This is a digest of the links you see offered as “featured” on the Journalism Accelerator homepage (and other spots across the site). Because the featured items are updated often, this is the place for you to find these resources once they’ve left the rotation. To help you find something you may have seen on a given week, featured listing are organized by the dates they ran. Got suggestions on content you’d like to see featured?
A longterm newspaper-public radio partnership, The LA Times joins the paywall club, and the search for sustainability even as Bob Garfield calls hyperlocals “doomed.”
Funders and publishers explore the question: What does ‘sustainability’ really mean?
INN and The Patterson Foundation sustainability workshop shows collaboration between funders and publishers may hold new possibilities for journalism.
Pew: News Organizations Struggle With Digital Dollars
Drilling into a legacy media survival strategy, Pew explores how and why print and broadcasters have yet to get advertisers to join them online.
NPR’s Bob Garfield: Hyperlocal News Ventures Doomed
Advocating for “strategic relationships for content and revenue,” On The Media’s co-host says standalone hyperlocals just don’t “make for a sustainable business model.”
AOL may never be able to patch up Patch
Does “the savior of local news” need saving? CNN Money’s take on Patch three years after AOL began investing.
What news projects are community foundations funding?
Wondering how to earn foundation support? Ten project types the Knight Challenge has invested in.
Online Journalism Enterprises: From Startup to Sustainability
More than two dozen local news sites name the business skills they’d like to develop. Two-thirds say they’re at a crossroads for funding.
Los Angeles Times to Add Paywall
You’ll still get 15 stories a month for free. Will paywalls prove themselves this year? Big media players continue the gamble.
A partnership too valuable to give up: Why The Miami Herald and WLRN are sticking together
Cross-media collaboration to mimic – planning ahead for the next market disruption.
Washington Post Co. Decides Slate All Grown Up, Needs Own Ad-Sales Force
Will “moving beyond traditional display advertising…crafting more custom sponsorship packages…13 new employees and a dedicated sales force” deliver?
Posted on March 14, 2012
Topic: Digest
Broadcasting from Google+ and $1 million for public radio innovation in this roundup of not-to-miss-stories. Plus a six point editorial guide helping one newspaper thrive in the digital world.
Localore, a new initiative produced by AIR mediaworks
Public radio breaks new ground, distributing more than $1 million to define a “new, 21st century public media.” Ten projects to watch.
How to manage legacy newspaper’s transformation and adapt to digital disruption
Mapping the road traveled by one newspaper. “The end result? Increased print circulation, Web site traffic, and digital revenue in old and new channels.”
How Google+ Hangouts Are Transforming TV Broadcasting
Could this be a true transformation of television? Giving broadcasters an actual earpiece to hear the community.
Training your ad sales rep
Eleanor Cippel, managing director of (publishing and interactive) sales at E.W. Scripps, offers simple steps to get what you need from the people selling space on your site.
Online Ads Will Waste $12.4 Billion This Year In the U.S.
Online ad spending will exceed print magazine and newspaper ads for the first time this year. With brands anticipated to invest the likes of $12B, what’s the return?
Marketers Lack Standard Social Media ROI Metric
Facebook likes or money? How do you track if social media is worth the time and investment? A survey of 700 marketers found “no standard way to measure social media ROI.”
Sopa and Pipa would create a consumption-only internet
Public pressure by site blackouts put these bills on hold, but Clay Shirky recommends “paying attention… US media firms have cumulatively donated tens of millions of dollars [for the bill]”
What’s in our toolkit for Congressional primaries?
KnightLab presents three ways to “help voters understand what candidates stand for.” Tools to scan candidate social media profiles, coverage across sources and geo-contribution data.
Posted on February 15, 2012
Topic: Digest
Our regular roundup of timely ideas and information. In this digest: A shift in news culture around paywalls, advice for digital personalization to attract readers, Google’s victory over AP, and more.
Are Newspapers Finally Figuring Out How To Reward Their Best Customers?
Clay Shirky’s take on ads, engagement, paywalls and payoffs across legacy papers offers insight for publishers. A smart synthesis on where the news culture has been and where it may be headed.
You Can’t Spell Media Without “Me”
Check out Ben Elowitz’s Six Elements of Ultimate Digital Personalization. How do you help bring readers’ worlds to them?
