The Washington News Council recently held the first public presentation of its Online Media Guide (affectionately referred to as OMG). The project, which is still under intense development, combines a database and maps of over 800 print, broadcast, and online news and information sources statewide. Sources include: daily and weekly newspapers, radio and television stations, hyperlocal neighborhood websites, independent blogs, civic groups and associations, government agencies, business sites, community organization newsletters, and other media sources around the state.

Under the guidance of John Hamer, WNC president, the project is being spearheaded by WNC Communication Strategist, Jacob Caggiano, with the assistance of independent web developers Brian Glanz and Charles Hamilton.  “The project idea originated at the Journalism That Matters gathering last January at the University of Washington,” said Hamer. “We believe this is an exciting and valuable resource for the public.”

About twenty people from Puget Sound businesses, organizations and governmental agencies showed up at the downtown Pyramid Alehouse for the presentation. The lively discussion that followed focused upon potentials for applications and monetizing the project.

“This is a tremendous body of work,” said Mark Briggs, director of media for Belo Marketing Solutions. “A super rich database for public relations and marketing firms to know who to target.”

“I used to know all the media, but it’s impossible to know everyone anymore,” said Rick Olson, director of government relations and communications for the Puget Sound Regional Council. “We’ve been looking for a guide and I’d pay for access if I was satisfied about the quality of the data.”

In addition to contact information, the OMG contains information on each organization ‘s coverage area, means of support, and even its political orientation. As the project is funded, the information base will be expanded. “It all started with the basic directory,” said Caggiano. “We’re providing the places to go look. Data mining can come later.”

One common concern that arose from the audience was how often the information in the guide would be updated. Hamer acknowledged this was a matter of considerable importance, and that maintaining the staff to keep the data fresh was one of the reasons the News Council is looking for ways to monetize the project. One potential solution was to make the data updatable by the media organizations themselves. Also possible was the purchase of “upgraded listings” with higher visibility in the OMG similar to Yellow Pages ads.

All in all, the reception for the OMG was warm and enthusiastic, and participants were eager to be kept in the loop about its further development.

For more information about the WNC Online Media Guide go to: http://wanewscouncil.org/omgwashington/

The Washington News Council has just been named “Organization of the Year” by the Municipal  League of King County. Here is their press release, sent out today to news media statewide.

This is a great honor for our little non-profit organization. We would like to thank all of our friends, supporters and donors who helped make our important work possible over the past 12 months — and over the past 12 years — to encourage high-quality journalism and media ethics.

Other Civic Award winners this year include King County Sheriff Sue Rahr (Public Official of the Year), BECU – Boeing Employees Credit Union (Business of the Year), and Susannah Frame of KING5 (Government News Reporting). So we’re in really good company!

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The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
Let’s make a difference … together

What’s your BIG idea?
• Do you have a BIG idea, but not enough bandwidth in your day job to tease it out of your head and onto the table?
• Are you missing the right bright people around that table to help your idea take shape?
• Does your current situation lack the development and research capabilities to test and measure your idea?

Bring your BIG idea to the Reynolds Journalism Institute.

RJI is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 class of Donald W. Reynolds Fellows.

“RJI is looking for solutions for the future of journalism. If you have an idea that you think can transform journalism’s role in society, we want to hear about it.” — Pam Johnson, RJI executive director

In a time of tumultuous and exhilarating change in journalism, what would you do with eight months, a generous living stipend and a chance to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in media today?

Our Fellows program has created a network of journalists and scholars who have led the way in journalism. Check out the past classes of Fellows and their success: http://www.rjionline.org/fellows-program/index.php.

“Having a year at the Reynolds Journalism Institute is an incredible gift,” says Michael Skoler, a member of the 2009-2010 Fellows class.

How do I apply?

1. Take the best idea that you’d like to develop. Make sure it has the potential to sustain the values, principles and purposes of journalism. Proposals that link technology and journalism are especially sought. Boil it down to three pages.

2. Make sure your idea will benefit from the research and experimentation opportunities at the nation’s oldest—and one of the largest—journalism schools. You’ll be backed by one of the nation’s newest journalism research centers.

3. Be prepared to spend Sept. 1 through April 30 largely in residence in Columbia, Mo., home of the University of Missouri. Columbia is a thriving, mid-Missouri city of 100,000 people, focused on education and health care, reached easily from the St. Louis and Kansas City airports. Columbia Regional Airport has regional jet service via Memphis.

Do it today—proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. The earlier you apply, the more opportunity there will be to review, collaborate and strengthen your proposal. Finalists will be asked to provide additional information regarding the expected outcomes of the proposed work.

Send your proposal and resume to Executive Director Pam Johnson:
pam@rjionline.org
or mail to:
Pam Johnson, Executive Director
Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute

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Columbia, MO 65211

The Washington News Council met the Gates Foundation’s Challenge Grant target by raising $100,000 in total donations by the deadline of Jan. 15, 2011. We received the Foundation’s matching check for $100,000 in the mail this week. We are extremely grateful to the Foundation for its continued generous support of the WNC and our important work.

This news is especially welcome because we recently learned that the Minnesota News Council, which was the model for the Washington News Council when we were founded in 1998, is closing its doors after 40 years. The MNC’s president, Tony Carideo, told the National Newspaper Association’s paper (January 2011 issue) that an inability to secure adequate funding and a decline in the number of complaints were primary factors. The council’s former executive director, Sarah Bauer, told me that she would move into the offices of the Minnesota Newspaper Association, which founded the MNC, as its program director.

Over the past 40 years, much of the MNC’s support came from that state’s newspapers and other media outlets, including local television stations. However, their funding declined severely in recent years due to the financial problems of the news industry in Minnesota.

In contrast, the Washington News Council was not founded by or significantly funded by news organizations when we began. We invited news outlets to join us and help shape our council, but nearly all declined. Instead, we sought and received funding and support from foundations, corporations, associations and many individuals — and thus did not rely on media donors (which some might consider a conflict of interest in any case).

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