The corporate newsroom will only be effective if it is implemented consistently

The corporate newsroom will only be effective if it is implemented consistently

Interview with: Prof. Dr. Christoph Moss

The corporate newsroom is seen as the ideal solution for strategic communication in times of growing complexity. But the reality looks more sober. A long-term study by Prof. Dr. Christoph Moss based on 743 interviews shows: Only around a third of communications departments actually work in a newsroom-like manner. The biggest obstacle here is neither technology nor AI – but inadequate processes, unclear roles and a lack of strategic consistency. In the “Newsroom Schnack” of the CvDs interest group of AG CommTech, Christoph Moss presented the study results and explained why many organizations fail at the newsroom, what distinguishes successful from mediocre models and why the human factor remains crucial despite all the automation. We conducted the interview following the event, which took place on December 10.

AG CommTech: Christoph, you and your team have analyzed 743 interviews on the corporate newsroom over the years. What makes this study special?

Christoph Moss: Firstly, the scope, and secondly, the openness. We deliberately worked without a standardized questionnaire and conducted a large number of qualitative interviews with communication and marketing managers. These interviews resulted in around 20,000 coding units, which we summarized into seven evaluation criteria. These criteria were then weighted by 30 experts. From this, we developed an evaluation matrix with 150 anchors and used it to analyze 209 organizations. The result is a corporate newsroom score from 1 to 10, which shows very clearly where organizations really stand.

AG CommTech: And what does this score show about the state of the corporate newsroom?

Christoph Moss: One thing above all: disillusionment. The most important finding is that 51 percent of respondents say that the process is not right. That is an extremely clear statement. Only a good third of the communications departments surveyed even cross the newsroom threshold. Two thirds still work in the traditional way – with all the known problems. On our scale, these organizations have a median score of around 2, which is a very long way from what can seriously be described as a newsroom.

AG CommTech: Where exactly is this newsroom threshold?

Christoph Moss: With a value of 5.5, our model looks at two dimensions: the strategic framework and operational cooperation. Both are closely linked. A functioning newsroom is only created when both are sufficiently developed. Anything above that is a newsroom, anything below is not. Truly effective newsrooms are at 7 and above. The winners of our Corporate Newsroom Award achieve scores of 9 or more.

AG CommTech: Which organizations do this particularly often?

Christoph Moss: Medicine and pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, NGOs, infrastructure, transport and municipal companies perform remarkably well. Cities and municipal organizations in particular surprise with very professional newsroom structures. Insurance companies, associations and clubs are also often well above average. And public authorities, which were long regarded as laggards, have caught up enormously in terms of communication in recent years.

AG CommTech: Does the size of a communications department play a role here?

Christoph Moss: Not at all. That is one of the clearest findings. Large teams can do badly, small teams can do very well – and vice versa. It’s not the size that matters, but the consistency, clarity and quality of the work. A small team with clearly defined processes and a clear strategy can function much better than a large team without structure. Stadtwerke Neuwied is a good example of this: three employees, a clear strategy, consistent use of AI – and a very good score.

AG CommTech: Processes seem to be a central problem. Why is that?

Christoph Moss: Because in many communications departments they have never really been set up properly. Processes have often grown historically, are not documented, not digitalized and certainly not automated. And without clean processes, AI won’t work. This explains why AI is discussed in many communications departments, but hardly ever used systematically. Attempts are made to apply technology to structural deficits – which cannot work.

AG CommTech: Can the success of a newsroom be measured over time?

Christoph Moss: Yes. We have carried out before-and-after measurements at numerous organizations. The result is clear: those who work consistently on the newsroom improve measurably. This corporate newsroom effect is real. We will be evaluating and publishing these developments in more detail next spring.

AG CommTech: Why do some industries invest more in newsrooms than others?

Christoph Moss: There are clear triggers. During the coronavirus period, the authorities were under massive pressure to explain, structure and coordinate. NGOs were particularly active in the context of major political events, but are currently facing new challenges. Basically, where there is a great need for explanation, the pressure on communication increases – and with it the willingness to invest in newsroom structures.

AG CommTech: What role will AI play in the newsroom in future?

Christoph Moss: AI will of course be part of it. We assume that everything will be supported by AI in the future. But newsrooms don’t fail because of technology, but because of people. And this is exactly where new problems arise when organizations believe they can simply reduce staff massively with AI. We see departments that are to be reduced from 30 to 5 employees – that’s absurd. Even with AI, people are needed for planning, management, analysis, strategy and clear goals. AI does not replace an organization, but requires a better one.

AG CommTech: Is the term “newsroom” still appropriate?

Christoph Moss: The discussion has been going on for years. The term comes from journalism and is unwieldy for some organizations. But in the end, it’s not about the word, it’s about the principle: strategic topic management, clear priorities, integrated collaboration. If we can convey that communication doesn’t work without strategy, we’ve already gained a lot – no matter what you call it.

AG CommTech: And what about creativity? Is it lost in the newsroom?

Christoph Moss: The opposite is the case. Our data shows very clearly that creative management is also weak where newsrooms function poorly. And it is particularly strong in very good newsrooms. Structure doesn’t kill creativity – it makes it more effective. Good creative teams in the newsroom know exactly what they are working for and what contribution they should make.

AG CommTech: Where is the newsroom heading organizationally?

Christoph Moss: Away from pure channel management and towards genuine stakeholder orientation. Over the past ten years, we have implemented around 80 newsrooms with a stakeholder focus. Channels are only ever a means to an end. Especially when marketing and sales become more integrated, stakeholder management becomes central. Many organizations originally went into the newsroom to break out of the hamster wheel of channel management. Today, it is increasingly about strategically integrating communication into value creation – also in sales.

The long-term study is available free of charge here: https://www.mediamoss.me/studie