How Print Publications Can Make the Transformation Into Successful Digital Platforms

Director of New Media Bill Jensen drives all content, development and social media for Village Voice Media (VVM), a chain of 14 city-specific websites (e.g., LA Weekly, Village Voice, Miami New Times, SFWeekly) and national blogs (e.g., Topless Robot) that has quadrupled in traffic since winter of 2007. After earning a BA from Boston University and a Master’s degree from the University of Kansas, Jensen played professional roller hockey and painted houses while writing and producing his hockey fight zine. The Fight Card was spotted by the Village Voice, which assigned him a story for the first issue of its Long Island edition. He rose through the editorial ranks, before moving on to help launch the Long Island Press weekly as managing editor, where he hired Amy Fisher as a crime columnist. He came back to Village Voice Media in January of 2007, and has overseen all web and mobile platforms. Since then, digital media revenue has grown more than 400%, and now represents close to 40% of the chain’s overall income.

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