How Google beat AP with Iowa caucus results (and why it matters)
“Google’s experiment showed how an innovative technology company can push in on the turf of a venerable news organization that prides itself on getting it first and getting it right.”
The real deal with Groupon
Plenty of publishers make deals part of their business plans. Keep up with market leader Groupon in this 60 Minutes sit-down with founder Andrew Mason.
How FedEx turned a disaster into a PR win
Transparency, humility, and honest intent, delivered right on time. More than a PR win, a cross-sector view of a vital journalism value – let your customers know and trust you.
Tablets Helping Publishers Sell Back Issues
Got older content with great shelf life? Some publishers find the tablet format sparks sales of back issues.
Northwest Trustee Services squeezes more profits from home foreclosures with one-stop model
A fascinating sign of the times: Why a major foreclosure company is buying up local newspapers. “For many small-town papers, foreclosure notices have become one of their largest revenue sources.”
NewsRight: a Game Changer for Online Journalism?
Backed by major media players, NewsRight is an effort to circumvent piracy with tracking technology. Learn where your stories appear, then choose to seek payment or enjoy the promotion.
Posted on February 1, 2012
Topic: Digest
Our regular roundup of timely ideas and information. In this digest: New Google tools, how to succeed at failing, inspiring data visualizations, and more.
Five Google tools journalists don’t use but should
A short list of deep-Google tools that can make reporting easier and presentation snazzier.
Case Study: An Accidental Techie #FAIL Story
Lessons from failure; changing culture takes more than a good idea even when it is in the best interest of the business. Posted early 2011; a use case with shelf life.
Local TV News, Meet the Internet
Steve Waldman asks “Why are broadcasters trying to block political campaign transparency?”
There Is No Next Facebook: How Multiple Social Networks Will Peacefully Coexist
Atlantic writer Alexis Madrigal offers fresh perspective: the social media biome’s ability to sustain niche networks. Worry no more about being on the social platform that will survive.
The Best Data Visualization Projects of 2011
Data can be sexy – bringing maps, planets, wifi, indexes and charts to life. Experience art and information in this inspiring collection of visualizations.
A Dispute Over Who Owns a Twitter Account Goes to Court
Tweet at work? Watch this lawsuit, possibly precedent-setting on social branding, employees who build the brand, and ownership of social media accounts.
Hacker-Journalism 2011: A year of “show your work”
New ways to deliver the news. Dan Sinker of Knight Mozilla partnership offers examples from sites like the Guardian, ProPublica and Chicago Tribune who have shared code or tutorials.
Budgeting for 2012: Local Online Advertising Forecasts and Key Growth Opportunities
“Forecasting 18% overall growth as local online advertising goes from $15.7 billion this year to $18.5 billion.” Download the executive summary for free.
Posted on January 18, 2012
Topic: Digest
What I saw at the Hyperlocal Revolution. “No story too small.” David W. Barton shares his take as the ex-Sacramento Press editor-in-chief; an honest assessment of the real challenges and promise of new media / citizen news sites.
What I saw at the Hyperlocal Revolution
“No story too small.” David W. Barton shares his take as the ex-Sacramento Press editor-in-chief; an honest assessment of the real challenges and promise of new media / citizen news sites.
Hyperlocal Publishing Business Model Canvas
Using nine basic building blocks, We Locally launches a new tool for hyperlocals to “grow revenues, fight off the corporate competitors, and get to a point of sustainable independence.”
The Citizens Agenda: A Plan to Make Election Coverage More Useful to People
Crafting a “new master narrative” for Election 2012, and looking for collaborators. Brought to you by Jay Rosen, The Guardian US, and NYU’s Studio 20.
Are All Bloggers Journalists?
Four takes on the blogger v. journalist debate that the Crystal Cox case sparked anew.
Florida Voices
A “one stop guide” to op-eds, commentary and conversation – in this case, all about Florida. Would such a new media venture work in your state?
The Newsonomics of the Magic Formula for 2012
2011 delivers a 22% third quarter increase in US digital ad revenue. 2012 expects 63 million smart TVs to ship. Ken Doctor deconstructs and adds up numbers to help publishers see the future.
Thinking About the Future of Informed Communities and Journalism
Forbes contributor Adam Thierer gathers leading reports and asks the burning question: Do citizens have access to the “right sort of information” — especially about their local communities?
