S I N C L A I R N E W S W E B S I T E S
Transforming Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Digital News Viewing Experience
Introduction
Sinclair Broadcast Group, a leading media conglomerate with a vast digital footprint reaching over 50 million unique visitors monthly, faced a unique challenge. Following a series of acquisitions, the company found itself managing a diverse array of digital properties, each with its own publishing tools and user interfaces. This fragmented landscape prompted the need for a unified digital news viewing experience across all platforms and properties.
The primary objective was to streamline the digital news viewing experience across Sinclair Broadcast Group's extensive network of properties. This involved the creation of a cohesive front-end customer experience that would be responsive across various devices while prominently showcasing multimedia content such as photos, galleries, and videos.
Challenges
Fragmented Infrastructure: The presence of various publishing tools and disparate user experiences across different properties posed a challenge to creating a unified experience.
Diverse Audience Needs: With a wide-ranging audience base spanning from Seattle, Washington to Washington D.C., catering to diverse preferences and behaviors was crucial.
Technical Complexity: Developing a content management system (CMS) capable of serving every newsroom and centralizing content while ensuring seamless integration with diverse front-end interfaces required careful planning and execution.
Approach
Centralized Content Management System: The initial step involved building a robust content management system capable of serving all newsrooms within the Sinclair Broadcast Group. This centralized platform allowed for efficient content management and distribution.
Responsive Design: Recognizing the importance of accessibility across devices, the design team prioritized a responsive approach. The new front-end experience was meticulously crafted to ensure optimal viewing across computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Enhanced Multimedia Integration: To engage audiences more effectively, the redesign emphasized the prominent showcasing of multimedia content such as high-resolution photos, interactive galleries, and compelling videos.
Standardized Template: Achieving consistency across 185 stations required the development of a standardized template. This template served as the foundation for the unified digital news viewing experience while allowing for localized customization.
Results
Unified Experience: The implementation of a standardized template and centralized content management system resulted in a cohesive digital news viewing experience across all properties.
Enhanced Engagement: The emphasis on responsive design and multimedia integration led to improved user engagement, with audiences enjoying seamless access to captivating content on various devices.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlining the infrastructure and design processes enhanced operational efficiency, enabling newsrooms to focus more on content creation and audience engagement.
Scalability: The scalable nature of the solution ensured adaptability to evolving technological and market trends, future-proofing Sinclair Broadcast Group's digital news platforms.
Conclusion
By overcoming the challenges posed by a fragmented digital landscape, Sinclair Broadcast Group successfully transformed its digital news viewing experience. Through the implementation of a centralized content management system, responsive design principles, and enhanced multimedia integration, the company achieved a unified and engaging platform capable of catering to its diverse audience base across 185 stations.
