Comments on: Spot.Us Experiments With Citizen-Funded Community Journalism http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/ Startup and Technology News Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:12:06 -0800 hourly 1 By: idio http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2962600 idio Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:34:55 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2962600 <strong>Crowdfunding journalism...</strong> Everyone is weighing in on whats wrong with the publishing business model. Several potential solutions are being proposed, but all of them require a significant cutting of content-creation costs – especially investigative journalism. And yet ever... Crowdfunding journalism…

Everyone is weighing in on whats wrong with the publishing business model. Several potential solutions are being proposed, but all of them require a significant cutting of content-creation costs – especially investigative journalism. And yet ever…

]]> By: The Far Edge » Blog Archive » Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2744979 The Far Edge » Blog Archive » Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? Wed, 13 May 2009 00:19:47 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2744979 [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us - perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...] [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us – perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...]

]]> By: tandemrandom.com » Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2744534 tandemrandom.com » Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? Tue, 12 May 2009 20:46:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2744534 [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us - perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...] [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us – perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...]

]]> By: Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? | Newsfed - Aggregate local and tech stories with related videos and tweets! http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2744038 Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? | Newsfed - Aggregate local and tech stories with related videos and tweets! Tue, 12 May 2009 17:03:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2744038 [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us - perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...] [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us – perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...]

]]> By: Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2743755 Would You Pay A Journalist To Report The News You Want To Read? Tue, 12 May 2009 14:28:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2743755 [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us - perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...] [...] worth noting that there are other organizations providing this type of service, but like Spot.us – perhaps the most familiar example of an online marketplace for community-funded [...]

]]> By: 你推我報 vlog » 傳統報業蕭條 公民新聞新契機 [你推我報 #197] http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2545921 你推我報 vlog » 傳統報業蕭條 公民新聞新契機 [你推我報 #197] Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:05:09 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2545921 [...] 消息來源：TechCrunch [...] [...] 消息來源：TechCrunch [...]

]]> By: cyrusfarivar.com » Blog Archive » » Spot.us launches! http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2539211 cyrusfarivar.com » Blog Archive » » Spot.us launches! Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:39:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2539211 [...] so it actually launched nine days ago. Still, big ups to my buddy David Cohn and his new community-funded journalism site, [...] [...] so it actually launched nine days ago. Still, big ups to my buddy David Cohn and his new community-funded journalism site, [...]

]]> By: Tom Prete Wakeup Call http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2533162 Tom Prete Wakeup Call Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:58:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2533162 Hey Tom: You realize you are blogging on a website that provides feeds to several major newspapers throughout the country, thus eliminating the need for local technology reporters. You do realize that, right? Hey Tom:

You realize you are blogging on a website that provides feeds to several major newspapers throughout the country, thus eliminating the need for local technology reporters.

You do realize that, right?

]]> By: Dan Farber http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2533158 Dan Farber Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:54:12 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2533158 Dave: Hold on to my resume in the event TC stops writing stories I can piggyback on and openly cheerlead. I also do magic tricks. Ask me to show you how I regularly make objective, non-conflicted reporting "disappear" before your very eyes. Warm Regards: Dan Farber Founder/American Shill CNet San Francisco, CA Dave:

Hold on to my resume in the event TC stops writing stories I can piggyback on and openly cheerlead.

I also do magic tricks. Ask me to show you how I regularly make objective, non-conflicted reporting “disappear” before your very eyes.

Warm Regards:

Dan Farber
Founder/American Shill
CNet
San Francisco, CA

]]> By: Digidave http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530797 Digidave Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:18:03 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530797 This is all good feedback. I love it!!! This is all good feedback. I love it!!!

]]> By: Tom Prete http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530783 Tom Prete Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:05:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530783 As a former editorial-page editor of the San Francisco Examiner and managing editor of the SF Independent, the flagship of a set of defunct community newspapers that once had the largest distribution in the U.S., I was doing community journalism since the early '90s. I find this intriguing and plan to bid out a couple of stories myself, but I just can't see how this could possibly work as a business model in the long term. If it continues past its initial, noncompetitive funding, it's going to be because it provides weaker, smaller papers (or other media) with an extremely cheap source of content. In order to be a cheaper choice for these papers than keeping a stable of their own stringers, the pay will have to be low enough that the writer has no motivation to produce real quality. One of the many problems with many newspapers these days is that they're undermining their own future by trying to cut their way out of plummeting income. However, I would be very pleased if spot.us proved me wrong. As a former editorial-page editor of the San Francisco Examiner and managing editor of the SF Independent, the flagship of a set of defunct community newspapers that once had the largest distribution in the U.S., I was doing community journalism since the early ’90s. I find this intriguing and plan to bid out a couple of stories myself, but I just can’t see how this could possibly work as a business model in the long term. If it continues past its initial, noncompetitive funding, it’s going to be because it provides weaker, smaller papers (or other media) with an extremely cheap source of content. In order to be a cheaper choice for these papers than keeping a stable of their own stringers, the pay will have to be low enough that the writer has no motivation to produce real quality. One of the many problems with many newspapers these days is that they’re undermining their own future by trying to cut their way out of plummeting income. However, I would be very pleased if spot.us proved me wrong.