KDMC report: New practices shape transformative news leadership in the digital age
Michele McLellan distills dozens of conversations, surfacing transformative leadership practices like focus, adapt, be a catalyst, own the numbers, make time for the future and get out of the way!
Posted on January 5, 2012
Topic: Digest
New Paths to E-Commerce: “Publishers are getting more aggressive with e-commerce plays that expand their digital revenue options.” Bob O’Regan outlines what that looks like.
New Paths to E-Commerce
“Publishers are getting more aggressive with e-commerce plays that expand their digital revenue options.” Bob O’Regan outlines what that looks like.
Knowledgewebb: Don’t sweat the tech
Amy Webb is a digital genius; this is Amy’s brainchild: “A leading digital tools training site that Entrepreneur Magazine, MSNBC, ReadWriteWeb and many others” call home.
DocumentCloud
“Analyze, annotate, publish. Turn documents into data.” Inside skinny: JA’s Denise Cheng thinks these folks are inspired.
Nimble Commerce CEO: Helping local leverage deals
“Daily deals” are hot hot hot for many hyperlocals. Check out this insightful perspective from a CEO running branded deals for publishers.
A Prescriptive Look at the News Business
Howard Owens offers pearls of wisdom on the “two camps in the game of predicting where the news game is going.”
Will the IRS Derail Nonprofit Journalism?
Steve Waldman’s recent piece on Columbia Journalism Review finds at this “crucial moment, the taxman drags his feet on granting tax-exempt status.”
Mapping Digital Media: United States, from the Open Society Foundation
An examination of “the global opportunities and risks created by the transition from traditional to digital media’s” potential impact on democracy. Covering 60 countries.”
Contently: Connecting Writers and Brands
“Giving freelance journalists a new way to work,” Contently bridges brands and skilled writers in new ways.
New Bosses, New Structure and What You Can Do: Digital First
John Paton on pushing digital first: “In the newspaper industry Digital transformation is a bit like the weather – everybody’s talking about it, but few are doing much about it.”
Posted on December 22, 2011
Topic: Digest
KING5 gives away $10,000 check at #HackingNews. A fresh approach by the broadcast industry, Mark Briggs from Seattle’s KING 5 TV launches a hackathon to develop apps with promise to unearth quality news.
KING5 gives away $10,000 check at #HackingNews
A fresh approach by the broadcast industry, Mark Briggs from Seattle’s KING 5 TV launches a hackathon to develop apps with promise to unearth quality news.
Will the 2012 Election Be a Hyperlocal Breakthrough?
In 2010 “31 congressional races [were]… won by four points or less.” This article asks if hyperlocals may provide the ultimate context for political messages.
Strong from the start: advice for writing leads
Steve Buttry, one of today’s leaders in online engagement, offers his wisdom on making the most of the few seconds readers grant to capture their interest.
How mainstream news organizations use Twitter
A recent PEW study “examines more than 3,600 tweets over the course of a week,” discovering that news outlets rarely link beyond their own newsroom.
We are journalists
Is your day long and your salary short? See and share stories about doing good journalism and getting respect despite upheaval, rants, layoffs, and bad press.
Google+ introduces brand pages, news organizations join quickly
News outlets rush in as Google + allows brand pages back. And journalist profiles now pop up in news search results – another way to promote your work.
Posted on December 6, 2011
Topic: Digest
The Guardian launches n0tice, an open community news platform. Nieman Lab’s Megan Gaber distills down how one of the UK’s leading newspapers is transforming classified advertising blending social, civic, mobile and message.
Jacob Caggiano asks some big questions at the Seattle Interactive Conference
Opening up the can of worms on data portability and the land grab for the mobile frontier.
The Guardian launches n0tice, an open community news platform
Nieman Lab’s Megan Garber distills down how one of the UK’s leading newspapers is transforming classified advertising blending social, civic, mobile and message.
The Online Neighbourhood Network Study
This UK “neighbourhood” network offers insight from its 2010 study on how local community and public service agencies interacting online strengthen civic connection.
How to Break Into Freelance Writing
Long time technology writer turned award-winning independent writing coach: tips from a successful veteran for writers looking to go pro.
Local Yokel Media
With a mission of “making local online advertising work better for local publishers and local advertisers,” this is an industry-wise team expanding its reach to support local publishing.
