carol
fowler
PROFESSIONAL
SUMMARY
I’m a lifelong media professional with a deep understanding of the digital space and the changing media landscape.
I started my career as a news reporter, with several pivots along the way. In the early 90’s, I settled in Chicago to work as a writer and producer as a path to management, eventually taking on senior roles at four award-winning, media operations in Chicago, bringing them into the digital age.
In 2012 - at a time when social media and online content were growing rapidly - I prepared myself for the digital revolution by leaving traditional media to work at a digital-only company. There, I became acquainted with a vibrant tech community in Chicago. I learned that you can be a journalist and also respect data as a valuable tool in strategy.
I took up residence for three years at Chicago’s tech incubator, 1871. In January 2017, I was invited to talk about my social media analytics start-up at a One Million Cups event. | Photo credit: Gregory Rothstein, 1871
It was during my digital deep dive that I got the idea to develop software that would collect posts and engagement metrics from Twitter and Facebook to help reporters (and other personal brands) get a better handle on the kinds of content and practices associated with audience engagement. That was my foray into developing ‘software as a service’ (SaaS) - and I gained new respect for all that goes into creating a product, marketing and running a business.
Chicago-based KloboMedia is an outgrowth of that period. It’s a social media management agency, founded in 2014 and led through 2017. That’s when I came back to fulltime journalism, joining the Chicago Sun-Times to create digital products like video, email newsletters, live stream opportunities and podcasts. In August, 2019, I moved to St. Louis to become Director of Content at one of the first television stations in the U.S. (born in 1947) KSDK-TV.
My career is filled with purposeful twists and turns - and all the while I’ve kept writing.
I’m dedicated to meaningful content, website search engine optimization (SEO), video customized for the platform, live streaming and engaging social media. I’m hands-on and act like an entrepreneur. And above all, committed to using data to guide strategy and putting audience first.
experience
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
WXIA-TV 11ALIVE - TEGNA (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)
December 2023 - Present
Responsible for content strategy and execution. Accomplished year-over-year grown in linear audience share (+14% at 6pm and +20% at 11pm)
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
KSDK 5 ON YOUR SIDE - TEGNA (ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI)
August 2019 - December 2023
ILed the news content team at KSDK-TV to ensure our 24/7 operation produces stories that St. Louis cares about. To that end, I developed the content creation workflow so that the station was constantly improving and better equipped to reach the digital audience quickly and with purpose.
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ADJUNCT LECTURER
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY - MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM (Evanston, Illinois)
September 2016 - August 2019
One of three teachers in an undergraduate course on entrepreneurship for both journalism and technology majors: “Media Innovation and Chicago’s Start-up Culture”
the Poynter Institute
Co facilitator (Chicago, Illinois)
February 2019 - Present
I am helping plan and lead an invitation-only course for Chicago newsroom leaders to uncover new ways to tell the stories in the city's under-served communities and neighborhoods. In the first of its kind meeting, managers from all of the city’s newsrooms came together in June 2019, and they were challenged to devise a plan of action for their companies - reporting back on wins and pitfalls.
Doris Truong of the Poynter Institute leads a discussion with Chicago news managers on how to build a newsroom with diverse talent.
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senior vice president, Digital news products
chicago sun-times (Chicago, Illinois)
October 2017 - December 2018·
Recruited by new investor group to lead digital innovation and manage organizational change for major print and digital publisher using social media, mobile news app, email newsletters, podcasting, informational graphics, video, live stream programming, RSS and more to grow website traffic and digital subscriptions.
I led one of the major initiatives at the Chicago Sun-Times to begin live streaming for big events, like election night. In November, 2018, we provided instant results and analysis from a set in the newsroom.
Digital initiatives and accomplishments:
Created new product prototypes: email newsletters, video series, podcasts and live stream shows.
2018 product launches: The Grid, Fran Spielman Show, Food We Love, Game Week, Working the Story
New website sections: Working, Cannabis, LGBTQ, Classic Royko, Free and Cheap
Worked closely with sales and marketing teams on proposals (B2B) to research and develop sponsorship opportunities and partnerships to grow Sun-Times’ revenue and achieve brand goals
Sponsored content launches: Allstate Young Artist profiles, AARP Illinois ‘Be on Guard’ consumer series
Analyzed data trends, presented daily report on best performing social content
Managed Suntimes.com newsroom audience team (30+ employees) and website content (6.5-9M monthly users)
Created strategies to drive referral traffic using social media platforms, newsletters, paid campaigns
Managed story decisions for website, A/B headline testing, breaking news alerts
Edited and optimized online articles, images and video for SEO
Shared best practices with newsroom, led training workshops on SEO
Published Facebook Live and Periscope programming, online guides
Part of launch team for re-brand of website (April 2018) and digital subscription paywall (May 2018).
