Nov
22
Rupert Murdoch: The man who might teach Google a lesson in humility
November 22, 2009 | Comments Off
Rupert Murdoch has threatened to pull the content of his newspapers from Google’s search engines. The results could be paradigm-shattering.
Here are some things to think about. Web only accounts for 10 percent of the revenue at many print newspapers. And only a fraction of local readers visit a newspaper site through Google. (Most readers type the [...]
Nov
16
A new community journalism site in Livingston County, Mich.
November 16, 2009 | Comments Off
LivingstonTalk.com was founded by two former staffers of the Livingston County Press & Argus. I heard about this one from the lady who cut my hair.
Online news sites are really gaining momentum–it’s hard to believe that only about five years ago conventional wisdom said that it was impossible for anyone but Google to make money [...]
Oct
15
AnnArbor.com progress report
October 15, 2009 | Comments Off
The Ann Arbor Observer reports that AnnArbor.com is meeting is projections for revenue and circulation. No word on whether it has turned a profit.
Oct
1
New citizen journalism site in Grand Rapids
October 1, 2009 | Comments Off
The Rapidian is a new citizen journalism site in Grand Rapids, Mich. There is also an article on Mlive.com.
This new site contains reporting exclusively by civilians, and it is partially backed with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It seems that journalists are getting used to the idea of ordinary people writing [...]
Jun
23
NPR interview about citizen journalism
June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
Stephen Lacy, journalism professor at Michigan State University, was interviewed by Christina Shockley, host of Michigan Radio’s Morning Edition. The podcast is at the Michigan Radio site.
I’m reposting my comments to the interview below:
Jun
17
CJ’s carry the day in Tehran
June 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
In Tehran, foreign journalists have been all but shut down. Citizen journalists are posting everything online. Protests against what citizens call a rigged election are being put down by aggressive police action.
fhashemi’s Flickr photostream.
Tehranlive.org.
And check out the #iranelection thread on Twitter.
Jun
1
Bukowski gets probation and a fine
June 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
A Michigan Messenger story, by MINEHAHA FORMAN reports that Diane Bukowski got a year of probation, 200 hours of community service and $4,000 in fines for photographing the deadly results of a police chase by Michigan State Police on Election Day last year.
The judge acknowledged that police testimony did not agree with Fox 2 news [...]
May
7
Bukowski convicted
May 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
It’s an obvious case of political retaliation. And there are now accusations that several police officers and other law enforcement officials have broken the law, committed perjury, or suborned perjury, all to prevent a reporter from photographing a news event.
Anybody heard of the First Amendment? Wouldn’t it have been better to admit [...]
Apr
23
Successor to Ann Arbor News will gather personal data, use it to target ads
April 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
AnnArbor.com will generate revenue through targeted advertising, according to a key member of the management team.
The web site, created to replace the 174-year-old Ann Arbor News when it ceases to publish in July, will gather information about readers and then use data mining techniques to target ads to those readers who will [...]
Apr
23
Analysis: Could data mining bail out newspapers?
April 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By Clarence William Cromwell
The new business model proposed by AnnArbor.com looks like a cross between database marketing and data mining.
It appears to be the first time a company has attempted to fund a daily newspaper operation this way.
The people at AnnArbor.com will probably say that its too early for pronouncements about whether the site will [...]