Find emerging qualitative and quantitative research into citizen media ventures.
News Chops: Beefing Up the Journalism in Local Public Broadcasting
Unfettered by competitive pressures and fortified by trust in their brand, public broadcasters are finding new ways to engage in more local journalism, especially more investigative and enterprise journalism, than ever before.
Networked Journalism: What Works
Starting in 2009, eight legacy newspapers and one public radio station were invited to partner with at least five independent news sites in their communities for at least a year. J-Lab, with Knight Foundation funding, helped cover some of the costs.
The nine hub newsrooms grew their networks from 44 partners to 169. By 2012,146 partners were still participating. Two of the projects, however, had trouble getting off the ground.
This report provides case studies of their efforts. Key takeaways: Content sharing overall can be a win-win for both legacy newsrooms and indie start-ups. Revenue sharing, however, is still a nut to be cracked.
Rules of the Road: Navigating the New Ethics of Local Journalism
Standard journalistic Codes of Ethics don’t adequately address some of the challenges news startups are facing as they work in communities comprised of readers, donors, advertisers and competitors. Ethical judgments are arising serendipitously, generally informed by an ethos to do less harm. These “Rules of the Road” are very much a work in progress to help guide you.
Engaging Audiences: Measuring Interactions, Engagement and Conversions
The rise of social media tools in recent years has empowered online news startups to increase content distribution, market their sites and track users. But most say they cannot lasso data to track whether they are turning users into supporters who will help their sites survive. These are among key findings of a new survey, funded by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, focusing on how “digital-first” news sites are engaging their audiences and measuring that engagement.
New Voices: What Works
This report examines the outcomes of the 46 projects that were launched with New Voices funding from mid-2005 through mid-2010. Simply put, we examined what worked and what didn’t, what made for robust sites or led to disappointment. We offer tips to help other startups and recommendations for Knight and other foundations based on what J-Lab has learned in mentoring these startups.
New Media Makers Toolkit
This learning module is filled with original reporting that will help you learn about the innovative community news initiatives that are cropping up around the United States - and securing grants from foundations that have not traditionally supported journalism. In the case studies and accompanying videos, you’ll meet citizen journalists who have launched news sites in Boston; Deerfield, N.H.; New Haven, Conn.; and Chappaqua, N.Y. And you’ll learn how professional journalists have launched news initiatives that either partner with or supplement their metro news outlets.
Exploring a Networked Journalism Collaborative in Philadelphia
In the nation’s sixth largest city, a vibrant media landscape exists with niche reporting sites, legacy newspapers and an active community of creative technologists. But there is also a notable decline in public affairs reporting and little collaboration between these media entities. The William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia commissioned J-Lab to conduct this study of the city’s media landscape and the state of public affairs reporting and make recommendations for a possible media investment strategy. This report details J-Lab’s key findings and recommendations.
New Entrepreneurs: New Perspectives on News
J-Lab’s New Media Women Entrepreneurs Initiative undertook this study to understand how women are interacting with news, participating in the news, creating the news and consuming the news. Funded by the McCormick Foundation, the study explored perspectives and behavior with regard to both new and traditional media. Using focus groups and in-depth interviews among women news consumers and news creators, the research lends important insights into the impact the changing media landscape is having on how journalism is being practiced and how it is being consumed.
Philadelphia Enterprise Reporting Awards
A study of how 14 $5,000 journalism awards jumpstarted public affairs reporting, incentivized media partnerships among new and old news sites, and delivered a doable model that can be replicated.
Journalism 2.0
A guide to help professional and amateur news producers understand and implement digital tools to enhance their reporting.
Citizen Media: Fad or the Future of News
A Ford Foundation funded study of citizen media sites in the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 founders of and contributors to citizen media sites, and hundreds of site contributors were invited to take part in an online survey.
Citizen Journalism: Back to the Future?
While the term “citizen journalism” is new, the concept is literally as old as the rocks. The cave dweller who painted a bison on his cavern wall was unlikely a fulltime chronicler of that eon’s events - he was more likely a hunter who wanted to share his adventure. University of Missouri School of Journalism Professor and MyMissourian.com founder Clyde Bentley examines the concept of citizen journalism; from the dusty cave-dweller beginnings to Facebook to what the future holds for newsroom journalists. Commissioned by The Carnegie-Knight Task Force on the Future of Journalism Education.
Frontiers of Innovation in Community Engagement
The Center for Citizen Media created this report on how traditional news organizations are encouraging audience involvement. The report was written by Lisa Williams, founder of H2otown.info and Placeblogger.com, with Center for Citizen Media Director Dan Gillmor and journalist Jane Mackay.
Hartsville Today: The First Year of a Small-Town Citizen-Journalism Site
Journalism’s future may well be in the hands of your readers already, in their cell phones, their iPods, their digital and video cameras. We have become a world of content creators, and if you don’t find a way to engage them in your product, they may well establish their own.