About Us

Digital On-Demand Services (DODS) is designed to help newsrooms take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges in the digital world. It helps local media companies find information, get training or access high-quality digital consultants and tech resources at an affordable cost.

 

Our team is from local media, so we get local media. Our hands-on approach helps you find a solution that’s right for you and we stand beside you each step of the way to ensure your success.

 

It’s a joint project of the Reynolds Journalism Institute and the Local Media Consortium. It was created thanks to a $2.5 million, 3-year grant from the Knight Foundation. And it’s built on two guiding principles: meet folks where they are and don’t say “Sorry, we can’t help.”

 

Here’s how we try to live up to those principles:

 

We offer a three-level structure to meet your needs.

 

Level 1 – Do-It-Yourself (Coming Soon!)

 

We’ll provide helpful research on digital tools, applications and other services to help you decide what’s the best approach for your newsroom. Some of the offerings may include how-to guides and comments from users in newsrooms that are already using the tool, application, etc.

 

Level 2 – Concierge Desk (Coming Soon!)

 

If you need some basic help implementing or trying out a new tool or application, send us an email and one of our student digital guides will contact you and get you going. This level is based on RJI’s Potter Digital Ambassador program that sends journalism students to small Missouri newspapers for one week in January to work on digital issues.

 

Level 1 and 2 are operated by Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI).

 

Level 3 – Fractional Services (Available Now!)

 

When the task is beyond the D-I-Y level and requires more expertise than our concierge level, newsrooms can take advantage of a vetted, discounted stable of consultants, coders and other technologists who can solve a problem or implement something new. This level uses a pay-for-service billing model.

 

Level 3 is operated by the Local Media Consortium.

 

Please let us know how we can help or if you have questions.

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Our Strengths

 

Content and Research: Looking for best practices, tips and how-to guides?  Need information about AI, video, newsletters? DODS provides in-depth content across a broad range of digital topics.

 

Training:  We have a library of on-demand training, conduct regular webinars and can also develop custom training for your digital team. 

 

Expert “Doer” Consultants: We engage skilled consultants known for their expertise to work with you to develop digital strategies or help you get things done.

 

Tech Services: We collaborate with industry leading digital service providers to offer our customers pre-vetted and market-tested technical resources.  Whether you need an additional developer or implementation resources, we can find the right partner for you. 

 

Local Media Expertise: We are local media professionals and our customers are local media companies that operate newspaper, television, radio, and digital-only news outlets across the U.S. and Canada. Because we only service local media, you can rest assured that we understand publishers' needs and can provide tailored solutions that are right for you.

 

Please reach out to learn how we can help you succeed in this ever-changing digital world!