Why your organization should become a news source

More people get their news from the Internet than from newspapers (Source: Pew Research Center for People & the Press).

Think about that for a minute. It not only describes a huge shift in how we get our information. It also indicates a shift in what kind of information we're getting.

• We are no longer satisfied with a 1-size-fits-all menu of stories.
• We want information that fits into our schedules.
• We want to prioritize information ourselves.
• We want to read more in-depth information on stories that interest us.

Now ask yourself -- what is your organization doing to address this shift? As traditional, 1-size-fits-all news delivery shatters into many pieces, you have an unprecedented opportunity to become a leading provider of information on topics related to your organization's work. If you are a Bar Association, nobody knows the law like you. If you are a child advocacy organization, nobody knows child-abuse issues like you.

No matter what your organization does, the shift in news consumption means people are looking for information about it. And the Internet is enabling them to find that information quickly and easily. You have to decide whether you will provide it to them, or let a competitor do it.