2011-01-23 Tucson still has excellent professional journalists, like
Josh Brodesky and
Jim Nintzel. In ten years, will we? Corporate ownership of the media and tight budgets threaten our 'fourth estate'. Having professional quality citizen journalists sounds like a good plan for the future - not to mention a fascinating hobby that supports democracy and your local community!
How can independent citizen journalists be supported?
We don't have all the answers, but traditionally advertising has been the main revenue stream that pays journalists. Donations from readers may be another.
bTucson.com gives you direct access to both, as well as editorial support.
To start now, email
with a brief note of what you'd like to write about.
If you'll write insightful articles about subjects of local interest, we will run ads on them that pay directly to you. If desired, we will help you add a 'Donate to the author' link with each article that goes directly to your own paypal account - or donate to your favorite cause. You're also welcome to link to your own site or sites.
Why write for bTucson?
- help build community connections and rich local content. Your articles are part of a community.
- editorial support and feedback. You will not be writing in a vacuum!
- build skills - learn to use Adsense and Paypal if you do not already
- get to talk to movers and shakers - bTucson isn't the Star, but we do have about 2000 human views daily and that is usually good enough to eventually get an interview with anyone in town. Just remember the five F's: Fast, Fair, Friendly, Frank and Factual. Build trust with your contacts.
- opinions ok - within bounds of bTucson editorial judgement. Constructive and concrete commentary preferred - no trolling or name-calling type of stuff.
- journalists have future! CJ Karamargin, Rep Giffords communications director, I believe used to be the political reporter for the Star
- exposure - well written articles will be featured across the site, and tend to be found pretty well by google
To get started, please drop me a line.
Golda Velez
editor, publisher and chief hacker, bTucson.com
Comments, Notes and News:
This organization has links to some leading independent investigative journalists, that if nothing else will provide stimulating reading. They give grants for travel and expenses as well, though apparently not on a large scale. --gv
http://spot.us offers tools for community funded reporting, as well as peer review. No stories about Tucson yet.
We may be able to use spot.us to fund stories for bTucson.com. It seems that the Twin Cities Daily Planet does. (and they have a
detailed contributor's page with lots of good ideas here --gv
Information above is from a privately purchased database and/or unverified user submissions. Please verify all information before depending on it for anything critical. We welcome corrections!
