telling the local story

Telling the local story

The fate of community journalismin a time of cultural upheaval

“Thinking the Unthinkable”

• Clay Shirky argues we’re in the midst of a post-Gutenberg disruption

“Thinking the Unthinkable”

• Clay Shirky argues we’re in the midst of a post-Gutenberg disruption

• No one thing will replace newspapers, but many things might

“Thinking the Unthinkable”

• Clay Shirky argues we’re in the midst of a post-Gutenberg disruption

• No one thing will replace newspapers, but many things might

• Three possibilities– Nonprofit– New forms of for-profit– Voluntary efforts

The community as editor

Tracking the global blogosphere

“Bowling Alone”

Rebuilding community ties

The New Haven Independent

Technology for journalists

Why the Independent works

• Hyperlocal focus on the city’s neighborhoods and quality of life

Why the Independent works

• Hyperlocal focus on the city’s neighborhoods and quality of life

• Fundraising base is more like public radio than like a newpaper

Why the Independent works

• Hyperlocal focus on the city’s neighborhoods and quality of life

• Fundraising base is more like public radio than like a newpaper

• Tightly moderated comments build a sense of civic engagement

The Batavian

For-profit, online and independent

Why The Batavian works

• Close attention tothe quotidian detailsof small-town life

Why The Batavian works

• Close attention tothe quotidian detailsof small-town life

• Good photography helps tell the storyof the community

Why The Batavian works

• Close attention tothe quotidian detailsof small-town life

• Good photography helps tell the storyof the community

• “Ads are content”: Nearly 150 local ads with no national chains

The Haverhill experiment

Irrigating a “news desert”

• Haverhill no longer has an independently owned local newspaper

Irrigating a “news desert”

• Haverhill no longer has an independently owned local newspaper

• Tom Stites conceivedof the Banyan Projectto build news co-ops

Irrigating a “news desert”

• Haverhill no longer has an independently owned local newspaper

• Tom Stites conceivedof the Banyan Projectto build news co-ops

• Haverhill Matters will combine professional and citizen journalism

Credits

• Photo of Clay Shirky (cc) by Paloma Baytelman. Some rights reserved.

• Photo of newsboy by Lewis Hine (National Archives).• Photo of citizen journalist (cc) by Morteza Bahmani.

Some rights reserved.• Photo of community meeting (cc) by David Clow. Some

rights reserved.• Photo of tree (cc) by Howard Owens. Some rights

reserved.• Photo of Tom Stites by John S. Mercer.

Credits

(cc) 2014 by Dan KennedySome rights reserved

Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA 02115

For more information, please visit www.dankennedy.net