I found out via Lenn Witt that Ana Marie Cox, the original Wonkette is employing “community funded reporting” to finish out her political reporting for this years presidential election.

As the Nieman Journalism Lab put it Cox found herself “left with a seat on John McCain’s plane but no one to pay for it.” (great Q and A with Cox about her efforts).

She used her blog and twitter to raise money through small donations to keep her in the political reporting game. She raised over $10,000 and has also found sponsorship from the Washington Independent. She is also keeping public records through her blog of all her expenses (smart idea).

This is a PERFECT example of community funded reporting. A journalist (blogger or old school), who has earned respect from readers and created an online audience, uses simple digital tools to raise an independent salary. Then a news organization, seeing value in the audience that Cox has cultivated swoops in to provide extra sponsorship in the hopes of also catering to her audience.

Who loses?

The readers feel a close connection with the journalism. They helped to make it happen. The reporter makes a living doing what she loves to do. The news organization finds new talent and cultivates a new relationship with readers where they act as recruiters for the talent and provide editorial momentum. The news organization still acts as the publisher that monetizes via advertising and they can use that money to support more journalism.

Not an accident.

Ana Marie Cox understands exactly what she was doing. It was well executed. Obviously the idea of community funded reporting isn’t new to her. She’s thought of this before as a last resort, I’m sure, but an option none-the-less.

Here’s the MOST beautiful part about all of this. Anyone can do it!!!!

I’m not building Spot.Us for Ana Marie Cox. She doesn’t need it. She already has an audience. There are other reporters like her: Josh Marshall, Chris Nolan, Robert Scoble, etc. I’m sure any one of these reporters could ask their audience for money to do a specific reporting project and people would respond.

But Ana Marie Cox, Josh Marshall and other super-star bloggers aren’t the only people who deserve to ask for contributions from readers. That’s what I hope Spot.Us becomes – a platform so that independent journalists and bloggers can make a case for themselves as good reporters who should be supported through small donations so that important topics that readers are passionate about are supported.

Until then: I wholeheartedly support Ana Marie Cox and any other example of community funded reporting, as isolated and sporadic as they may be right now.

Related posts:

1. Josh Marshall on Community Funded Reporting
2. The Chris Brogan Fiasco and Why Community Funded Reporting Works
3. Community Funded Reporting in Arizona!
4. Community Funded Reporting – Its Time Has Come
5. Community Funded Reporting – If You Doubt It – tell that to folks who just raised 60k