Changing into digital garb

When the disrupted becomes the disruptor

Just as the new century clocked its first tick, Daily Tribune grabbed the reins to lead the pack as one of the country’s top news sources, eager to put into reality its tagline — Without Fear. Without Favor. Almost 20 years later, through thick and thin, Daily Tribune kept its bold and fearless stance. Always in tune with the times, it began to gear up for inevitable changes in the industry, specifically the methods in which it delivers the news.

Just a year after embracing the digital mold, the social media channels of the Daily Tribune are emerging as some of the country’s top choices for by-the-minute news updates on the Philippines and beyond.

The Facebook page of Daily Tribune is generating more than a million likes on a monthly basis, while the fresh but steadily-growing Twitter and Instagram accounts (@tribunephl) have scores of followers as well.

Staying true to its commitment, among the widely read articles produced by Daily Tribune are commentaries discussing today’s political environment.

Aside from these fierce commentaries, the 19-year-old daily has also expanded its coverage through stories that go beyond what had traditionally made news.

For one, it tells the story of the youth sector through the NextGen page, featured every Sunday. It also puts focus on happenings outside the Philippines relating to the country through Embassy Row, while it curates heartwarming human interest images captured by its intrepid photographers through Snaps.

When it comes to plans to boost the newspaper’s reach and readership, the Daily Tribune website’s IT experts said there are enough in the pipeline to excite social media-savvy youngsters who prefer news that is engaging and interactive.

“The online team is expanding to cater to a wider market to earn more audience and traffic. This will include projects that will hook millennials and native speakers alike,” said online news writer Sundy Locus, a generation Z baby herself.

“One example is the setting up of Daily Tribune’s YouTube channel. The videos to be premiered in the account include a cooking show where the host will speak in Ilocano, an entertainment talk show and a music show which will feature upcoming local bands and musicians.”

To make the transition more effective, the social media team has adapted by reshaping the reportage to maintain the essence of the news and the responsibility that comes with being an information gatekeeper at the same time.

“In contrast to the old Daily Tribune where articles from the newspaper are simply being mirrored on the website, the online team writes breaking news, posts updates, uses multimedia such as photos, graphics and videos to create engaging content, and designs social media campaigns, such as online polls, to garner traffic from the audience,” explained Locus.

“We also opt for user-generated content where we search for trending stories and videos, then ask the uploader for permission to use their posted content.”

In anticipation of the trends that can still arise in the digital sphere, more is yet to come as Daily Tribune keeps ahead of the game to come up with ways to deliver the news as they happen.

To make the transition more effective, the social media team has adapted by reshaping the reportage to maintain the essence of the news.