Ned Berke Email & Phone Number

Brooklyn, New York, United States

I lead BlueLena's strategic and product development, informed by the audience development and revenue goals of our 175+ newsrooms across the US and Canada. Since I joined the company, we've developed dozens of data-driven automations to grow reader engagement and revenue for independent publishers, and established new strategies and best practices to grow and leverage first-party data sets. By prioritizing client needs, we're creating one of the largest libraries of reader engagement creative assets that make it easier for publishers to execute audience development initiatives.

Brooklyn, Ny

Lead BlueLena's publisher success efforts, including strategic services and audience development efforts across a growing consortium of local and national media brands. As a member of BlueLena's executive leadership, I work with publishers, editors and marketers with identifying, developing and promoting best practices that drive audience growth and long-term, sustainable consumer revenue strategies.

Montclair, Nj

Provide consulting, training and development services to local, regional, niche and investigation news publishers to build a lasting framework for audience growth and sustainability.This Audience Development Fundamentals program began as an 18-month project funded by Knight Foundation, coordinated in partnership with the Institute for Nonprofit News and the Local Independent Online News Publishers organizations, as well as the Detroit Journalism Cooperative and the NJ News Commons. We work closely with Facebook, through the Facebook Journalism Project, and other platforms. The popular program was extended and has served approximately 300 publishers via one-on-one consulting sessions, group trainings and facilitating communication between small publishers and platform partner managers.

Brooklyn, Ny

Lead the digital transformation of a 178-year-old daily news publication. In first year, more than doubled overall monthly readership, and grew frequent readership by 160%. Increased email signup rates by approximately 1000% and doubled open rates. Attracted more than $100,000 in grants for editorial projects, including from the Google News Initiative, Facebook Journalism Project and Report for America.

Greater New York City Area

Advancing the audience development profession by bringing together top practitioners in news media for peer learning, collective action and skills development. I manage a Community of Practice of senior audience development personnel from approximately 35 leading media brands, who gather online and in-person for off-the-record discussions about growth strategies, challenges and intelligence sharing.Responsibilities include moderating a dedicated Slack channel, and organizing monthly topic-driven calls and semiannual in-person gatherings, often in conjunction with leading platforms including Google and Facebook.Management of the Audience Development Community of Practice was taken over by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism in 2022.

Brooklyn, Ny

An agile performer who shepherded this angel-funded startup to market, integrating real-time audience feedback into the product development cycle while feverishly growing the user base. Leveraged data to drive product improvements and messaging strategies (paid/organic social, content marketing) designed to grow on-site engagement, sharing and new user acquisition. Previously Director of Audience Growth, and Senior Editor.- content planning and production (Wordpress, Photoshop, Animoto, Vimeo)- organic social media (Buffer, Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, Buzzsumo)- paid search/social marketing (Google Adwords, Bing, Facebook Ad manager)- partner development (led relationships with Huffington Post, Minnesota Public Radio, Advance Digital, and others)- PRD management- technical spec writing- project management (Pivotal, Zoho, Slack, Freshdesk, Google Docs)- staff and intern recruitment

United States

The only professional association dedicated to the needs of online community news publishers in America. Following the establishment of a small steering committee in October 2012, on which I served, the group launched a year later and has grown to more than 140 members around the nation. The group receives support from the Patterson Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Poynter Institute and the Investigative News Network.

Brooklyn, Ny

Shaped a five-member digital content team into a Brooklyn news leader via recruiting and mentorship. Continued to build out the business model through new product development and sponsorship deals.

Pioneered a 24/7 online news cycle for community media that fueled deep engagement with 90,000 monthly readers. Built a sustainable business model around direct advertising, native content and events. The business was acquired by Corner Media in a successful exit.

Managed five websites and seven daily and weekly email newsletters serving C-suite television executives, and built revenue-driving products including an employment board and a video portal. Previously Editorial Assistant.

Marketed upcoming events on company website, and designed attention grabbing webpages. Researched and communicated with upper management and event speakers for informational criteria. Designed graphics and animations for advertising and web marketing materials using Adobe CS programs. Thoroughly researched financial companies and management bios for database input. Proofread, fact-checked and edited multiple database entries daily to verify accuracy.

General assignment reporter whose stories covered political speeches, town hall meetings, and arts and culture.

Collaborated with editors on the creation of sidebar content, editorial "picks" and art selection. Copy-edited dozens of articles for publication; thoroughly fact-checked content against three sources or more; researched information for upcoming feature articles; wrote and designed sidebars; general clerical work included organizing and filing press releases.

· Researched and wrote a published profile of an Olympic athlete after extensive interviewing of him and his trainers.· Served as frontline of copy-editing and fact checking, often calling sources to verify information. · Produced "Man on the Street" interviews for publication, and researched by Internet and telephone information for editors for use in sidebars. Occasionally wrote sidebars relating to feature article.