]]> By: Justin Carder http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530671 Justin Carder Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:47:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530671 Caveat -- we're developing neighborhood blogging service http://Neighborlogs.com so this is partly plug. First, congrats to Spot.Us and here's hoping it finds the magic and works. More activity in citizen journalism is good regardless of business strategy, etc. One of the biggest problems for citizen journalism supported by charity and giving is equity -- basically, it's not fair. Some readers will give, many won't. The cycle makes it even less likely the givers will keep giving. I prefer approaches which allow 1) entrepreneurial leaders to own the site's content and business, 2) multiple levels of citizen contribution from 'front page editor' to ' commenter' and 3) compensation driven by advertising that is directly related to the quality of the site. Advertising is the great 'equity' equalizer. All readers give! Caveat — we’re developing neighborhood blogging service http://Neighborlogs.com so this is partly plug.

First, congrats to Spot.Us and here’s hoping it finds the magic and works. More activity in citizen journalism is good regardless of business strategy, etc.

One of the biggest problems for citizen journalism supported by charity and giving is equity — basically, it’s not fair. Some readers will give, many won’t. The cycle makes it even less likely the givers will keep giving.

I prefer approaches which allow 1) entrepreneurial leaders to own the site’s content and business, 2) multiple levels of citizen contribution from ‘front page editor’ to ‘ commenter’ and 3) compensation driven by advertising that is directly related to the quality of the site.

Advertising is the great ‘equity’ equalizer. All readers give!

]]> By: jonathanpberger http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530558 jonathanpberger Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:39:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530558 It's a new model and takes a little getting used to, but you can't think of it in terms of "$0.25 for a newspaper." For that $0.25, you don't get to decide what the stories are, you just get to read a copy of them. It's more like "for $20 and maybe some organizing (so my friends donate too) I get an editorial voice." That might not be much on a national scale, but on a local scale? To whip up support for a story about more stop signs on your kids' bus route before the next town budget meeting? That can be a powerful tool for the public. Spot.Us is ultimately a *marketplace for freelance journalists*. Ad-rev cant be the primary payment; the money has to come up-front. Citizens are paying for professional attention on stories they're interested in. It’s a new model and takes a little getting used to, but you can’t think of it in terms of “$0.25 for a newspaper.” For that $0.25, you don’t get to decide what the stories are, you just get to read a copy of them. It’s more like “for $20 and maybe some organizing (so my friends donate too) I get an editorial voice.” That might not be much on a national scale, but on a local scale? To whip up support for a story about more stop signs on your kids’ bus route before the next town budget meeting? That can be a powerful tool for the public.

Spot.Us is ultimately a *marketplace for freelance journalists*. Ad-rev cant be the primary payment; the money has to come up-front. Citizens are paying for professional attention on stories they’re interested in.

]]> By: Shaun Dakin http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530546 Shaun Dakin Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:20:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530546 We'll see if people put their money where their "interests" lie. Free is a very powerful force on the internet. Consumers expect news to be free now. It will be interesting if consumers / voters / neighbors actually put down some money. OR... will they rely on the MSM that they despise so much but that the blogosphere can't live without? Cake and eat it ? We'll see in 10 years if there are any independent newspapers around. As I heard some journalist say, "it is expensive to have a journalist in Iraq, it is cheap to blog in your PJ's at home." We’ll see if people put their money where their “interests” lie.

Free is a very powerful force on the internet. Consumers expect news to be free now. It will be interesting if consumers / voters / neighbors actually put down some money.

OR… will they rely on the MSM that they despise so much but that the blogosphere can’t live without?

Cake and eat it ?

We’ll see in 10 years if there are any independent newspapers around.

As I heard some journalist say, “it is expensive to have a journalist in Iraq, it is cheap to blog in your PJ’s at home.”

]]> By: 猪猡记公园 » Blog Archive » TechCrunch新产品短评 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530481 猪猡记公园 » Blog Archive » TechCrunch新产品短评 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:43:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530481 [...] http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/ [...] [...] http://www.tech...ity-journalism/ [...]

]]> By: weight loss guy http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530478 weight loss guy Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:34:57 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530478 I hope this works out. It could really shake things up and keep old school journalists on their toes. I hope this works out. It could really shake things up and keep old school journalists on their toes.

]]> By: chance http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530413 chance Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:18:53 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530413 I don't know if this will work. It will probably sway either right wing or left wing but hopefully there will be editors vetting the stories. I don’t know if this will work. It will probably sway either right wing or left wing but hopefully there will be editors vetting the stories.

