Tech Stack

Executive Summary

This report also provides an overview of the technology used by Black newsrooms and publishers, as well as their satisfaction and challenges with their current technology stack. The report is based on a survey of nearly 50 Black-owned media outlets across different platforms and audience sizes, as well as six in-depth case studies of publishers who have changed or improved their technology over time.

The main findings of the report are:

• Newspack and WordPress were the most popular content management systems (CMS) among the surveyed publishers, and both received high ratings for their functionality, and customization. However, some publishers expressed concerns about the cost and maintenance of these platforms.
• ActiveCampaign and MailChimp were the most popular email service providers (ESP) among the surveyed publishers, and Active Campaign was highly rated for its features, analytics, and integration with other tools. MailChimp was not as well regarded, mainly due to its pricing structure.
• Google Analytics and Parse.ly were the most used analytics platforms among the surveyed publishers, and both were highly regarded for their ability to provide insights into audience behavior, engagement, and revenue. Parse.ly was especially praised for its real-time data, user-friendly interface, and content optimization features.
• Google’s AdSense and Ad Manager were widely used as digital advertising solutions among the surveyed publishers, and were considered a well-regarded one-stop solution for monetizing their content.
• Most publishers surveyed did not have an audience revenue technology solution at all, and relied on manual or ad hoc methods to collect payments from their readers or supporters. For those who did have a solution, Newspack and Givebutter were the most popular options. Both were similarly regarded in a positive way for their ease of use, flexibility, and integration with other platforms.

There were some distinctions based on popularity and efficacy of technology solutions based on the audience size and the medium of the publishers. For example, smaller publishers tended to prefer less expensive solutions, while larger publishers invested more in premium or customized solutions. Similarly, print-based publishers had different needs and preferences than digital-based publishers.

The case studies illustrate how publishers have evolved their tech stack over time, based on various factors such as their goals, resources, capabilities, and challenges. We saw that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for technology adoption, and that publishers need to consider multiple aspects when developing their technology strategy. Some of the key lessons learned from the case studies include:

• Know what you want your website to accomplish before choosing a CMS.
• Understanding your financial and human resource capacity. If you have limitations, you may have to start with a simpler platform and expand as your business grows.
• Understanding the way different technologies integrate and build your tech stack with integrations in mind.
• Choosing technology, when possible, based on potential and growth, not just the current state of your business.

Definitions

Technology Stack

A technology stack (tech stack) is a set of technologies that are used to build and run an organization. For a newsroom, a tech stack can help create and manage digital content and audiences and generate revenue. For this research, our exploration of the tech stack was limited to the following components:

• A content management system (CMS) that allows journalists to create, edit, and publish content online. Examples of CMS are WordPress, NewsPack, and Squarespace.
• A CRM (customer relationship management) system that helps newsrooms manage their interactions with their audiences, subscribers, donors, or advertisers.
• A web analytics tool that tracks and measures the performance and user behavior of the web application. Examples of web analytics tools are Google Analytics, Pares.ly or Chartbeat.
• An email service provider (ESP) that offers tools and services for sending and managing email campaigns. Examples include MailChimp, Active Campaign & Madmimi.
• A digital advertising platform that allows advertisers to create, manage, and deliver online ads to their target audiences. Some examples of digital advertising platforms are Google Adsense, Broadstreet and WordAds. 
• An audience revenue platform that helps newsrooms to monetize their content with features such as subscription, donor or membership management, paywall integration, and more. Some examples of audience revenue platforms are Pico, Piano, and News Revenue Hub.

Large Audience

A newsroom that reaches over 50,000 people monthly

Recommendation Score

The recommendation score is a measure of customer loyalty and satisfaction based on how likely they are to recommend a product or service to others. Respondents were asked how likely they are to recommend each technology solution to a friend or colleague on a scale of 1-10. For the purposes of this study, a score of 7 or higher correlates with general satisfaction.

Methodology

This study aims to identify the technology Black newsrooms are using as well as their efficacy in order to help publishers make better-informed decisions on their technology stack. The methodology for this research consists of two main components: a survey and interviews.

The survey was designed to collect quantitative data on the preferences and experiences of Black publishers with various technologies and software vendors. The survey was shared with our network of Black publishers via email and social media platforms. We received 44 individual responses from different newsrooms across the country. We then weighted the responses from organizations that represented multiple newsrooms to develop our survey findings. The survey included questions on the following topics:

• The size and scope of the newsroom
• The current technology stack and vendors used by the newsroom
• The satisfaction and loyalty levels with the current technology and vendors

After we received survey responses, interviews were conducted with a subset of six newsroom respondents – who represented a range of sizes, scopes, and satisfaction levels – to collect qualitative data on the reasons behind their responses and to gain deeper insights into the journeys these Black publishers went through to develop their tech stacks. We conducted semi-structured, 30 to 60 minute interviews with a representative from each newsroom via phone or video call and covered the following topics: 

• The decision-making process and criteria for choosing technology and vendors
• The benefits and drawbacks of the current technology and vendors
• The challenges and opportunities faced by the newsroom in terms of technology and vendors
• The future plans and expectations of the newsroom regarding technology and vendors

We transcribed and coded the interview data to identify common themes and patterns across the interviewees to validate and enrich our findings.