Community Journalism of a different kind in Elkhart

I had not heard about this MSNBC site focusing on Elkhart, Ind., until a story today in the New York Times.

But I think it's worth taking some time to look at as an interesting prototype of a community journalism in-depth site. MSNBC has partnered with the Elkhart Truth, which still does most of the daily stuff while MSNBC does the depth work. It's a model that might have some application elsewhere. Not that everyone's going to be able to partner with MSNBC. But your local university or foundation might be a good substitute.

(As a former Fort Wayne newsman, I know Elkhart pretty well. It was ripe, I think, for something like this, just as Hartsville, S.C., appears to have been ripe for our HartsvilleToday project. Making these sites successful is about having a special community mix. It is worth exploring further in research.)

AP: Community papers doing pretty well

AP is the latest to weigh in on the meme that community papers, with less competition in their markets, are still doing pretty well.

"CNN is not coming to my town to cover the news and there aren't a whole lot of bloggers here either," said Robert M. Williams Jr., editor and publisher of The Blackshear Times in Georgia, about 75 miles from Jacksonville, Fla. "Community newspapers are still a great investment because we provide something you can't get anywhere else."

The AP also says that while larger newsrooms were cutting, an Inland Press study found smaller newsrooms spending more in 2008 than 2004.

But the recession has still hurt, with the small papers' revenue down 20%.

Jeff Ackerman, publisher of The Union in Grass Valley, Calif., says it well:

"Too many newspapers have been operating in an ivory tower for too long," said Ackerman, whose newspaper is based in a county with a population of about 100,000. "I answer my own phone. Some newspapers are just now trying to develop relationships with the local communities they cover. Ours has been going on for 144 years."

COMJIG business meeting

If you are in Boston, please make time to come to the COMJIG business meeting from 6:45-8:15 this Thursday at the Sheraton as part of the AEJMC convention.

As we have in the past, we will first meet jointly with Civic and Citizen Journalism and then adjourn to our own short meeting.

The following people have agreed to stand for nomination and election, but nominations also will be taken from the floor:

Head - Doug Fisher
Vice Head - Andris Straumanis
Research - Joe Marren
Teaching - Eileen Gilligan
PF&R - Ralph Hanson
Secretary- ????

As you can see, we need a secretary. If you are interested, please let Doug know (dfisher@sc.edu)or come prepared to nominate yourself.

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Also, here are two versions of a possible logo for the group. It might give us visibility or at least a unified look for the Yahoo Group, the blog and any mailings, etc.





Thanks,
Doug