A brief introduction to hyperlocal journalism and the current efforts to pioneer the concept of a hyperlocal news network by Patch.com, NY Times, InJersey, and others.

1. HYPERLOCAL
JOURNALISM
A lot of hype or a new hope for community
news and civic engagement?

2. WHO AM I?

3. WHO AM I?
• Ted Mann — ted@injersey.com / @turkeymonkey

4. WHO AM I?
• Ted Mann — ted@injersey.com / @turkeymonkey
• Digital Development Director for Gannett NJ

5. WHO AM I?
• Ted Mann — ted@injersey.com / @turkeymonkey
• Digital Development Director for Gannett NJ
• Administer164 WordPress MU staff blogs across five Gannett
NJ websites: app.com, courierpostonline.com, dailyrecord.com,
mycentraljersey.com, and thedailyjournal.com

6. POP QUIZ

7. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?

8. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?

9. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space?

10. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space? $13 Billion

11. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space? $13 Billion
• What is the one area where Gannett’s New Jersey newspapers --
e.g. Courier-Post, Asbury Park Press, The Daily Journal -- are
expanding local news coverage?

12. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space? $13 Billion
• What is the one area where Gannett’s New Jersey newspapers --
e.g. Courier-Post, Asbury Park Press, The Daily Journal -- are
expanding local news coverage?

13. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space? $13 Billion
• What is the one area where Gannett’s New Jersey newspapers --
e.g. Courier-Post, Asbury Park Press, The Daily Journal -- are
expanding local news coverage?
• Where can journalism students edit and publish directly to the
New York Times website?

14. POP QUIZ
• Which local media organization is currently hiring 55 positions,
including reporters and editors?
• What is the total estimated potential revenue in the hyperlocal
space? $13 Billion
• What is the one area where Gannett’s New Jersey newspapers --
e.g. Courier-Post, Asbury Park Press, The Daily Journal -- are
expanding local news coverage?
• Where can journalism students edit and publish directly to the
New York Times website?

15. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL

16. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.

17. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.
• 2005: Startups like Backfence.com and newspaper-run sites like LoudonExtra attempt to pioneer
the concept of hyperlocal community news networks (both fail badly and are shuttered by 2008).

18. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.
• 2005: Startups like Backfence.com and newspaper-run sites like LoudonExtra attempt to pioneer
the concept of hyperlocal community news networks (both fail badly and are shuttered by 2008).
• 2006: Examiner.com launches with goal of creating regional hyperlocal blog networks.

19. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.
• 2005: Startups like Backfence.com and newspaper-run sites like LoudonExtra attempt to pioneer
the concept of hyperlocal community news networks (both fail badly and are shuttered by 2008).
• 2006: Examiner.com launches with goal of creating regional hyperlocal blog networks.
• 2007: Patch.com formed (Launches first wave of sites in ’09). Boston.com and Wicked Local
begin working on hyperlocal networks in Massachusetts.

20. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.
• 2005: Startups like Backfence.com and newspaper-run sites like LoudonExtra attempt to pioneer
the concept of hyperlocal community news networks (both fail badly and are shuttered by 2008).
• 2006: Examiner.com launches with goal of creating regional hyperlocal blog networks.
• 2007: Patch.com formed (Launches first wave of sites in ’09). Boston.com and Wicked Local
begin working on hyperlocal networks in Massachusetts.
• 2008: Aggregator sites like Everyblock, Outside.In, and Topix emerge on the scene, hoping to
automate hyperlocal news.

21. AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY
OF HYPERLOCAL
• 2004: Baristanet (Montclair, NJ) launches in beta.
• 2005: Startups like Backfence.com and newspaper-run sites like LoudonExtra attempt to pioneer
the concept of hyperlocal community news networks (both fail badly and are shuttered by 2008).
• 2006: Examiner.com launches with goal of creating regional hyperlocal blog networks.
• 2007: Patch.com formed (Launches first wave of sites in ’09). Boston.com and Wicked Local
begin working on hyperlocal networks in Massachusetts.
• 2008: Aggregator sites like Everyblock, Outside.In, and Topix emerge on the scene, hoping to
automate hyperlocal news.
• 2009: NY Times gets into the hyperlocal game with “The Local.” Gannett NJ launches InJersey.
Neighborlogs goes live in Washington state.

23. WHAT IS HYPERLOCAL?
• News or content pertaining to a town or small community.
• Often
involves collaboration between veteran journalists and
community members or citizen journalists.
Hyperlocal Not Hyperlocal

24. LOTS OF DIFFERENT MODELS

25. LOTS OF DIFFERENT MODELS
• Citizen-run

26. LOTS OF DIFFERENT MODELS
• Citizen-run
• Full-time journalists

27. LOTS OF DIFFERENT MODELS
• Citizen-run
• Full-time journalists
• Pro-Am (hybrid)

28. LOTS OF DIFFERENT MODELS
• Citizen-run
• Full-time journalists
• Pro-Am (hybrid)
• Aggregator

29. PATCH.COM
OLD MEDIA MODEL

30. PATCH.COM
OLD MEDIA MODEL

31. PATCH.COM
OLD MEDIA MODEL
• Semi-autonomous site editors with traditional media support
staff (copyeditors, listings editors, freelance budget, etc)

32. NY TIMES “THE LOCAL”
J-SCHOOL MODEL

33. NY TIMES “THE LOCAL”
J-SCHOOL MODEL

34. NY TIMES “THE LOCAL”
J-SCHOOL MODEL
• Partnerships with journalism schools to write and edit
hyperlocal sites in Brooklyn, East Village

35. REDBANKGREEN
DIY MODEL

36. REDBANKGREEN
DIY MODEL

37. REDBANKGREEN
DIY MODEL
• John Ward built his hyperlocal site, writes the content, edits
contributions, and sells advertising

38. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

39. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
User-Generated Content
(how do you get people to do more than simply post coments?)
Some of the solutions ....

40. INJERSEY.COM
CITIZEN JOURNALIST MODEL

41. INJERSEY.COM
CITIZEN JOURNALIST MODEL

42. INJERSEY.COM
CITIZEN JOURNALIST MODEL
• Open Registration and a social network for citizen journalists (powered by
WordPress MU & BuddyPress)

43. DEMO
http://injersey.com/about/

44. OPEN REGISTRATION =
OPEN ACCESS

45. OPEN REGISTRATION =
OPEN ACCESS
• User profiles, ability to author posts, access to all sites

46. OPEN REGISTRATION =
OPEN ACCESS
• User profiles, ability to author posts, access to all sites

47. COACHING CITIZEN
JOURNOS
• Using PM’s to issue assignment requests and ideas
• Messaging to send feedback and revision requests
• Member profiles to ensure some degree of accountability

48. OTHER WAYS OF FOSTERING
CITIZEN JOURNALISM

49. OTHER WAYS OF FOSTERING
CITIZEN JOURNALISM
• SeeClickFix

50. OTHER WAYS OF FOSTERING
CITIZEN JOURNALISM
• SeeClickFix
• Twitter

51. OTHER WAYS OF FOSTERING
CITIZEN JOURNALISM
• SeeClickFix
• Twitter
• Google Moderator

53. “Doing journalism in 2010 is an
act of community organizing”
—Robert Niles, The Online Journalims Review

54. CONTACT INFO
InJersey.com
Ted Mann: ted@injersey.com / @turkeymonkey
Personal Blog: turkeymonkey.com