How do you arrange more than 1,500 staff at 50 production sites to be more social? That, in brief, is the challenge Swedish Radio (SR) sees itself faced with. During an IMPS* visit to SR’s operating base in Gothenburg last week, EBU Members learned first-hand how an emphasis on social, and especially mobile media, is at the heart of SR’s strategy to serve its audience.

One way that is done is by using ‘social media editors’ who are dedicated to building stronger online ties with the people at the receiving end, not only to inform them, but also to be informed when news happens. Arash Mokhtari does exactly this at SR’s channel P3 and he shared a typical working day over a "Lync" session.

Social media editor Arash Mokhtari reporting from the P3 newsroom.

Lync is a tool commonly used throughout SR to connect its geographically dispersed sites together. It fits well with a desire to improve the quality of production workflows, at the heart of which is more integrated collaboration. But where elsewhere systems are sometimes emphasized over humans, at SR the focus is first and foremost on helping its staff to better use existing tools.

This does not mean no technical work is being performed, though. Several systems architects are in fact working hard to create a more integrated technical solution too, but the emphasis is on working together. In the end it is all about the flow of information, be it between journalists creating programmes (often codified into the workflows supported by production systems) or on the mobile held by the listener.

As SR’s deputy director of programmes, Martin Jönsson, said: “The mobile is the link between listening and social media. People can have a more natural flow between social media and the radio on mobile platforms.” It is exactly with that use of media in mind that SR is rethinking its processes.

Read more about the IMPS visit to Swedish Radio on the EBU TechBlog.

Social Media Handbook

SR has created a social media handbook to help journalists. Click below to download it.

*IMPS is a cross-departmental EBU strategic programme on Integrated Media Production Strategies.

Top photo: IMPS participants visiting the SR newsroom