This is for a Speaker in the category for a Intermediate audience.
Austin will present a general talk around the latest media technology developments and takeaways from building and launching some of the largest news sites, such as the New York Post and The New Republic.
Lots of noise has been made about “reinventing the CMS” recently. Platforms like Vox, Gawker Media, and Buzzfeed all run custom-built homemade systems. But this is sometimes fraught with problems for the majority of publishers, and many news media startups have varying opinions on this subject — especially as it relates to advertising, mobile platforms, and audience development. Moreover, highly extensible open source CMSes, such as WordPress and Drupal, can enable the same outcomes as custom builds. It’s not about the underlying technology, it’s about the execution.
How does your submission contribute to the diversity of the conference?
Austin is the co-founder of Alley Interactive, a web development firm that has pulled off some of the most complex and high- profile site launches for top digital publishers and content producers, including the New York Post, The New Republic, Kaiser Family Foundation, Capital New York and Digiday. In just four years, Alley Interactive has become a leader in developing open source content management systems, and the team has successfully built and launched a variety of high profile media sites. We'd love to add insight around the intersection of media and technology at ONA. The world’s top news organizations face complex technological challenges in this evolving digital media landscape, and we'd like to discuss how editorial teams can work with technologists to create the best news sites.
What will your audience have gained by the time your session is over?
Suggested Speakers
Austin Smith | @netaustin