New Models for community media Susan Mernit Founder, Oaklandlocal.com, Web Strategist, Center for Investigative Reporting, Circuit Rider, Knight Community Information Challenge

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.

Twitter: World’s breaking news source Twitter is our back fence & our tribal drumbeat

Local video reaches across the world We don’t need foreign correspondents anymore

News happens—and is shared– in REAL time Flickr: February 27, Saturday am: Chilean earthquake 8.8, 4:34 am

Via search & reputation, news is both grass-roots & filtered—almost instantaneously

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media, grassroots Old media is DYING Local is now global Eyewitnesses tell their stories The foreign correspondent is obsolete Mobile phones =Information workhorses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?

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

And some solutions— New hybrids are emerging that offer models for community engagement, storytelling, social change

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.

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

Oakland Local: Case study in community engagement, partners, volunteering

Oaklandlocal.com: Collaborate & Translate

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

A core staff works with volunteer writers, editors & partners

Revenue & Entrepreneurship  Paid staff works part/time  Volunteers are trained & supported  Partnerships with local non-profits  produce blogs, articles, videos, photos   Emphasis on user guidelines, quality,  diversity

Partners include  Ella Baker Center, Bay Localize, Urban Habitat, EBASE  New America Media, Center for  Investigative Reporting, KALW,  Spot.usraffic, uniques

Cost to date: under $20,000

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oakland Local loves to share community strategies

Keep in touch

Twitter: Susanmernit Email: susan@oaklandlocal.com

Site: oaklandlocal.com