carol
fowler

PROFESSIONAL

SUMMARY

HELLO!

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.

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, that’s still going strong - even though I stepped away from day-to-day responsibilities in 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 audience growth.

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT

KSDK 5 ON YOUR SIDE - TEGNA (ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI)

August 2019 - December 2023

I lead the news content team at KSDK-TV to ensure our 24/7 operation produces stories that St. Louis cares about. To that end, I also oversee the content creation workflow so that the station is 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”

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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.

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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.  

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.

Watch my acceptance speech at George Foster Peabody awards: The Derrion Albert Beating

The Poynter Institute: “I wish more news directors would do what Carol Fowler did.”

o   Increased year-to-year page views for station website (fox32chicago.com) +32%; uniques +30%.

o   Launched social media products designed to interact with viewers, including five new Facebook pages and Twitter (@foxchicago).  One of first news directors in country to create dedicated position, Social Media and Engagement Specialist.

o   Partnered with News Over Wireless to launch Fox Chicago News app for iPhone and Android platforms; Worked with WSI to create and launch WeatherActive app; Led project to create topic-focused news apps modeled after successful news app on the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor. 

o   Launched continuous display of weather information, news headlines, news alerts, school closings and social media comments with installation of Newsticker to drive on-air graphics.

o   Managed the transition into HD studios and new morning news set.

Recognized as leader in national Fox Stations Group:

o   One of five Fox news directors tapped (January 2010) to lead innovation project for late news.  Show formats re-vamped to respond to changing ways people consume information.  Within first year (June 2010) late news P25-54 demos were +23%. Only Chicago late news to grow P25-54 demos (November 2011 vs. 2010).

o   Appointed to Fox task force (May 2011) to update graphics for station group using 16x9 screen.

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VICE PRESIDENT / news director

CBS2 chicago - CBS television stations group (Chicago, Illinois)

September 2002 - January 2009

Recruited to repair station brand after a decade of steady decline in ratings and management turnover.

Initiatives and accomplishments:

o Expanded commitment to investigative reporting.

o Recipient of the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award for the series Fly at Your Own Risk (January 2008) that exposed poor tracking of airport employee security badges, a situation that threatened homeland security and passengers at O’Hare International Airport. After airing, federal investigators began probing the issue and made dozens of arrests.  State and federal lawmakers also held hearings on the security breach

·o Revamped website to became one of Chicago’s most visited local news websites, growing from 60,000 page views monthly (2002) to more than 16.9M page views (October 2008).  Growth from emphasizing breaking news and slideshows, as well as garnering regular links by online news aggregators.

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news director

WGN9 - TRIBUNE COMPANY (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)

December 1999 - September 2002

Promoted to protect market position as dominant morning news program, WGN Morning News, and leading 9:00 pm newscast, WGN News at Nine, broadcast in Chicago and across country on the superstation, WGN America.  

Initiatives and accomplishments:

o Supervised design and transition into digital newsroom (August 2000), becoming first television news operation in Chicago to convert to non-linear editing and server playback to air.

o Established investigative and medical franchises. 

o Created successful editorial partnership with the Chicago Tribune, collaborating on investigative projects and launch of Tomorrow’s Headlines Tonight, which previewed major stories in next morning’s newspaper.

Assistant news director

September 1997 - December 1999

MANAGING EDITOR

September 1994 - September 1997

Part of management team that created and launched WGN Morning News, a groundbreaking concept combining news and fun, which quickly became dominant in time period.

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NEWSCAST PRODUCER

ABC7 chicago - ABC television stations group (chicago, illinois)

February 1990 - September 1994

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / NEWS WRITER

May 1989 - February 1990

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reporter / bureau chief

WCIA-TV and wmbd-tv-radio - Midwest television (CHAMPAIGN / PEORIA, ILLINOIS)

1982 - 1989

On-air television reporter based in Springfield, Illinois, covering primarily state government and political news.

Initiatives and accomplishments:

o Named top small market television reporter in the country by United Press International (November 1989).

o Active in successful effort to open Illinois courtrooms to cameras and microphones

o Managed full-time Illinois capitol bureau with photographer and graduate studies intern.    

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Reporter / assistant bureau chief

WTAX-WDBR radio - illinois radio network - formerly capITOL INFORMATION BUREAU (Springfield, illinois)

1980 - 1982

On-air radio reporter based in Springfield, Illinois, covering primarily state government and political news for network of 60+ radio stations

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Reporter

WOW RADIO - meredith corporation (omaha, nebraska)

1979 - 1980

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REPORTER / NEWSCAST PRODUCER

KOMU-TV - NBC affliate and KBIA-radio - NPR affliate (Columbia, Missouri)

1978 - 1979

Industry

involvement

Media partnership consultant, The Marshall Project, a non-profit dedicated to reporting stories about criminal justice

Podcast Advisor, WE Design Think, a consultancy helping clients from Fortune 500 to non-profits keep pace in a rapidly shifting global economy

Advisor, Gyst Audio, a tech start-up helping publishers convert text to audio

Speaker, Top Women in Chicago Digital Marketing, May 2019

Presenter, Northwestern University, “The Role of Video in Audience-Focused Newsrooms,” May 2019

Presenter, University of Split (Croatia) – “Building a Personal Brand Using Social Media” and “Trends in Social Media Content,” October 2017

Host, WorldChicago – Participant in international professional mentorship program for entrepreneurs, 2017

Presenter, Univ. of Chicago – Booth Business School, “Trends in Social Media Content,” October 2017

Faculty, Poynter Workshop for Newsroom Leaders, WBEZ Radio, Chicago, October 2017 - Presenter, “Managing the Audience-Focused Newsroom”

·Presenter, PRSA Central Illinois chapter, “Effective Media Relations in a Social Media World,” March 2017

Presenter, 1 Million Cups entrepreneurial pitch competition, January 2017

Mentor, 1871, Chicago’s largest tech incubator, 2016-2017

Fellow, Washington & Lee University 59th Ethics Institute, 2015

Contributor, Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics, by Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, published August 2014, updated 2017, 2018

Presenter, Social Media Week Chicago, September 2013: “Disclose That! Winning Trust in the Social Age: Transparency Best Practices and Battling Deception in Social Media”

Screener, 2009 and 2010 Alfred I. duPont Radio/Television awards

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”

northwestern university (coursera)

CERTIFICATION

High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork and Negotiation
May 2019

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)