Blogically Thinking

 

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Observations and learnings from J-Lab's Jan Schaffer

The Tail Wagged the Dog

The Tail Wagged the Dog

Posted on February 28, 2012  |  Blogically Thinking

Amid the current shakeouts of independent news sites, it's important to understand all the ingredients that make these sites successful. In the case of the Chicago News Cooperative, its problems were not confined to its failure to raise revenues.

Independent New Sites: The Pendulum is Swinging Both Ways

Independent New Sites: The Pendulum is Swinging Both Ways

Posted on February 15, 2012  |  Blogically Thinking

The appetite for starting up independent news and information websites seems to be as keen as ever and the ideas for new projects are quite creative. 

Women News Entrepreneurs Get Creative

Women News Entrepreneurs Get Creative

Posted on January 5, 2012  |  Blogically Thinking

The latest crop of women news entrepreneurs who received J-Lab support in June 2011 are showing remarkable ingenuity and initiative in raising revenues, developing partnerships and making presentations.

What will 2012 bring for the media?

What will 2012 bring for the media?

Posted on January 4, 2012  |  Blogically Thinking

Here are some of my thoughts on what will happen in the world of journalism this year as well as my wishes for what I think should happen.

University of Idaho Oppenheimer Media Ethics Symposium

University of Idaho Oppenheimer Media Ethics Symposium

Posted on October 24, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

Jan Schaffer delivered this year's Oppenheimer Media Ethics Lecture, "Rules of the Road," at the University of Idaho, Boise. Click here to watch the video.

The Rise of Indie Local News Sites

The Rise of Indie Local News Sites

Posted on October 4, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

A recap of the Block by Block summit in Chicago and implications for indie start-ups.

A Gee-Whiz Day for Journalism Innovations

A Gee-Whiz Day for Journalism Innovations

Posted on September 8, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

A good 120 people braved heavy rains to attend yesterday's Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism. They were richly rewarded.

Internal Compasses Chart Local News Site Ethics

Internal Compasses Chart Local News Site Ethics

Posted on July 19, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

For all the criticism of the local blogosphere, a funny thing happens when you look at Small-J journalism from the inside out.

How Smaller Gets Bigger

How Smaller Gets Bigger

Posted on May 10, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

The Columbia Journalism Review asked me to pen a response to the new report on digital news economics, "The Story So Far: What We Know About the Business of Digital Journalism."  Here are my thoughts.

The Arc of a Life – in a Graphic Novel

The Arc of a Life – in a Graphic Novel

Posted on May 6, 2011  |  Blogically Thinking

How do you tell the story of 5,000-some inmates who will spend their entire lives in Pennsylvania prisons, with no chance for parole, because they are convicted of murder?

Tom Ferrick, founder and senior editor of Metropolis, an independent news startup in Philadelphia, sought an enterprising way.