Craigslist Calls on Amateur Journalists
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Written By Reprise Media | May 9, 2005 | Share This
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Help wanted over at Craigslist, and we’re not talking about the Jobs section, though there’s an ad for a Rock Band Stand-In that looks pretty enticing.
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark recently told reporters that community journalism is high on his radar right now. Newmark is looking to groom a pool of “talented amateurs” to investigate scandals […]
Help wanted over at Craigslist, and we’re not talking about the Jobs section, though there’s an ad for a Rock Band Stand-In that looks pretty enticing.
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark recently told reporters that community journalism is high on his radar right now. Newmark is looking to groom a pool of “talented amateurs” to investigate scandals and cover politics, promoting the most credible stuff on outside blogs as well as Craigslist itself.
Why this could be cool:
- Built-in brand credibility: Craigslist has built itself a great reputation for trustworthy, credible content. They can use this culture of trust as a springboard for getting a news service off the ground, should they choose to go that route. It doesn’t look unlikely. In a recent interview, Newmark named ‘trust’ as one of the biggest issues facing online media: “Right now people have lost a lot of trust in the mainstream press.”
- No breaking the bank: Newmark hasn’t said anything about how he’ll hire or what he’ll pay staff, but the start-up costs should be relatively low. Craigslist devotees are a pretty rabid bunch, it’s not hard to imagine readers offering to contribute articles for free, a la Wikipedia.
- Craig’s in good company: Word has it Newmark’s been working with Dan Gillmor, a former writer for the San Jose Mercury News and founder of Grassroots Media Inc., and Jeff Jarvis, the blogger behind BuzzMachine.com and former critic for TV Guide and People. Jarvis, who has defined blogs as “The voices of citizens in conversation,” recently commented on a blog debacle involving some Los Alamos scientists and engineers and the director they were looking to oust. Read about it here.
Topics: Craigslist |