Who would you investigate for $10,000? NewAssignment.net

[Demit]

Jay Rosen (respected media blogger/NYU journalism teacher) and Craig Newmark (founder of craigslist) have an idea for a site that could be verrry interesting. Will Bunch (reporter at the Daily News in Phila) posted this item at his blog http://attytood.com/ Will says:

"Let's face it, the current system of investigative reporting has broken down. Too many news organizations have make the same bizarre decision to slash in-depth, long-term reporting first, while keeping coverage of "headline news" that readers can get from six other sources. Paid journalists increasingly must focus on the big picture -- U.S. policy in Iraq, for example -- whereas the best investigative work is the "micro," like who are the small contractors getting fat on corruption because of U.S. policy in Iraq.

There is still some great work by great professionals, but there is also a growing body of successful investigative reporting by amateurs, for the very reason that they aren't constrained by some of the phony boundaries of "pro" journalism.

Here's the link to Jay Rosen's further explanation of the concept http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/07/25/nadn_qa.html

It's so fascinating to me that newspaper boards are tearing their hair out (supposedly) wondering why they are losing readers and it never occurs to them that maybe it's because of the things they've stopped doing. I'd love to see this venture succeed.

[Ezlivin]

1. Craigslist has decimated newspaper budgets

It turns out that newspapers fund their reporting through the handsome receipts formerly generated by classified advertising. Craigslist has destroyed that source of revenue forcing papers to lay off reporters and to cut back on investigative reporting. Read more here.

[Demit]

3. "When is making 20 to 30 percent profit not enough?" as Nicholas

von Hoffman asked, in an article in the Nation last year. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051219/anybody_want_to_buy_a_newspaper

I'm not at all convinced of the classified ad loss-reporting cutbacks nexus. Certainly newspapers used to be the only game in town when it came to want ads. But losing them (and the automobile advertising) to a new media outlet did not make them anywhere near start losing money.

And anyway, would your point be that craigslist is a bad guy and therefore should be resented instead of supported?

[Ezlivin]

4. I use Craigslist and I'm a newspaper subscriber

Craigslist is simply an example of the unintended consequences of technology. The founder of Craigslist didn't intend to bring any harm to newspapers.

Neil Postman has an excellent book on technology called "Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology". Read more here.

[leveymg]

2. I can think of a couple stories that need follow-up.

Anyone out there who might be interested in signing on to a grant request, please IM me.

Or, apply yourself: http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/07/25/nadn_qa.html