Hands-on, acted like an entrepreneur
Year-to-year website improvements:
o Longer time on page (2:27 +21%)
o Lower bounce rate (34% from 75%)
o Younger audience (25-44 from 45-64)
o Monthly users (average 6.5M +6.4%)
o Monthly sessions (average 10.6M +7.2%)
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Ceo and co-founder
klobomedia (Evanston, ILlinois)
January 2014 - October 2017
Founded social media management agency and technology start-up (“TheSocReports”) focused on collecting, analyzing and syndicating social media data. Member of Chicago’s tech incubator, 1871, and WiSTEM fall 2016 cohort of female entrepreneurs. Helped brands and individuals monitor social media effectiveness (Facebook and Twitter) compared to chosen competitors. Created methodology and process for measuring and tracking the social media engagement of content shared by all journalists for 36 hours in a local news market (Seattle).
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VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT
POWERREVIEWS.COM - formerly viewpoints.com (Chicago, Illinois)
April 2012 - January 2014
Consumer product reviews website and social platform (B2C). Website nominated for 2012 Chicago Innovation Award. Executed content strategy to increase brand awareness, time on site and traffic.
Initiatives and accomplishments:
o Recognized by start-up community, BuiltInChicago.com: “The Women Driving Chicago’s Digital Renaissance”
o Increased article page views 150% year-to-year (Sept. 2012 to Sept. 2013) through search, referrals, social media, weekly emails, partnerships and coverage of consumer news.
o Grew audiences on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and Instagram
o Positioned brand as a thought leader through creation of Viewpoints Reviewers’ Choice Awards and publication of news releases showcasing most newsworthy aspects of consumer sentiment. Average release picked up on 300-400 news sites, including Yahoo!, Reuters and CNBC.
o Recruited nine female bloggers to form first-of-its-kind consumer reviews panel (“The Viewpoints”); they reviewed same product then discussed via Google Hangout.
o Created Category Expert Program to recruit a team of 100 experts to review new products and advise consumers.
o Regularly worked with sales team and brands including KitchenAid, Whirlpool and State Farm on sponsored content, then monitored and reported back on results of custom content on our site and in social media.
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VICE PRESIDENT / news director
fox32 chicago - fox television stations group (Chicago, Illinois)
February 2009 - January 2012
Recruited to “reinvent” the news operation to function as the digital newsroom of the future
Initiatives and accomplishments:
o Station named Outstanding News Operation in Illinois by the Associated Press (2009).
o Recipient of prestigious George Foster Peabody award for Derrion Albert Beating (May 2010), a crime receiving White House and international attention after Fox Chicago obtained graphic video of the sidewalk killing of a student.
Education
university of missouri, columbia
BACHELOR OF JOURNALISM
Emphasis in Broadcast Journalism; Minor in Political Science
Graduated May 1979
Included in University of Missouri’s “Profiles in Success”
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - URBANA CHAMPAIGN
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE, Gies College of Business, 2023
Strategic Leadership and Management
Awards
WFLD-TV and fox32chicago.com
o Peabody Award, University of Georgia, Derrion Albert Beating (2010)
o National Headliner Award, Press Club of Atlantic City, Derrion Albert Beating (2010)
o Outstanding News Operation in Illinois, the Associated Press (2009)
Wbbm-tv and cbschicago.com
o National Emmy, CTA Blue Line Emergency, Spot News Coverage (2008)
o Regional Edward R. Murrow awards, RTNDA, for investigative reporting (2008) and website (2005)
o Alfred I. duPont award, Columbia University, Fly at Your Own Risk (2007)
o First place: Television website, Illinois Broadcasters Association (2007, 2005, 2004)
o Outstanding News Operation in Illinois, the Associated Press (2007, 2006)
o National Emmy, Farewell to the Pope, spot news coverage (2006)
