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The 24-hour news cycle and the link economy – sharing of news stories over social networks –
has changed reader expectations around major news events.
The pressure to stay on top of daily developments is more intense than it has ever been. Even on
so-called "commodity news" - a press briefing, a protest march - you cannot afford to be late. If your
story does not appear near the top in search, or is not shared widely in social media, you lose
eyeballs – maybe forever.
As a result, it can be tough to find the time or bandwidth to pursue or develop quick turn
enterprise or deeper investigations – stories that advance a continuous news event, or even change
the outline of the narrative. But this kind of work is essential. Breaking news coverage attracts
visitors; enterprise and investigations during breaking news can help turn visitors into paying
subscribers.
Here are some ways to balance the demands of daily coverage with the need to go deeper. They
apply especially to the first days and weeks after a breaking news event. They worked well for us at
the Star Tribune in the first two weeks after the shooting of Philando Castile.