WellCommons.com:Breaking down the barriers

between journalists and the community

JONATHAN GROVES, PH.DDRURY UNIVERSITY

APRIL 20, 2012#ISOJ 2012

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Journalists

Community

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Civic journalism

Participatory journalism

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People inside and outside the newsroom are engaged in communicating not only to, but also with, one another. In doing so, they are all participating in the ongoing processes of creating a news website and building a multifaceted community.

— Participatory Journalism (2011) @grovesprof

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Research questions

• What types of stories are being contributed?

• What types of sources are being used?

• How are people interacting?

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Content analysis

• 705 posts, April 2010 — June 2010– Analyzed for story type

• 1,137 users, February 2010 — February 2012– Analyzed professions, identities

• 6,408 interactions, February 2010 — February 2012– Analyzed posts, reposts, comments

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Stories

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Sources

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InteractionsExcluding joining groups

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I used to send news releases to the paper, and they seldom resulted in stories. Now, we don’t have editors deciding what is newsworthy. We get to post our news, and then our community can decide if it is worth reading.

— MARILYN HULL, DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

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1,449 interactions (23%)

10 power users responsible for 2,743 (43%) of 6,408 interactions

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Relay for Life

There are no words to describe how much Susan touched my life in such a short period of time. She allowed me and photographer Nick Krug to document her journey with brain cancer. Despite the cancer's toll on her body and mind, she remained optimistic and positive — even while on hospice. She was looking forward to her new life with God.

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Journalists

Community

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30,000 unique visitors

130,000 page views