Perhaps no single venture spawned by the Internet is more controversial among journalists than Craigslist, the simple, online organizer of local help-wanted, housing and for-sale classifieds. Doggedly private about its finances, Craigslist had revenues estimated at $100 million last year because of the few places and categories where it does charge.
While Craigslist's negative impact on traditional newspapers is unequivocal, the influence of its founder on the future of journalism is far more nuanced. Craig A. Newmark, serves on the advisory board of Newstrust.net, the Sunlight Foundation, the Center for Public Integrity; he is on the board of Consumers Union, he helped fund or start NewAssignment.net and Spot.us. He speaks and blogs frequently about the essential role of watchdog journalism.
Newmark was in Columbia for two days as the guest of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He asked for an audience with Mizzou journalism students and RJI has agreed to provide the venue. Questioning Newmark, and facilitating questions from students, was Bill Densmore, 2008-2009 Reynolds Fellow and co-founder of CircLabs Inc., a university-backed spin-off of his Information Valet Project.
