KAITLIN REYNOLDS
student journalist
MARKETING & AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
All of the journalistic work that goes into our publications would serve no purpose if we didn't reach readers and viewers. Through a large array of means I have helped to fund printing and equipment costs, distribute print and digital media to readers and viewers, target our specific audience and dive into the "business side" of journalism. Getting our publications out into the community for people to absorb is essential for a successful publication.
Funding
All of the publications that I am a part of are entirely funded by staff efforts. Without money for printing and equipment, our publications could not share the messages that they do. Below are the ways that I have contributed to funding the publications at Millard West.
SALES
The yearbook is Millard West Journalism's main source of funding. At the beginning of each school year, as a member of the staff, I help communicate with parents and students about deadlines for purchasing a yearbook. The books are able to be purchased both online and through this paper order form. We then submit these records and forms to the schools accountant, who transfers the funding to our journalism account. Most goes towards paying for the yearbook and the rest goes towards printing the newspaper and equipment needs.
ADVERTISEMENTS
This year on the Catalyst staff, I wanted to make it a priority to sell ads in the newspaper so that we had more flexibility with our budget. I created a list of businesses that had previously advertised with Millard West and led the entire staff in writing letters to the businesses. I also attached this advertisement form for businesses to fill out and send back to purchase their advertisements.
TRIBUTES
Due to the fact that we have to add additional signatures to the yearbook to make individualized senior tributes, we sell them to cover the costs. This form is sent out to parents and they can send it back in with a customized message, photos, size information and payment. Then, I help facilitate organizing and keeping track of the tribute forms to ensure that all are added into the yearbook.
Portraits
Although we don't charge extra for senior portraits, they ultimately do impact sales. Seniors who have school pictures that they approve of have an extra incentive to purchase the yearbook. I help to collect photos from all seniors to ensure that everyone is represented in the yearbook. When students don't turn theirs in on time I pull them out of class to get them to send one to me.
Distribution
All of the work that my fellow student journalists and myself put in would not be effective if we didn't reach our audience. Once our printed publications arrive I distribute them to students and staff. Below are a few ways that I have gotten the word out about our publications and have gotten them into the hands of our audience.
Passing out Papers
The day after the print paper arrives my fellow staffers and I walk around to each classroom and give each class a stack of papers. Teachers are then able to pass them out for students to look at. Since I have a strong relationship with my school administrators, I accompany the Catalyst Editor-in-Chief, Morgan, in hand delivering a copy to all of the administrators as well as their secretaries and the campus security officers.
Photo courtesy of Erin Wunderlich
News Stands
Placed around the school we have seven news stands which showcase the latest issue we have out and hold the past four. As students and staff walk by they can easily grab a copy. When a new issue arrives from the printing plant I take out the oldest issue and reorder them so that the new issue is on top.
Yearbook Pick-Up
When the yearbook arrives at the end of the school year there are several steps that I have to take before the book can be handed out to students. One major thing that I do is taping the spring supplement into the back of the book. Once the books are stuffed, sorted and organized I communicate with students on pick up times. Below is an Instagram post I made to inform students on when they could come get their book. This information was also shared over the announcements and sent to students emails. To ensure that all paying customers receive their copy I delivered the books that were not picked up to students' home rooms.
Sending out the
weekly broadcast
Each week we send out a weekly broadcast show to all staff members in the building, and they are asked to show it to their home room classes. This has been an essential way for us to get students to watch the MWHS Wildcat News. Below is one of the shows that we sent out.
working with the
yearbook Printing company
As Editor-in-Chief of the Prowler Yearbook I frequently have to communicate with Walsworth Yearbooks to ensure that the book is printed on time and formatted correctly. I often have to set deadlines with our yearbook representative, Greg Adams, and contact the plant.
Yearbook Plant Tour
In November and December I coordinated with my adviser and our yearbook representative from Walsworth Yearbooks to plan a trip to the printing plant in Marceline, Missouri. While we were there we toured the printing facility, learned about the printing process, met with a cover designer, ate lunch with the CEO and saw a few historic Disney landmarks in the town. This really opened my eyes to how many people actually work on the yearbook outside of just our staff. It was a great educational opportunity for me to see the behind the scenes of printing and the steps that go into each aspect.
Photo courtesy of Mark Hilburn
Meetings
I frequently meet with our yearbook representative and other Walsworth employees to make decisions about the yearbook and plan the trajectory of the book. This is essential because it helps to ensure that the plant knows how the book needs to be printed and that the book arrives in time to distribute it to students. Below is a photo of me working with the Walsworth cover designer at the plant.
Photo courtesy of Mark Hilburn
Story Generation
As our audience is mostly made up of students, staff and parents, we aim to cover the stories that our audience is most interested in reading and viewing. In an editor meeting with the Catalyst and MWHS Wildcat News Staff we created the google form below for our audience to inform us of anything in particular that they think needs to be covered. Through this form we have been able to hear from our audience and cover stories we were not informed about prior to the form in addition to stories we find on our own.
ANALYTICS
Through various digital platforms I have been able to dive into the specifics of our viewership with analytics. It is an essential step in targeting our audience. Click the sections below to learn the specifics.
Story Feedback
Through social media I often get feedback from people about stories I have done. Below is a tweet that Andrew Pfeifer, an alumni that I did a feature on, sent out after watching the story.
