How can community foundations and other local organizations think about creating hyperlocal sites that truly engage the community, both as participants and as creators and partners? This preso offers some ideas for discussion.
1. New Models for community media
Susan Mernit
Founder, Oaklandlocal.com, Web Strategist, Center for Investigative Reporting, Circuit Rider,
Knight Community Information Challenge
2. New Models for community media
This session is about
How non-traditional & grassroots organizations & individuals
Are filling the information gap for local news & discussion
How these sites are different that what came before
Things to think about as you work to support and create community
Information sites that support informed, engaged communities.
4. Local video reaches across the world
We don’t need foreign correspondents anymore
5. News happens—and is shared– in REAL time
Flickr: February 27, Saturday am: Chilean earthquake 8.8, 4:34 am
6. Via search & reputation, news is both grass-
roots & filtered—almost instantaneously
7. Implications to think about for community
media, grassroots
Old media is DYING
Local is now global
Eyewitnesses tell their stories
The foreign correspondent is obsolete
Mobile phones =Information workhorses
But how about the truly local level?
8. There are some problems:
Local news as we know it is NOT being delivered by
most newspapers
Citizens often do NOT get the information they need
to make informed decisions on issues and decide if they
want to take action
Many of the issues that local people care about are
not being adequately discussed—online—and off
9. And some solutions—
New hybrids are emerging that offer
models for community engagement,
storytelling, social change
10. These new sites are often
Very grassroots
Blend volunteers & professionals
Are web and mobile-based
Non-profit or mission-driven
Born & bred in their communities
Potentially transformative
Do you think media is a social change/capacity-building tool
in an informed democracy? I do.
11. Examples
Oakland Local: New news non-profit with 35 non-profit
community partners
West Seattle Blog: Definitive local media for West Seattle, WA
Baristanet: Montclair, NJ community news & advertising
CityLimits.org “progressive civic lifestyle in New York City”
The loop: Westchester’s town square
Chicago Current: Local politics and news
Deerfield Forum: volunteer news
14. Oakland Local Today
5 months old
25,000 unique visitors month
35+ non-profit partners
Staffed by editor/publisher,
senior producer, senior editor
15 freelancers
25 volunteers
Funded by J-Lab New Voices
Grant, $17,000
Project of 501c3, Center for
Media Change
Supported by Harnisch
Foundation, GW Williams
Institute
Mission: Build capacity so diverse
voices will be heard
15. A core staff works with volunteer
writers, editors & partners
Revenue & Entrepreneurship Partners include
Paid staff works part/time Ella Baker Center, Bay Localize,
Volunteers are trained & supported Urban Habitat, EBASE
Partnerships with local non-profits New America Media, Center for
produce blogs, articles, videos, photos Investigative Reporting, KALW,
Spot.usraffic, uniques
Emphasis on user guidelines, quality,
diversity
Cost to date: under $20,000
16. How it is working?
Metrics: Past 30 days
Unique visitors: 26,000
Page views: 77,000
Time on site: 1.47 min average
Bounce: 48%
Geographic locations: Oakland, San Francisco
Social media data:
Twitter: 1,000 + followers
Facebook: 2,350 fans
Use flickr, vimeo, Youtube, etc.
Funders:
J-Lab, Harnisch Foundation, Renaissance Institute, G.W. Williams
Institute
Most trafficked independent news destination in East
Bay
Live meet-ups average 25-40 attendees
Will sell sponsorships & advertising in Q 2
17. Oakland Local Approach
Focus on community
relationships & partners
Blend of grassroots &
quality reporting
Collaboration-focused
Teach skills to partners
Allow wide range of views
Issue, not place-driven
Integral roles for local orgs
& volunteers
Updates daily, translates
18. What have we learned about
community & volunteers?
Doing with, not for
Everyone is a partner
We aim to serve
Face to face
relationships
Wide range of views
Volunteers have
different motives
Maintain being
inclusive
Respectful
19. A trend toward community media
As news sites falter, a new model emerges
Community foundations are NATURAL partners
Advocacy groups can use your platform, but you
are NOT an advocacy group
Focus on issues not neighborhoods
Be lean
Be wary of third party vendors—and consultants
Engage and empower community
Plan, plan, plan—but execute as well
Build a platform for independent voices
to be heard, issues examined
20. Issues & Challenges
Do you need a separate organization?
How do you staff this?
Who enforces standards?
What is a community manager and where do I
get one?
What is open source & why do I have to care?
How do I measure impact?
How do I set goals?
How do I focus the effort?
What does starting small look like?
How do we get training & support?
What does being a translator & connector
mean?
You CAN do this—and it will make a big difference
when you do
21. Putting new models to work
Work with Knight Circuit Riders: Resources dedicated to your projects
Attend Knight Boot Camp. USC, March 2010: Working sessions to build skills,
planning
Create cohort groups & working teams across grantee pool to address
problems, questions via private groups, monthly or quarterly calls and
webinars
Connect with local hyperlocal information community: Build a “media map” or
audit of news & information players in your area—where can your project
facilitate discussion, taking action?
Build something for everyone: Engage people of color and low-income
communities in the conversation at the start
Set goals and measure—but plan for success—small, incremental steps are
better than one big bang
22. Oakland Local loves to share community
strategies
Keep in touch
Twitter:
Susanmernit
Email: susan@oaklandlocal.com
Site: oaklandlocal.com