Having a professional account set up made my online presence feel polished and consistent with the station. KOIN Reporter
Overview
When I first started at KOIN Local 6, my role centered on keeping the website running and supporting sales and contest related projects. At the time, social media was still in its early stages, and the station lacked a unified online presence, both for the newsroom and for on-air personalities. What I quickly discovered was that the absence of clear standards was leaving the station’s reputation vulnerable.
Creative Concept & Execution
My first realization came after speaking with our copy editors, who were posting Associated Press articles through their own personal Twitter and Facebook accounts. Digging deeper, I found that nearly all of our reporters and anchors were publishing their professional work through personal profiles. In some cases, those accounts also included casual after-hours posts—content that didn’t align with the professional image of a journalist.
To address this, I established the station’s first unified social media standards. I created official KOIN accounts for newsroom content and encouraged all journalists to maintain dedicated professional accounts for their reporting. Due to union rules, I couldn’t manage those accounts directly, but I provided photo touch-ups, custom graphics, and templates to give them a consistent, polished look that aligned with the station’s branding. I also worked with editor-in-chief to refine posting guidelines and asked talent to make their personal accounts more private, ensuring a clear separation between professional and personal content.
Reception
Most of the team welcomed the change, appreciating the professional consistency and the support I provided in getting their accounts set up. While a few individuals were hesitant at first, I worked through their concerns and found compromises that allowed them to feel ownership while still aligning with station standards. The result was a more unified and professional online presence for KOIN, with journalists who could carry their professional accounts with them throughout their careers.
Ryan’s approach let us keep control of our accounts while still presenting a unified image to viewers. On-Air Talent
Reflection
Looking back, this was one of the earliest instances where I recognized the importance of digital reputation management, not just for a company, but for individuals as well. By implementing standards before social media had fully matured, we positioned our station and talent to maintain credibility and professionalism in an evolving digital landscape. Years later, I’ve had former colleagues thank me for helping them establish accounts they still use to this day, even after changing stations and markets.
Skills Demonstrated
• Digital Strategy Established the station’s first social media standards and unified brand presence.
• Professional Branding Assisted reporters and anchors with photography, graphics, and account setup to ensure consistency.
• Policy Development Balanced station standards with union rules and personal preferences.
• Change Management Guided hesitant staff through transitions with empathy and clear communication.
• Long-Term Impact Enabled journalists to build professional accounts that followed them across stations and careers.
KOIN Reporter
When I first started at KOIN Local 6, my role centered on keeping the website running and supporting sales and contest related projects. At the time, social media was still in its early stages, and the station lacked a unified online presence, both for the newsroom and for on-air personalities. What I quickly discovered was that the absence of clear standards was leaving the station’s reputation vulnerable.
My first realization came after speaking with our copy editors, who were posting Associated Press articles through their own personal Twitter and Facebook accounts. Digging deeper, I found that nearly all of our reporters and anchors were publishing their professional work through personal profiles. In some cases, those accounts also included casual after-hours posts—content that didn’t align with the professional image of a journalist.
To address this, I established the station’s first unified social media standards. I created official KOIN accounts for newsroom content and encouraged all journalists to maintain dedicated professional accounts for their reporting. Due to union rules, I couldn’t manage those accounts directly, but I provided photo touch-ups, custom graphics, and templates to give them a consistent, polished look that aligned with the station’s branding. I also worked with editor-in-chief to refine posting guidelines and asked talent to make their personal accounts more private, ensuring a clear separation between professional and personal content.
Most of the team welcomed the change, appreciating the professional consistency and the support I provided in getting their accounts set up. While a few individuals were hesitant at first, I worked through their concerns and found compromises that allowed them to feel ownership while still aligning with station standards. The result was a more unified and professional online presence for KOIN, with journalists who could carry their professional accounts with them throughout their careers.
On-Air Talent
Looking back, this was one of the earliest instances where I recognized the importance of digital reputation management, not just for a company, but for individuals as well. By implementing standards before social media had fully matured, we positioned our station and talent to maintain credibility and professionalism in an evolving digital landscape. Years later, I’ve had former colleagues thank me for helping them establish accounts they still use to this day, even after changing stations and markets.
• Digital Strategy
Established the station’s first social media standards and unified brand presence.
• Professional Branding
Assisted reporters and anchors with photography, graphics, and account setup to ensure consistency.
• Policy Development
Balanced station standards with union rules and personal preferences.
• Change Management
Guided hesitant staff through transitions with empathy and clear communication.
• Long-Term Impact
Enabled journalists to build professional accounts that followed them across stations and careers.
Twitter · Facebook · Adobe Photoshop (photo touch-ups, graphics) · Brand Standards Documentation