Sduros Blog | Knight Digital Media Center

ONA 2014 registration now open, propose sessions through April 18

News for Digital Innovators

Sun, April 13, 2014 | 3:13 p.m. PDT

The Online News Association's annual conference and award banquet is such a heavy-hitting event that it's sold out seven straight years in a row. This year, it will be held Sept. 25-27 in Chicago.

This just in: Online news start up buys the largest newspaper in Alaska

News for Digital Innovators

Wed, April 9, 2014 | 11:09 a.m. PDT

by Michele McLellan

It’s a headline that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

Alaska Dispatch, a six-year-old born-on-the-web news site, has reached an agreement to purchase the Anchorage Daily News, which produces the state’s largest newspaper and most-read news site.

ONA Challenge Grants: Winning journalism schools announced

News for Digital Innovators

Tue, April 8, 2014 | 11:22 a.m. PDT

by Amy Gahran

This week the Online News Association announced winners of the ONA 2014-15 Challenge Fund grants. This program supports journalism schools in seeding collaborative news experiments in living labs: their communities. These projects could provide useful examples, and perhaps function in partnership with, other local news/engagement efforts.

Can local news scale? The Alternative Press tests a franchise model in New Jersey

Community News Leadership 3.0

Sun, April 6, 2014 | 10:00 p.m. PDT

by Michele McLellan

Patch sought to scale its way to big profits without success. In the rough-and-tumble local news enviroment, independent publishers may find more benefit in attempting to scale for efficiencies. That's a key ingredient of a franchise model The Alternative Press is pioneering.

Atomizing mobile news: Borrowing a page from Circa

Community News Leadership 3.0

Wed, April 2, 2014 | 11:32 a.m. PDT

by Amy Gahran

Is telling a narrative story always the best way to inform and engage a news audience? Not always, according to a leading digital news practitioner who spoke at this week's Mobile First conference. The takeaway: Thinking mobile first can help you make the best of scarce resources -- yours, or your community's.

International Symposium on Online Journalism, April 4-5

News for Digital Innovators

Tue, April 1, 2014 | 2:45 p.m. PDT

by Melissa Kaplan

Digital news and engagement lessons from around the world will be highlighted this weekend at the 15th annual International Symposium on Online Journalism, April 4-5 at the University of Texas-Austin. Participants from over 40 countries will offer a powerful look at today's media zeitgeist.

Mobile First: Journalism in the multiscreen age, March 31-April 1

News for Digital Innovators

Tue, March 25, 2014 | 11:14 a.m. PDT

by Melissa Kaplan

For years, newsrooms and digital media outlets have known that mobile is important -- but what are they doing to demonstrate that it's a high priority? Next week, the Mobile First conference will explore how media companies are connecting with audiences and communities via mobile technology.

How understanding the local budget empowers community

Community News Leadership 3.0

Mon, March 24, 2014 | 10:00 p.m. PDT

by Sally Duros

Two foundations in California are priming their communities for open government initiatives by teaching them how the local government budget works and that they can have a hand in influencing it.