The Challenge: Managing Multiple Social Accounts and User Access
Before implementing Social News Desk (SND), WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS managed platforms like Facebook and Twitter natively. Operating without a unified social media management tool made it difficult to manage direct permissions for individual users and efficiently grant team members access to expanding channel portfolios, such as Instagram.
“Before Social News Desk… it was kind of hard to give direct permissions to individuals to manage those sites. But after Social News Desk, that opened up a whole new world of management where we were able to manage individual users, give them access to additional accounts like Instagram, and it was definitely a game changer for us.” — Tom Houston, Social Media Specialist, WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS
The Solution: A Purpose-Built Platform Tailored for Newsroom Workflows
WFMZ-TV has relied on Social News Desk for roughly 15 years due to the platform’s ability to adapt continuously to industry changes and emerging social channels. SND provides a versatile workspace where newsrooms can coordinate daily output and keep a pulse on the local media landscape.
The newsroom relies heavily on the SND Planner, which gives individual producers full visibility into scheduled content so they can map out news posts throughout the day. When urgent coverage demands speed, the Post Now feature and multi-account selection allow journalists to publish breaking news across multiple accounts in a single pass.
Behind the scenes, customizable dashboards and feeds create a flexible workspace where newsrooms can monitor direct feeds, reporter accounts, RSS feeds, and local competitors, while roll-up analytics and social rankings keep the entire team informed on market performance and industry standards.
The Results: Unmatched Speed, Efficiency, and Industry Support
By centralizing their social workflow within SND, WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS has transformed how its newsroom operates on social media. Using the Post Now feature paired with multi-platform selection, the digital team executes instant breaking news coverage, pushing urgent updates to several channels simultaneously without unnecessary steps.
For daily operations, producers maintain complete clarity on scheduling through the SND Planner, which helps avoid content overlap and preserves a steady posting cadence.
At the same time, customizable feed columnsallow producers to track talent posts, monitor direct social output, and keep close tabs on local market competition. Crucially, WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS stays supported through SND’s rapid customer service, receiving prompt assistance for feature requests and technical inquiries whenever needed.
“Social News Desk has one of the fastest support responses that we’ve ever seen… They’re always quick to answer any questions I have, any feature requests, or to work through any problems I might have.” — Tom Houston, Social Media Specialist, WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS
Advice for Other Newsrooms
When asked what advice he would share with newsrooms considering Social News Desk, Houston emphasizes the platform’s versatility and reliable support system:
“I would tell them to absolutely jump on Social News Desk… You get a blank canvas that you can pretty much do anything with, which I love about Social News Desk.” — Tom Houston, Social Media Specialist, WFMZ-TV / 69NEWS
Ready to Upgrade Your Newsroom’s Social Media Strategy?
See how Social News Desk can help your team publish faster, simplify multi-platform scheduling, and stay ahead of breaking news. Request a demo today to discover why newsrooms across the country rely on SND.
