What Do YOU Want to See Covered in the Bay Area
The real revolution of Spot.Us is that it gives editorial control over long-form, researched and reported content, back to the public.
Hal Plotkin from ReelChanges puts it like this: “If you walked into a restaurant and the waiter told you what you were going to eat for dinner, you’d walk right out.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag8CMNGV9qo]
He’s also said: Traditionally .001% of the population sets the editorial agenda. They are called “editors” and it made sense because they were the only people will a freelance budget. Now the public can get a freelance budget as well.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT_QVM3Vdho]
My friend Marc Cooper once joked that journalist seem to think there are only two types of individuals – smart journalists and idiots. As he notes – that isn’t the case. Everyday people have excellent story ideas.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efh75i62pwQ]
The president of the Knight Foundation has said (not a direct quote): “Why should editors have all the fun in picking what stories get reported. Now in San Francisco the public can have fun deciding what should be covered.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWyI09RzVqc]
Beat Blogger Daniel Victor is doing some interesting experimentation in this vein as well – letting his readers set and vote on what stories he should cover next.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBM_dcDjgRw]
Journalism is a process – and that process should be participatory.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THQN1mnb_Io]
These are real people – these are their stories. But everyone needs help to make their stories come to life. And that is where good journalism can play a part.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmVIE9nyz74]
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