Lean and mean : determining how hiring multimedia journalists transforms communications teams

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine if MMJs who previously worked in local TV news are adding efficiency and value to communications departments of non-publicly traded, non-Fortune 500 organizations located in TV news markets 1-50. The study used literature to examine the skills of a MMJ and analyze how transferable they are to the content creation roles on communications teams. Using a quantitative survey of communications managers who hire content creators, this survey gathered insights on how efficient and valuable MMJs are to the companies they work for. With this data, this research attempts to unveil the reasons that MMJs may or may not add efficiency and value to their organizations. The survey worked to compare communications teams that have hired MMJs with those that have not. With this collection of quantitative data, the goal was to determine if companies who have hired MMJs onto their communications staffs have improved efficiency and value. Through the transformative theory, this research could lead more companies to hire MMJs, impacting their career opportunities. Long-term, this data collection may call for change in the way companies hire for content creation openings by creating a mindset among communications managers that MMJs could be valuable additions.