The Fort Myers News-Press has launched an interesting project that combines backpack journalism and hyperlocal citizens’ media.
Under the banner of “Your Community: By you, for you,” the newspaper
has deployed “mojos” (mobile journalists) with wireless laptops,
cameras, and audio recorders in three communities: Bonita Springs, Estero, and North Fort Myers.
The paper’s executive editor, Kate Marymont, writes
that the mojos also are expected to spend half their time recruiting
and training citizen contributors. I find this project noteworthy for
several different reasons.
First, it’s low-tech. The News-Press
is using one of the oldest new-media publishing platforms around: a
discussion board. Many times media companies are reluctant to
experiment because they lack time, money, technical expertise, or a
guaranteed business model. Setting up and running a discussion board
can be done quickly and cheaply. If it works, custom technology
development can come later.
Second, the project addresses the chicken/egg problem that plagues
participatory-media projects: Most people won’t contribute until a
trove of content already is there. (Medill School journalism students’
GoSkokie project learned this lesson somewhat painfully; their
experience is documented thoroughly in a PDF report available here.)
Finally, and maybe most significantly for the newspaper industry, the News-Press
(a Gannett newspaper) was willing to make some tough choices. To launch
this initiative, Marymont says the paper eliminated two positions in
its
features department. As the media audience shifts from print to online,
newspapers are going to have to be willing to make more decisions like
this. It doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game, though. Marymont notes
that content from the community forums is making its way into print.
