RTS: INVESTING IN SOCIAL MEDIA TO MEET AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS
Broadcasters may be waking up to the public service value and opportunities for creativity that social media offers, but the jury is still out on how best to integrate it into media workflows. Some companies have centralized teams working on social media strategy, while others leave it up to individual departments or production units.
I recently spoke to Radio Télévision Suisse’s Social Media Manager, David Lamon, about the Swiss broadcaster’s approach and some of the challenges the company is facing.
Mike Mullane: How important is social media at RTS?
DL: The importance of social media at RTS is growing all the time. Today, these platforms have become broadcasting channels in their own right, where we can interact with our audiences, disseminate content suited to these media and promote our complete package.
Often, social media enables us to reach demographics who are no longer responsive to radio and television. Social media is an integral part of our public-service remit because we can’t leave digital audiences out in the cold.
MM: How embedded is social media and how is it integrated into the overall content strategy?
DL: The importance that RTS attaches to social media is reflected in the participation of social media experts in the programme-design process and special projects. It ensures that the creative contribution of social media can be considered from the outset.
Members of the Management Board and managing editors are intrigued by how storytelling is taking hold on social media and are eager for new experiences in this field. Interaction with audiences contributes a great deal to our thinking on the future of our medium.
MM: At RTS, would you say that social media is ever a point of departure, or is it something that is added onto radio and TV output as an afterthought?
DL: The trend is that social media is being slotted into the process at ever earlier stages.
For example, the new version of Nouvo – whose baseline is “keep the news flowing” – was specially thought up for social media as regards codes, grammar and target audience. This was also the case in the production of our latest web-series, most notably Bipèdes and Hellvetia.
Another example is the recent Exils project by Nicolae Schiau, who travelled with a group of Syrian refugees, posting updates of their journey on Twitter and Instagram.
The quintessence of these projects, in which social media take precedence, is that a specific narrative is developed for them. It is no longer appropriate simply to deploy content designed for TV or radio on these platforms; instead, bespoke concepts must be designed.
MM: How many people work on social media at RTS and what are their roles?
DL: RTS has a three-tier structure comprising a social media unit, a group of in-house specialists and editorial staff who write for our various accounts.
The three-member social media unit is in charge of Radio Télévision Suisse’s specific strategy in this area. It also acts as a incubator for projects relating to social media, provides much of the content that we post on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts, and offers in-house training opportunities for journalists, web editors and managers.
This unit works hand in hand with the seven in-house specialists, representing the main RTS departments. These specialists are responsible for informing the social media unit about projects and ideas emanating from their respective departments and for ensuring that strategy is properly implemented at their level.
Lastly, the editorial staff responsible for posting to our various accounts function in some respects as community managers representing channels and individual programmes. It is important that such publications are managed directly by editorial teams to ensure optimal consistency with radio and TV output.
MM: How do you measure the impact and success of your social media strategy?
DL: We use several indicators: the size of our communities as well as publication frequency, reach and – most important of all – engagement. Engagement is central to our thinking as this factor measures the real impact of our publications by compiling likes, comments, re-tweets and instances of sharing.
By gauging our audiences’ reactions, we can refine the selection of content that we offer to them. Engagement is also a useful indicator for measuring the degree of interaction with our community.
We use the enterprise version of Hootsuite together with the Agorapulse Barometer, which monitors our performance on Facebook.
MM: Which of your projects from the past year really stand out for you?
DL: The “Exiles” project, developed by journalist Nicolae Schiau, was managed on social networks by the social media unit thanks to the constant dedication of our colleague Magali Philip. For almost a month, Nicolae Schiau travelled with a group of Syrian migrants, from Kilis in Turkey to the Jungle refugee camp in Calais, reporting using a smartphone, a GoPro camera and a Shure microphone.
He conveyed his experiences in a radio report and a longer video diary. However, Twitter and Instagram postings soon became the main communication channels for this project.
Altogether, 2'000 tweets were sent with the #exils hashtag during his month on the road. In addition, there was interactivity on Periscope and videos were posted on Facebook – conveying a sentiment of being constantly with the migrants and experiencing their journey at first hand.
This immersive experience has laid the foundations for a new type of storytelling that we would like to continue with other projects.
MM: What are your biggest challenges going forward?
DL: This year is a sporting year, featuring the UEFA Euro 2016 football championships and the Rio Olympic Games. With both these events, we will be testing out new tools.
Staying close to the public – especially the 18-25 age bracket, which is increasingly impervious to our radio and TV channels – is an obvious challenge.
Additionally, output on social media will be increased through the establishment of a dedicated editorial team, which will select and edit existing content for these platforms. It will create innovative content, totally different from our standard broadcasting practices.
Against this backdrop, we have to maximize community participation to streamline our offer and meet the expectations of our audience.
