News: Gannett to Crowdsource News. The publisher of "America's newspaper" is turning to America to get its news.
According to internal documents provided to Wired News and interviews with key executives, Gannett, the publisher of USA Today as well as 90 other American daily newspapers, will begin crowdsourcing many of its newsgathering functions. Starting Friday, Gannett newsrooms were rechristened "information centers," and instead of being organized into separate metro, state or sports departments, staff will now work within one of seven desks with names like "data," "digital" and "community conversation.
" The initiative emphasizes four goals: Prioritize local news over national news; publish more user-generated content; become 24-7 news operations, in which the newspapers do less and the websites do much more; and finally, use crowdsourcing methods to put readers to work as watchdogs, whistle-blowers and researchers in large, investigative features. Citizen Media Law Project. Global Voices · Citizen media stories from around the world. @Mujtahidd: Tweeting the Saudi Elite’s Secrets. With over 200,000 followers, many Saudis have already heard of @Mujtahidd.
For more than three months, this anonymous Twitter account has been denouncing the lifestyles of those in power in Saudi Arabia. Tweet after tweet reveals details of backroom deals and conspiracies involving the ruling House of Saud, and their schemes with major Western capitals. The same Western capitals who have been more than accommodating of the al-Saud family’s religious fundamentalism.