Stuart Howie and The DIY Newsroom: mastering strategic communications

G’day. I’m Stuart Howie, a seasoned media strategist with over 30 years of newsroom experience. 
Welcome to diynewsroom.com. Here I share battle-tested insights and practical strategies for effective communication.
We have never had so many options to get our message out there. But it has never been more difficult to be heard amid the cacophony of communications.
That’s why I wrote The DIY Newsroom, to empower individuals, teams, and organisations to master the art of communication. 
The DIY Newsroom is a game-changer for modern communicators. It is a playbook for setting up world-class communication teams, and it draws on inspiration from the best newsrooms.
Whether you’re a budding influencer, a government department, or an aspiring communicator, The DIY Newsroom provides you with a game plan. It’s packed with practical advice, real-world examples, actionable steps - and some solid storytelling.
It also details time-honoured principles so you don’t step a foot wrong in the modern minefield that is social media.
What’s the big deal about newsrooms?
Newsrooms are at the top of the food chain when it comes to creating content. They thrive on deadlines, innovation, and storytelling. Having worked across diverse newsrooms, I’ve distilled their essence into strategies you can apply.
>> Order your copy of the award-winning The DIY Newsroom now and unlock your communications potential.
The DIY Newsroom is rooted in public service. Helping others to be their best.
In The DIY Newsroom, I introduce you to the five-step SMART Way (Strategy, Media, Authenticity, Results, Team) for strategic communications using your own resources.
The SMART Way simplifies communication:
  • Strategy: chart your course.
  • Media: choose the right channels.
  • Authenticity: craft compelling and real narratives.
  • Results: measure the impact beyond the vanity metrics of social media.
  • Team: collaborate effectively by tapping into the X-factor that are your people.
I have applied the SMART Way for great results in my work:
  • leading and developing top-flight media and communication teams in the Australian Government
  • as a transformation consultant, helping news outlets in New Zealand and Australia to place themselves at the front of the pack
  • serving as a senior media adviser for the current and previous Australian governments
  • sharing my thought leadership, including speaking and presenting at conferences in Australia and abroad, and commentating or contributing content on hot topics.
My career as a journalist, editor, media executive and consultant has taken me on the most wonderful journey. 
Today, my focus is on supporting government agencies wanting to elevate their communications. 
The common thread is that my approach, The DIY Newsroom, is rooted in public service.
​Helping others to be their best; to be heard, not just herd.
Stuart Howie signing his book The DIY Newsroom.
New chapter: Stuart Howie signing his book The DIY Newsroom in Canberra.
My book arrived today. I started reading it when I got home and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Such a great read. Simple, elegant and immensely practical. Congratulations ...  it is about to be put to good use as I rebuild my new ‘newsroom’ ... I mean marketing team!
- Dean Gould, Chief Marketing Officer, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, Australia​