Change management in newsrooms is often framed by big adjustments in strategy, operations and tools. But often, newsroom transformations stumble because its leaders fail to address the importance of culture -- making sure the wider group has the right mindset for change. This presentation was delivered at the Digital Disruption Forum conference in Kiev, Ukraine on April 4, 2017.

1. Alan Soon
Founder & CEO
alansoon@thesplicenewsroom.com
@alansoon
@splicenewsroom
How to get culture change right in
newsroom transformations

2. • Newsroom strategy and
operations consultant
• Specialist in digital transformation
and change management
• Career journalist
• Radio, TV, newswires, magazines,
online
• ONA Singapore co-founder
• Rockstart’s tech startup
accelerator program in Singapore
About me.

3. Our mission
To help editorial newsrooms
shift from traditional publishing
models to building
sustainable, digital-first
organizations.

4. Our clients
and partners.

5. What makes us different.
• You can’t drive transformation merely through a
strategy view. We take an operational view to
driving change.
• We’re newsroom operators first — practical
editorial approaches to change.
• We believe in getting culture right.
Transformation is a journey; it’s a mindset, not
a destination.

6. So why do so many newsroom
transformations get stuck?

7. Transformation doesn’t start with
a page redesign, a new tool, or
a new mission statement.

8. Culture as a culprit.
But when done right, it’s also
your competitive edge.

9. 1+1=5
Culture drives performance.

10. What’s culture?
The way stuff gets done in your
team through the way people
connect with one another.

11. “Culture eats strategy
for breakfast.”
Peter Drucker

12. "Build a team like you're collecting art
-- the group should be greater than the
sum of its parts."
Justin Smith, Bloomberg Media CEO

13. People aren’t necessarily
afraid of change.
They’re afraid you don’t know
how to get them there.

14. 8 principles on how to
do it right.

15. Done is better than
perfect. Don’t let the myth
of perfection get in the way
of you taking the first step.
Move first, then iterate.
#1
Perfection

16. Assign someone to run
experiments — try things, even
if it may fail. Find someone
hungry to do it and give them
air cover to fail so that the
wider newsroom learns.
#2
Empower

17. Include everyone. Don't turn it
into an us-against-them fight.
Be known for empowerment
across all levels, roles. Develop
a common language so that
everyone is on the same page.
#3
Include

18. Over-communicate, even
when you think people
understand it. Best done
face-to-face. Be transparent
about your concerns — as
well as everyone else’s.
#4
Share

19. Create processes, but only as
a last resort. Processes work
best to deliver operational
efficiency but are terrible in
managing people. Invest in
creating trust instead.
#5
Trust

20. Alignment, experimentation
and collaboration are the
primary measure of
progress. Set them clearly.
Build inertia.
#6
Milestones

21. Find ways to champion
people who share these
principles. Celebrate
them. Reward them.
#7
Incentivize

22. Look to other industries for
ideas, analogies and case
studies. If media had
answers to its own
problems, you wouldn’t need
newsroom consultants.
#8
Learn

23. Email
alansoon@thesplicenewsroom.com
Twitter
@alansoon
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http://bit.ly/splicesubscribe
Blog
http://medium.com/splicenewsroom
Stay in touch.

24. thesplicenewsroom.com
@alansoon

25. Alan Soon
alansoon@thesplicenewsroom.com
Alan Soon is Asia's leading specialist on newsroom
operations, digital transformation and the business of
media. He is the Founder & CEO of The Splice
Newsroom, an editorial consultancy that builds,
develops and transforms newsrooms.
For more than 20 years, Alan has worked in radio, TV,
news wires, magazine and online across Asia. He
started out as a reporter and grew into other
operational roles including producer, editor, newsroom
manager and eventually a business leader.
Alan led one of the largest digital news teams in the
industry as Yahoo’s Managing Editor for India and
Southeast Asia. He’s also worked at CNBC and
Bloomberg across Asia.
Alan is a regular speaker at international media
conferences and is a co-founder of the Online News
Association in Singapore.