Applying the Public Interest Test to Journalism
Bob Eggington of Media Helping Media on how to effectively “apply the public interest test” before deciding whether to cover a story.
LLRX: Law and technology resources for legal professionals
With more than 120,000 unique readers per month, this (free) resource offers deep research & up-to-date information on the Internet and tech-related issues, apps, resources and tools.
Data Driven Journalism
A European Journalism Centre initiative, this site offers a “journalist, student, developer, designer, open data specialist” resources to enrich their work with the power of data.
DNAinfo.com presents a dynamic model of hyperlocal goodness
Founded by dynamo Joe Ricketts, DNAinfo.com brings a business model to market for Manhattanites across 11 neighborhoods with top notch local reporting from the hood.
Posted on November 18, 2011
Topic: Digest
Recent PEW report assesses the local landscape: How people learn about their local community. Alex Howard at O’Reilly Radar distills it down. Hope for what is possible tempered by deep concern about the decay of local newspapers, and what that will mean for local government accountability.
What is the value of local TV news?
Communities across the U.S. still rely on TV for their local news, especially for big breaking stories. How can communities get the most from this powerful medium? And how do we ensure the public interest is served?
Recent PEW report assesses the local landscape: How people learn about their local community
Alex Howard at O’Reilly Radar distills it down. Hope for what is possible tempered by deep concern about the decay of local newspapers, and what that will mean for local government accountability.
Kickstarter advances a new form of fundraising for experimental projects and fresh ideas
From Occupy Wallstreet to public art, Kickstarter brings a new form of commerce and patronage to market. Type in “journalism” to find a whole raft of projects!
The Reporters Committee on Freedom of the Press
Offering loads of resources and legal perspective, “the Committee has played a role in virtually every significant press freedom case that has come before the Supreme Court.”
Reinventing Journalism: An unexpected personal journey from journalist to publisher
From launching California Watch to leading the Center for Investigative Reporting, Executive Director Robert J. Rosenthal shares his game strategy and tips for success.
The Hub: A resource center for community-based nonprofit journalism
For those eager to launch their own news nonprofit, the smart folks at the Investigative News Network offer an online hub supporting “local investigative and public service journalism.”
Community Media Workshop
Since 1989 coaching and connecting grassroots communities with workshops and training to diversify and enrich the mix of voices in the news and public debate.
The Fresh Outlook
“Telling it like it is,” this online hub is a UK based, globally focused nonprofit covering stories to broaden the lens and out issues to empower citizens across geographic communities.
Gender stereotypes deconstructed: MissRepresentation.org
With resources cut across the field of news and reporting, representation is a slippery slope publishers face. Breaking down gender stereotypes, this campaign strives to level the playing field.
Posted on November 4, 2011
Topic: Digest
Emily Harris joins the Journalism Accelerator as editorial director
Deepening capacity for the JA community, welcome Emily Harris! Veteran correspondent and conversationalist, Emily heads up editorial. Check out our blog for the rest of the story.
Inbound Writer ups the yield on outbound goods
A tool to gain “real-time social intelligence on what your audience is reading, sharing & talking about during the content creation process.”
Authenticallylocal.com
45 independently-owned hyperlocal news sites joined forces to create Authentically Local, “a branding campaign to emphasize the importance of supporting homegrown media, stores and places.”
Block by Block Community Sites
Some of the brightest local publishers and editors of independent local startups, both for-profit and nonprofit, can be found here.
Streetfight gets in the ring to support hyperlocal publishers
A media, events and research company focused on the business of hyperlocal news networks.
Free Trainings from the Reynolds School of Business Journalism
Touting more than 10,000 journalists served, publishers can find high-quality free online training, regional workshops and useful tips.
Philanthropy.com offers advice, recommendations and best practices
High-quality resource to get a fix on smart practices philanthropists are watching nonprofits bring to market.
BostonGlobe.Com Launches; Shifts To Paying Subscribers Only Oct. 1
A subscription only site, three-fourths of the newspaper’s content will now only be available on BostonGlobe.com.
The Seattle Times: Newsroom reorganization reflects new priorities
A new structure recognizes three key roles for the organization: creation, curation and community.
Posted on October 14, 2011
Topic: Digest
