Blogically Thinking

Observations and Learnings from J-Lab's Jan Schaffer

Meet the New Media Makers

Posted by Jan Schaffer

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Is it important for news to survive - or news organizations? See today’s New York Times for a sampling of opinions.

Many news organizations are going to fail this year. But I believe local and regional news vacuums are going to be filled - and filled robustly. Why? Because J-Lab is already seeing the various ways that hyperlocal news start-ups are creating news Web sites for communities that have little or no available media. When communities are not being covered, people are starting to gather and report local news themselves.

J-Lab will soon introduce you to these New Media Makers in a major video toolkit. You’ll meet the people launching these projects and hear them talk about their ethical dilemmas, the civic impact of their efforts and how they fit in a new media ecosystem.

Some of these New Media Makers are amateur journalists; some are professionals. Some sell ads, others receive grants, and others work as volunteer journalists.

You got a taste of their thinking today from Ed Fouhy, who helped J-Lab produce and narrate these videos. In today’s Times, he liberally quotes the people we interviewed for our videos.

For many of these New Media Makers, an opinion blog is not their aspiration. “We’re trying to produce what used to be a newspaper,” said Christine Yeres, managing editor of the J-Lab funded NewCastleNOW.org in Chappaqua, N.Y.  “I think we get the readership that we do because ... it is professional. It’s been gone over very carefully.”

It is on this new terrain that old journalism values - accuracy, independence, and objectivity - are combining with new journalism conventions. Where Big-J journalists excel at covering communities from the outside-in, many of these New Media Makers are crafting the models for how to cover communities from the inside-out.

“Sometimes, we want to be the New York Times and sometimes we want to be the church bulletin,” says Susie Pender, Yeres’ co-editor.

Deerfield Forum founder Maureen Mann knows that some people will disagree, but “I’m proud of that” thinking, she says.

What I see happening around the country raises, for me, a fresh question: Are we dealing with more than broken business models for Big-J journalism?

Is the journalism broken, too?

(Want a copy of New Media Makers when it’s ready?  E-mail news@j-lab.org.)

Publishd on 02/10 at 12:07 PM

Comments

Here in Longmont, Colorado, a group of us are doing what we can. We are publishing a magazine 6 times a year. You can go to evizmagazine.com and take a look. We are selling ads to cover the cost of printing. Previously, we printed a monthly newspaper for three and a half years. We do this because it’s necessary. We have a local daily owned by a well established corporate family. It does not do the job.

We would apply for non profit status if we could afford to do so. Let us know what you think.

Posted by James Kenworthy on 02/10 at 08:15 PM

I agree with Jan in general terms, but the degree to which operations like ours can survive and thrive - news vacuum or no news vacuum - is dependent on answering the same kinds of financial questions the majors are trying, and failing, to answer. Voluntarism only goes so far. And while we can “do more with less” in some respects, ultimately people need to make a living. Especially talented journalists and business staff of the type necessary to make a credible run at becoming a trusted news source. As to whether journalism is broken too? Probably less than the journalism’s business model is ... but it could certainly do with a polish in spots. Much longer conversation there.

Jason Pramas
Editor/Publisher
Open Media Boston
http://www.openmediaboston.org

Posted by Jason Pramas on 02/11 at 04:01 AM

Hi Jan,

This is a topic of personal relevance for me, as part of a small group running a news and opinion blog in Chattanooga. We’re constantly looking for new ways to bring insight and unique perspectives to readers in our city. The latest of which is a Google Maps mashup that plots campaign contributions for our upcoming municipal elections.

I’m definitely interested in reading your report when it is available.

John

Posted by John Hawbaker on 03/01 at 01:33 AM

I enjoyed reading your article and found it very informative. Excellent post, keep it up.

Posted by Wow Leveling Guide on 04/03 at 02:56 PM

Well written Jan. Interesting thoughts.

Posted by GD on 04/17 at 10:13 AM

Thanks for answering some of my questions, that meeting would be so interesting ! good post, so useful !

Posted by bwin on 04/27 at 09:52 AM

Even i am very keen to know how it would be to meet such people i guess it will be so exciting .

Posted by freelance writing on 04/27 at 11:01 AM

Sensational work and to think everything was looked down upon in the beginning.

Posted by company formation on 04/29 at 01:11 AM

I am a blogger too, and am happy about the way bloggers are changing the way media works for ever.

Posted by Susan on 05/01 at 06:56 AM

Thx to Jan Schaffer

Very nice post

Posted by Moni Balmer on 05/01 at 12:00 PM

It seems part of the decline of the established news media is the sensationalism and tabloid approach that they are taking. By approaching everything with a media hype mentality, they are creating a distrust and causing people to search for other sources… such as blogs

Posted by Dave on 05/05 at 12:23 PM

Interesting thoughts. Thanks for sharing.

Posted by Next Generation Freelancer on 05/05 at 06:25 PM

All of us need to make some profit in order for us to survive.  In this case, relying on ads alone can’t really make it possible to sustain journalists daily needs.  They need to find ways to earn money like paid content.

Posted by Anne on 05/11 at 06:01 AM

I’m really like this article, May I copy this article and publish in my blog, with you url..

Posted by Richard Jefferson on 07/16 at 10:06 AM

Very good article , i will be check this site for new article

Posted by KOESnadi on 07/16 at 10:07 AM

A lot of major news media companies are failing because they tried to stand in the way of technology, rather than embracing it and utilizing it to stay relevant.  I hope they learn their lesson and catch up before it is too late.

Posted by Forex News on 07/16 at 11:26 PM

I think media companies need to start using technology, instead of trying to compete with it.
forex news

Posted by Dylan on 07/16 at 11:27 PM

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Posted by tell news in your area on 08/03 at 04:18 PM

Very nice article.. Good luck to them..

Posted by Dhamphy's Online Journal on 08/20 at 10:59 AM

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