I've been using this space to "think out loud" about an idea: how to quickly and dramatically improve the newsrooms of public radio stations (and public TV if you wish) by injecting them with a change agent -- digital innovation laboratories.
The original proposal was developed earlier this year during my Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford. I won't repeat all the background of the original -- rather this is an attempt to fold-in changes based on the excellent feed-back I received and shared recently.
The important refinements are these:
-- to de-emphasize the lab as a physical space. While there is benefit in having a designated place with helpful tools and infrastructure, the larger need is the adoption of the innovation mindset and the integration of "design thinking."
-- to more strongly emphasize the "connectivity" that feeds the innovation mindset. These are the open lines of communication within the station, the involvement of the local community, the learning that comes by sharing with the world of industry and the academy, and especially the connectivity between the simultaneously operating public media innovation labs.
-- and the final refinement is to narrow the range of experiments at the outset. Originally, I was rather open to any and all definitions of innovation, depending upon the station's history and perceived needs. Rather, I'm looking to set tighter parameters and focus more on the direction we know we need to go.
The idea here is to foster this conversation among interested parties and develop a funding plan for a pilot phase.
Below is the summary of the innoval labs proposal as of this writing:
Networked Innovation Laboratories at NPR Stations
A Pilot Proposal by Michael V. Marcotte
September 2011
Project Summary
In his proposal, Michael Marcotte, a proven leader in public media, calls for the eventual wide-scale establishment of innovation laboratories at local public broadcast stations to drive organizational change and adoption of new skills, new technology and new practices. These advancements are needed to upgrade the public service capacity of America’s mission-oriented newsrooms at a time when leading observers are urging public media leaders to assume a larger role in providing for the information needs of local communities.
The strategy is to create site-based "innovation labs" at stations for training and applied experimentation. The pilot project, if funded, would seed multiple sites with centralized planning support, an on-site editor/trainer, and an outlay for new technology. Project outcomes may vary according to site and strategic goals but remain consistent with overall mission to advance systemic change toward adaptation of new technologies and processes in news.
These laboratories would be modeled after a successful prototype, "The Jacobs Lab," established by Mr. Marcotte when he was news director at KPBS in San Diego.
The pilot program envisions 3 to 5 stations funded at approximately $250,000 each, tapered over 3 years.
Project management includes station recruitment, customized strategic planning (including editorial, technological and development support), plus ongoing training and interconnection. The central project management team would include a national director, an editorial specialist, a development specialist, and a technology specialist. These roles would be funded at a combined cost of approximately $250,000 per year.
A start-up grant of $65,000 is sought to begin a six-month planning phase.
The full draft proposal is online: http://www.mikemarcotte.com/2011/06/innovation-labs-in-local-npr-stations.html
Michael Marcotte is a 2011 Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and past president of Public Radio News Directors, Inc. He has 30 years of experience in journalism including public media management, consulting and training. Read more here: http://www.mikemarcotte.com/michael-marcotte.html
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