April 22, 2006

Notes by Stephen Silha

Richard Anderson of VillageSoup, Camden, Maine, announced his vision of making the VillageSoup platform of content management software and user interface available to new media entrepreneurs.

He envisions a VillageSoup Common not unlike the Associated Press or VISA. The idea is that the group would establish a brand for a new business he calls “community networks”, replacing the old business of “community newspapers”.

The VillageSoup Common would provide business consulting, branding and software managing services to Common members. The Common would assure growth of VillageSoup community networks throughout the world.

The Atwater Sunfish-Gazette and Oakland Tribune have already begun discussions with Richard about creating a VillageSoup Community Network in their markets. Richard suggested that KAXE would be an interesting starting point from which to grow a community network. He pointed out that with these three plus his Camden operation the Common would begin with entities that grew from non-profit newspaper, for-profit newspaper, for-profit online and non-profit radio operations.

He suggested that the VillageSoup Common could use the Media Giraffe platform as the communication vehicle for members since it already has a rich and dynamic data base of practices throughout the world as well as facilities for deliberations and discussions.

This conversation is slated to continue at the Media Giraffe Project¹s upcoming conference on Democracy and Independence.