]]> By: Spot.us: Citizen-funded community journalism |  BudiPutra.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530276 Spot.us: Citizen-funded community journalism |  BudiPutra.com Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:17:01 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530276 [...] TechCrunch] Follow me: [...] [...] TechCrunch] Follow me: [...]

]]> By: william http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530081 william Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:25:50 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530081 The idea is very interesting, but it seems to hold on to many of the old media ideas that are associated with content creation in the old world medium of print journalism. In todays new world of real time content created in "ambient" social communication platforms; having editors and story suggestions is more akin to a cave man drawing pictures of the hunt long after the hunt has happened. We now live in a medium were you are the town crier as well as the listener. The idea is very interesting, but it seems to hold on to many of the old media ideas that are associated with content creation in the old world medium of print journalism.

In todays new world of real time content created in “ambient” social communication platforms; having editors and story suggestions is more akin to a cave man drawing pictures of the hunt long after the hunt has happened.

We now live in a medium were you are the town crier as well as the listener.

]]> By: Justin http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530074 Justin Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:18:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530074 Cool idea. Freelancers have a number of avenues to make money online these days. Hope a big publisher like the Post or Times would adopt this service atleast partially to bring in fresh style and narrative. Cool idea. Freelancers have a number of avenues to make money online these days. Hope a big publisher like the Post or Times would adopt this service atleast partially to bring in fresh style and narrative.

]]> By: Mark http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2530016 Mark Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:34:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2530016 good point, I'm not the biggest fan of the spot.us domain name, but...I like the site/what Dave is doing for "community funded reporting" (if he would expand the site to include news coming out of Galveston, then he's really be on to something =) good point, I’m not the biggest fan of the spot.us domain name, but…I like the site/what Dave is doing for “community funded reporting” (if he would expand the site to include news coming out of Galveston, then he’s really be on to something =)

]]> By: Yasser http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2529994 Yasser Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:45:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2529994 Agree with your comments wholeheartedly. There is a glitch in the revenue model for both sides. It is a great market to get into though. Btw Check out http://www.jobstaxi/com New Jobs. Garage Games. Infinity Ward. Funny Or Die. KickApps. Gracenote. Agree with your comments wholeheartedly. There is a glitch in the revenue model for both sides. It is a great market to get into though.

Btw
Check out http://www.jobstaxi/com
New Jobs. Garage Games. Infinity Ward. Funny Or Die. KickApps. Gracenote.

]]> By: Baby Shoes For Sale » Blog Archive » Wrong direction for citizen journalism http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2529947 Baby Shoes For Sale » Blog Archive » Wrong direction for citizen journalism Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:33:49 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2529947 [...] just like that, but it is headed in the wrong direction. As TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld points out, there is little reason somebody would give $25, $10, or even $5 to fund a story seeing as people [...] [...] just like that, but it is headed in the wrong direction. As TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld points out, there is little reason somebody would give $25, $10, or even $5 to fund a story seeing as people [...]

]]> By: Chris http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2529941 Chris Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:18:06 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2529941 This is an interesting idea though I, like the author, am not 100% convinced of its success. The problem comes from the pricetag that people are supposed to pay for these articles. Like what was stated, many people don't have $.25 for a paper so why should they be expected to hand out $10 for an article. The point still remains that paying citizen writers is the way to go, and paying them on an incentive based system is also very important because it functions like Digg.com: the better stories/writers get shuffled to the top of the pile. What if the writers were paid based on advertising? For example, if I write a good article about the oil spill, the page which my article is on will get more hits than a bad article about the oil spill. Then, in order to reward and keep good writers writing, I get a cut of the advertising dollars made on my page. The better the article, the more readers, the more pageviews, the more money made in advertising, the more reward for the writer. This is an interesting idea though I, like the author, am not 100% convinced of its success. The problem comes from the pricetag that people are supposed to pay for these articles. Like what was stated, many people don’t have $.25 for a paper so why should they be expected to hand out $10 for an article.
The point still remains that paying citizen writers is the way to go, and paying them on an incentive based system is also very important because it functions like Digg.com: the better stories/writers get shuffled to the top of the pile.
What if the writers were paid based on advertising? For example, if I write a good article about the oil spill, the page which my article is on will get more hits than a bad article about the oil spill. Then, in order to reward and keep good writers writing, I get a cut of the advertising dollars made on my page. The better the article, the more readers, the more pageviews, the more money made in advertising, the more reward for the writer.

]]> By: teraom http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/10/spotus-experiments-with-citizen-funded-community-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-2529819 teraom Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:53:25 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=27235#comment-2529819 Why not a dot com? I understand it is a not for profit, but why lose on the traffic? I have seen numerous examples.. but this is not the worst. The name stands by the heart "spot us" Why not a dot com? I understand it is a not for profit, but why lose on the traffic? I have seen numerous examples.. but this is not the worst. The name stands by the heart “spot us”

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