrics in newsrooms

How can newsrooms use audience analytics to empower journalism rather than fall victim to a tyranny of metrics? A diverse range of quality news organizations including the Guardian, the BBC, and others are leading the way in the development of distinct forms of "editorial analytics".

These editorially-lead approaches to analytics differ from more generic and rudimentary forms of analytics in being tailored around particular editorial priorities and organizational imperatives; they are built around particular kinds of journalism and particular business models or public service purposes, rather than simply using crude metrics like page views or unique users for short-term optimization.

In this panel, we discuss the development of editorial analytics, why most news organizations are not there yet, and what the journey ahead looks like for audience analytics in newsrooms.

See the February 2016 RISJ report written by Federica Cherubini and Rasmus Klein entitled Editorial analytics: how news media are developing and using audience data and metrics.

Organised in association with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford.