Masterclass with Rebecca Howard

Overview

The New York Times' head of video production is taking a trip down under to give a masterclass on digital content strategy, thanks to Loading Docs and Script to Screen.

As the one sitting at the top of the New York Times video content food chain, Howard oversees videos across all platforms: that is, placement, marketing, distribution, branded and original content. The masterclass will be a lesson in monetising content, how content creators are working with brands, how to find and grow your digital audiences, and commissioning innovative content including the move towards virtual reality. Key skills, one could argue, one needs as a journalist or storyteller in today's internet realm.

After joining the Times (after having previously worked at Huffington Post and Fox Digital Studios), Howard has made it her mission to make sure that Times wasn't "so serious all the time", since it would turn the paper into "just a dreadful bore at the dinner party, you know?" Her take on content is to create news which is "entertaining as well, we want to have some fun. It doesn't have to all be heavy and brooding."