Modernizing Journalism by Empowering Print Reporters with Video Production Skills
The Challenge
As digital media consumption shifts heavily toward video, the Arizona Newspapers Association (ANA) recognized a critical need: their member newspaper’s print journalists needed to start creating short-form video content for social media and newspaper websites to retain readership and drive revenue.
However, newspaper publishers faced universal pushback. Reporters felt they lacked the technical skills, training, and equipment to produce professional-quality videos. Additionally, the ANA wanted to offer this training as a monetized eLearning product to generate sustainable revenue. They needed a high-quality, engaging course that would overcome reporter hesitation and deliver immediate, real-world skills.
The Solution
GS Professional Consulting partnered with the ANA to develop a comprehensive, media-rich eLearning course from the ground up. Knowing that employee buy-in was the primary hurdle, we designed the curriculum around peer-to-peer success:
SME Integration: We collaborated with an active print journalist who was already successfully producing video content, ensuring the audience heard directly from a relatable peer rather than just an abstract instructor.
Micro-Learning Video Modules: To prevent cognitive overload, we handled all professional video production and editing to create a series of highly focused, 2-to-3-minute instructional videos demonstrating exact technical steps.
Interactive Course Architecture: The course featured interactive accordions, annotated graphics, and categorization activities to keep learners actively engaged rather than passively reading.
Embedded Knowledge Checks: Built in Articulate Rise 360, the course featured embedded knowledge checks with custom feedback to ensure learners were mastering objectives as they progress through the course.
Project-Based Application: We discarded standard multiple-choice final exams. Instead, the course guided journalists step-by-step through creating their own short news video.
The Results
GS Professional Consulting delivered a complete, platform-ready SCORM package and integrated it into the ANA’s new Learning Management System.
To ensure the training translated directly to the newsroom, we provided customized grading rubrics within the course. This allowed managing editors and supervisors to confidently evaluate the final video projects, standardizing expectations across the state’s newsrooms. Finally, to assist the ANA in monetizing the course, we produced a professional promotional video for their marketing team to send to member organizations to drive enrollment.