Crowdsourcing & Journalism JOURN 475

What is “Crowdsourcing?” A collaborative form of reporting Each contributor researches and contributes a component to the overall piece The actual story may or may not be written by a collaborator Content is usually overseen by a centralized editor

A collaborative form of reporting

Each contributor researches and contributes a component to the overall piece

The actual story may or may not be written by a collaborator

Content is usually overseen by a centralized editor

“Pro-Am” Journalism Crowdsourcing is often referred to as “pro-am journalism” A combination of both professional and amateur contributions

Crowdsourcing is often referred to as “pro-am journalism”

A combination of both professional and amateur contributions

Examples of “Crowdsourcing” In Journalism: Wired.com and NYU: AssignmentZero.com Minnesota Public Radio: Public Insight Journalism

In Journalism:

Wired.com and NYU: AssignmentZero.com

Minnesota Public Radio: Public Insight Journalism

Gannett Restructuring Major media company Gannett restructured most of its print and Web operations to include “crowdsourcing” in Nov. 2006 “ Information Centers” Gannett is the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S. (by circulation)

Major media company Gannett restructured most of its print and Web operations to include “crowdsourcing” in Nov. 2006

“ Information Centers”

Gannett is the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S. (by circulation)

Seven “Information Centers” Digital — selecting the best platform for news delivery; Public Service — extending First Amendment coverage, in part by involving readers and asking for community input on investigative areas; Community Conversation — expanding the concept of the editorial page; managing staff commentary, from editorials and blogs to columns; and encouraging community participation online; Local — expanding local coverage and re-establishing sports, business and feature reporting into hyper-local areas; Custom Content — connecting with identified target audiences and looking for efficiencies in repurposing content across all platforms; Data — elevating the practice of managing and acquiring deep local information; Multimedia — leading all visual presentation across every platform; photographers will be trained for any type of multimedia.

Digital — selecting the best platform for news delivery;

Public Service — extending First Amendment coverage, in part by involving readers and asking for community input on investigative areas;

Community Conversation — expanding the concept of the editorial page; managing staff commentary, from editorials and blogs to columns; and encouraging community participation online;

Local — expanding local coverage and re-establishing sports, business and feature reporting into hyper-local areas;

Custom Content — connecting with identified target audiences and looking for efficiencies in repurposing content across all platforms;

Data — elevating the practice of managing and acquiring deep local information;

Multimedia — leading all visual presentation across every platform; photographers will be trained for any type of multimedia.

Pros Community involvement Transparency of reporting process Micro-reporting of events and developments normally missed by mainstream media “ Hyper-local” reporting Builds valuable “database” of content Tomorrow’s “reporters” may also be “database managers”

Community involvement

Transparency of reporting process

Micro-reporting of events and developments normally missed by mainstream media

“ Hyper-local” reporting

Builds valuable “database” of content

Tomorrow’s “reporters” may also be “database managers”

Cons “Amateur” reporting has its risks Majority rules Stories only developed because users ask for it (or participate in it) Subject to manipulation Political or personal agendas might inspire disproportionate coverage of particular issues Staff reporters might lose some value

“Amateur” reporting has its risks

Majority rules

Stories only developed because users ask for it (or participate in it)

Subject to manipulation

Political or personal agendas might inspire disproportionate coverage of particular issues

Staff reporters might lose some value

“Assignment Zero” Launched March 2007 Users “log in” to find potential news story assignments that they can contribute to Suggest questions for the reporter to ask Conduct research/interviews for the story In some cases, you can actually write the full story

Launched March 2007

Users “log in” to find potential news story assignments that they can contribute to

Suggest questions for the reporter to ask

Conduct research/interviews for the story

In some cases, you can actually write the full story