How Media Innovation Labs are shaping new journalistic formats

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How Media Innovation Labs are shaping new journalistic formats

Labs act as incubators for new ideas and provide a safe space for innovation. An overview of the current situation.

A post by Vanessa Kokoschka

Saturday, 19 December 2020

What’s new? As a journalist, this question is a constant companion throughout your professional life. But beyond the day-to-day news cycle, the search for new insights and original ideas also drives media and innovation research.

The role of Media Innovation Labs is to generate new, innovative approaches. These Labs see themselves as an experimental space for gathering ideas and developing concepts. But before we examine Media Innovation Labs in concrete terms, let’s take a look at the concept of innovation and the associated process. Textbooks offer numerous definitions of innovation. However, there is no universally accepted definition of the term. One reason for this is that innovations exist in every industry and therefore have different connotations in every discipline. A synthesis of different definitional approaches reveals a few overlapping characteristics (see Aregger 1976; García-Avilés et al. 2018; Dogruel 2013):

Novelty: The innovation represents a new development that has never been seen before and that has the potential to alter key aspects of the current system.
Closely linked to technology and research: Before an innovation is implemented, research is first carried out. The aim of the research is, for example, to gain a better understanding of user needs in order to develop a product that meets those needs perfectly.
Economic viability: The innovation must be promising and profitable for the company and should offer an economic advantage.
And particularly with regard to the media industry: An innovation has communicative implications within the media sector. This means it can lead to social changes, for example in the way we communicate with one another.

The path from idea to innovation

But an innovation does not appear overnight. It goes through a multi-phase process. The methodical process that can be used by Innovation Labs is presented in the following figure. In the first phase, the target group is analysed. User needs are identified through empirical research and the economic viability of journalistic productions is assessed. In the next step, the exploration phase, ideas are gathered to address the challenges (see Hensel/Wirsam 2008). This is where the first selection process takes place: the ideas are compared and their feasibility is assessed. Various methods are used to develop a specific idea, including traditional brainstorming, design thinking, hackathons and barcamps. It is beneficial to rely on interdisciplinary teams: people from different disciplines can combine multiple perspectives on a product through collaboration (see Deurloo/Moring 2018). An idea is then developed in more detail and the next stages of the project are planned. This is followed by prototyping: the selected project idea is implemented and presented internally. In addition, the prototype is tested to verify whether it actually meets user needs (see BR next 2020). If all these phases have been successful, the final step is to launch the project and improve it iteratively – always with the involvement of the target group. Depending on how well it is received by the target audience, the innovation may succeed in the market or it may be rejected. Throughout this entire innovation process, the culture of innovation is also a decisive factor. The more motivated senior management is, the more likely an innovation is to be implemented.

The role of Media Innovation Labs in this process

They see themselves as a safe experimental space in which people can develop ideas and innovations together. They are at the centre of a triangular constellation and seek to bring together the dimensions of new technologies, changing user needs and new organisational units. In doing so, they operate both independently and as part of a larger media company. A large number of Media Innovation Labs have emerged in recent years: at DER SPIEGEL, Burda, BILD, the Media Lab Bayern, and many more.

Some of these Labs, such as next Media Hamburg or the Journalism Lab of the State Institute of North Rhine-Westphalia, have an exclusively regional focus. However, they do not focus solely on purely local journalism. For example, next Media Hamburg sees itself as a hub connecting media companies, agencies, publishers and students. It organises events and runs labs in which experienced practitioners collaborate with students on innovations and prototypes.

Another example is the Greenhouse Innovation Lab run by Gruner+Jahr and the RTL media group. The aim is to explore new markets, target audiences and business models. Innovations are integrated into existing structures, either as a new organisational unit or by creating an entirely new environment.

There have also been significant developments in the field of innovation at public service broadcasters. Public service broadcasters face criticism for being too slow to adapt and for having lost the younger audience (under-30s). This target group consumes content mostly non-linearly (see ARD/ZDF Online Study: 2020). In order to provide content for these users as well, public broadcasters are investing in digital products. One approach to innovation is the Media Innovation Labs. These are linked to the regional broadcasters: the AI + Automation Lab at Bayerischer Rundfunk, the X Lab at Südwestrundfunk, and mdr next at Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk. In addition, the Innovation and Digital Agency (ida) was launched this year. It is a joint subsidiary of ZDF and mdr. It, too, supports the development of digital innovations from concept to implementation.

But what are the results of these innovation labs? The NDR podcast featuring Christian Drosten is a case in point. The virologist discusses the latest developments relating to the coronavirus on a weekly basis. The podcast is the result of a collaboration between NDR Info and the NDR Audio Lab.

Google News Lab – a blessing or a curse?

Another, and in some respects controversial, innovation lab is the Google News Lab. This lab forms part of the Google News Initiative and, according to its own information, works with news organisations from more than 50 countries. According to a study by the Otto Brenner Foundation, Germany is the biggest beneficiary of this funding programme. According to the study, Google has funded more than 90 projects in Germany, totalling over 21 million euros. Among the news organisations receiving support are major media companies such as Der Spiegel, dpa, DuMont Mediengruppe, FAZ, Gruner+Jahr and others. This support is controversial for several reasons: on the one hand, critics argue that Google is not a philanthropist, but that the corporation is primarily concerned with exerting influence. For example, Google can strategically influence the technological development of the industry by establishing its services within newsrooms. Furthermore, this could lead to self-censorship. Another argument suggests that a well-thought-out campaign lies behind the funding, aimed at avoiding unwanted regulations (such as ancillary copyright).

On the other hand, the Google News Lab also offers advantages: the fellowship programme offers young journalists the opportunity to undertake internships in renowned editorial offices. In addition, the Google News Lab is often the only chance for media companies to fund innovations. Other media innovation labs, such as the one in North Rhine-Westphalia, have a regional focus and may not have such a large budget. In this respect, media companies are faced with an all-or-nothing scenario: either accept the money from Google or make no innovative progress at all.

In light of all these points, it can be said that there is still great potential for innovation in journalism in general. This is demonstrated above all by the emergence of numerous innovation labs in recent times – and more will follow in the coming year, such as the InnovationLab Kids in Erfurt. Working in interdisciplinary teams brings together different perspectives. The focus is shifting towards user-centred formats that are developed through an iterative approach. The continuous refinement of journalistic products is particularly crucial for the future of journalism. The work of the Media Innovation Labs will reveal whether there will be new, revolutionary developments in the future.

How Media Innovation Labs are shaping new journalistic formats

The path from idea to innovation

The role of Media Innovation Labs in this process

Google News Lab – a blessing or a curse?

Further reading and recommendations: