Idea Lab

Bloomberg Circles the Wagons on Misleading Gulf-Spill Poll

by Scott Rosenberg
2009 Knight News Challenge Winner

News organizations' default response to criticism is to circle the wagons. "We stand by our story!" is a stirring thing to say, and sometimes it's even the right thing. But in the web world of 2010, where everyone has a public platform, ignoring critics can also squander a news outlet's credibility and alienate its audience. The basic premise of MediaBugs -- which I laid out in this video -- is that news organizations can begin winning back the public trust they have lost by engaging civilly, in public, with people who criticize them about specific errors. Whoever is right...

• July 29, 2010
• 4 comments

'Life in a Day' Collaborative Film Echoes in Hyper-Local Projects

by Alexander Zolotarev
2008 Knight News Challenge Winner

When I think about my project, SochiReporter, I often recall the seminal 1961 book by Jane Jacobs, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities." This book challenged the conventional wisdom of city planners of that era and celebrated the vibrancy of the urban streetscape. It also encouraged citizen involvement in the development of neighborhoods. I wonder if Jacobs ever looked at the cities and the changes they undergo to host the Olympics, as Sochi will in 2014? Life in a Day Along the lines of citizen participation, July 23 was the day when anyone worldwide could make a short...

• July 28, 2010
• 1 comment

Spot.Us Goes National, Gets Clay Shirky as Sponsor

by David Cohn
2008 Knight News Challenge Winner

Anyone that has followed Spot.Us from the beginning knows we've tried to remain iterative and agile. In the earlier stages of Spot.Us I thought this was one of the larger lessons for journalism-entrepreneurs. I went through the iterative and agile process and tried to document it so others could repeat. I hope to continue this tradition as I get ready for an academic fellowship at the Reynolds Journalism Institute. Indeed, the heart of this post addresses two features of Spot.Us (expansion and community-focused sponsorships) which will be my focus while in Missouri. Inherent to this mindset is the ability to...

• July 27, 2010
• 4 comments

The Need for Cultural Translation with Community Media

by Jessica Mayberry
2008 Knight News Challenge Winner

The TED talk of Ethan Zuckerman, the founder of the international blogging site Global Voices, provides amazing insight into the challenges of telling international stories online. It's told in the great TED way of painting lots of pictures and using a ton of anecdotes. Zuckerman said it's a big myth that the web is bringing us closer to other cultures or countries -- when we're on the web, we're basically in our own small islands of our social networks. Most of us who are building businesses/non-profits around non-traditional media content know this, but he has some great PowerPoint slides that...

• July 26, 2010
• 2 comments

An Ethical Argument for Transparency in Journalism

by David Cohn
2008 Knight News Challenge Winner

In a recent post on my website I examined an ethical argument for transparency. I will continue this internal dialogue with the caveat that I am not a journalism academic. I do not prescribe my beliefs to anyone but myself. This is a disgustingly theoretical post (I promise the next one will be practical up the wahzoo). I should also note the inspiration behind these two posts was a discussion at FOO Camp: Philosophy and Technology - Tim O'Reilly and Damon Horowitz. The First Chapter The first post on this topic hinged on the idea that transparency is necessary for...

• July 22, 2010
• 4 comments

How to Gauge Success Using New Metrics

by Adam Klawonn
2009 Knight News Challenge Winner

Last week, I met with two people from a non-profit in Phoenix that looks at progressive policies to balance economic development with the environment. Land use and livable communities are two of their key talking points, so it seems logical that they should be aware of a service that encourages and enables people to use light rail to get around the inner city, right? For those unaware, that describes our Knight Foundation-funded project, CityCircles. As we discussed CityCircles during the meeting, the inevitable question arose: How much traffic are you getting? The answer, in all honesty, is not much at...

• July 21, 2010
• No comments

South African Paper Uses Mobile Services to Engage Readers

by Anne-Ryan Heatwole
2009 Knight News Challenge Winner

In Grahamstown, South Africa, getting and sharing news is a mobile experience. Grocott's Mail, a local paper, incorporates mobile phones into many aspects of its news service -- from disseminating headlines via SMS, to encouraging readers to text in their opinions and making it a part of a Knight News Challenge-winning citizen journalist training program. The paper, which sells 6,400 copies each week, is a good example of how mobiles can create a richer news experience for both readers and publishers. Idea Lab contributor Harry Dugmore, is a professor at the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University....

• July 19, 2010
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Councilpedia In Private Pilot, Overcoming Tech Challenges

by Gail Robinson
2009 Knight News Challenge Winner

Over the last several months, Gotham Gazette has made major strides on its Councilpedia project, which will help New Yorkers keep tabs on their local officials and share their knowledge with others. Over the last year, the project has evolved and -- we think -- improved from our original plan. Currently we have a pilot for the site with the design, the structure and information for three office holders. We are not ready to release this to the world, but if you would like a sneak preview please email me at grobinson at gothamgazette.com. Councilpedia Brings City and Candidate Information...

• July 16, 2010
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Help MediaBugs Make News Sites Track, Correct Errors

by Andrew Whitacre
2007 Knight News Challenge Winner

Imagine you're sitting at the back of a classroom. The lecture is on a fascinating topic -- the American Civil War, say. The professor has started a riveting back-and-forth with students in the front about the Union's initial motivations for fighting. The professor says, "And then Harriet Jacobs wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' which galvanized many northerners in the cause of abolishing slavery. What role do you think Jacobs' book played?" You cock your head. Harriet Jacobs? It was Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin." You raise your hand to ask for a clarification, but the back-and-forth between the...

• July 14, 2010
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When It Comes to Corrections, Most News Sites Fail

by Scott Rosenberg
2009 Knight News Challenge Winner

Because web pages are just computer files, news stories on the web can be altered at will after publication. That makes corrections on the web a little more complex than corrections in print -- but it also makes them potentially much more effective. Unlike in print or broadcast, you can fix the original. You can make errors vanish -- though not without a trace, if you're doing it right. So why do so many news organizations continue to handle their online corrections so poorly? At MediaBugs, where we're devoted to improving the feedback loop between the public and the press,...

• July 13, 2010
• No comments