Citizen & Community News

Joy Mayer, 2010-2011 Fellow

I’ve found myself this week telling several people about one of the most enlightening experiences of my fellowship, and I realized I hadn’t yet written about it.

I spent a day in the fall with Dave Marner, managing editor at the Gasconade County Republican, a weekly newspaper south and east of Missouri’s capital.

Joy Mayer, 2010-2011 Fellow

Yesterday, I wrote about NPR’s listener community and wisdom from Andy Carvin. This is part 2 of my NPR chats.

National Public Radio’s Bob Boilen has been talking directly to his listeners since the late ’80s, when he answered by hand the mail he got at All Things Considered. Then and now, he wants to hear what’s working, what’s annoying and what ideas listeners have. Now, as the host of All Songs Considered, he says his work days still almost always include direct interaction with listeners, and he can’t imagine that not being the case.

Joy Mayer, 2010-2011 Fellow

This is one of two posts about NPR. The other is a conversation with Bob Boilen at All Songs Considered.

In the changing landscape of relationships between news organizations and their audiences, National Public Radio might just be unique. “A lot of people don’t see NPR as a brand or a consumer choice. They see it as a lifestyle choice. They see it as part of their identity,” says Andy Carvin, NPR’s senior strategist. “For the 3 million or so people who donate to their local member stations, they actually have a literal vested interest in our success.”

Brian Steffens, Director of Communications

Monetize the user, not the content

Reinventing local with multiplatform focus

Digital news heating up in Philadelphia

Another look at pay to play

The Daily to add Android in spring

David Cohn, 2010-2011 Fellow

Spot.Us recently launched a new design, so this is an opportune time to write a “state of the spot” post — something we haven’t done since the website was six months old. I hope to lay out how far we’ve come and what’s on our plate and make a call to arms to the Spot.Us community and anyone else interested in the future of journalism.

Bill Densmore, 2008-2009 Fellow

In 2008-2009, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Fellow Mike Fancher concluded that journalists needed to develop a “new ethic of public engagement” as an enhancement or amendment to The Journalist’s Creed. This year, Reynolds Fellow Joy Mayer has been following that thread. She’s been asking: “What do we mean by engagement?”

Brian Steffens, Director of Communica-tions

Yahoo forms AdLabs to pitch hyperlocal ad sales

AP OK’s independent agency to license content

iPad boosts Financial Times digital subscriptions

Media dealmakers summit: “The Web is Dead”

CNN Android app to let viewers post news video

Joy Mayer, 2010-2011 Fellow

As journalists, many of us like to think of ourselves as being in the community business. We serve communities with information.

I’ve been talking to folks who come at this idea of community from other angles. Today, that road led me to Steve Jeanetta, who is on the community development faculty here at the University of Missouri Extension. I learned so much from Steve, and I’m thrilled that he’s agreed to be part of our conversations at the Engagement Metric, a workshop here at RJI May 4-5. Join us if you can!

Joy Mayer, 2010-2011 Fellow

I’ve interviewed dozens of journalists this year about their relationships with their communities or audiences. We’ve talked about what “engagement” means to them.

I end most interviews by asking folks how they know if they’ve achieved “engagement.” Can it be measured or assessed? And if so, how?

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m planning an event for the conclusion of my fellowship on just that topic.

David Cohn, 2010-2011 Fellow

What a great first Carnival of Journalism! It's intimidating to try and do a round-up post. There is no way to capture 50+ bog posts (and counting). As you may recall - I'm using the Carnival in part to introduce attendees at a future roundtable to be held at the Reynolds Journalism Institute in April. I wanted to highlight and include EVERYONE's post in this round-up, but in an effort to introduce conference attendees digitally I'm highlighting their names in red.