{"id":1608,"date":"2016-06-30T16:53:01","date_gmt":"2016-06-30T16:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mikeyoungacademy.dk\/crowdsourcing-getting-readers-to-crunch-the-data-write-the-stories-and-take-the-photos\/"},"modified":"2024-05-10T10:36:47","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T10:36:47","slug":"crowdsourcing-getting-readers-to-crunch-the-data-write-the-stories-and-take-the-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikeyoungacademy.dk\/da\/crowdsourcing-getting-readers-to-crunch-the-data-write-the-stories-and-take-the-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Crowdsourcing – getting readers to analyse, write, and send in photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

If\u00a0you can get your\u00a0network to\u00a0do most of\u00a0the reporting it\u00a0is not only cheap. It will keep\u00a0your website or newsletter credible and authentic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Readers are often the best journalists.<\/p>\n

I mean it. And I certainly mean it for publications and websites embedded and devoted to corporations, agencies and causes.<\/p>\n

For most types of newsgathering, data analysis, research and dissemination, there is always someone in your company, organization or network who has the time, talent and inclination to do it. And for most good stories in your network, the best storytellers are often the people involved themselves.<\/p>\n

But how do you cost-effectively find<\/em> these colleagues and experts, and how do you consistently get them to report and deliver appealing and creative stories, pictures and videos, that can be publishable on your website or publication?<\/p>\n

\"Crowdsourcing\"

Unleashing the power of the many. (Photo;: Centro de Innovaci\u00f3n UC Anacleto Angelini Creative Commons license)<\/p><\/div>\n

Users generate leads
\n<\/strong>The University Post –\u00a0 an English-language media at the University of Copenhagen –\u00a0 has had some success in delivering a steady flow of new content from users. \u00a0And this in spite of the fact that the University Post has\u00a0been operated on\u00a0a limited budget.<\/p>\n

So dear colleagues and network!<\/p>\n

I would like to offer you my time and my advice.\u00a0 I would like to meet up with you, and\u00a0maybe\u00a0do some field work in your\u00a0place of work.\u00a0\u00a0Hopefully I can then\u00a0offer a few recommendations and easy tips while I am there.<\/p>\n

Almost half of the University Post content is from volunteer contributions by staff and students at the University. Most of this content is in specific formats and templates or already specified genres for reporting.\u00a0 In this way, the University Post effectively \u2018crowdsources\u2019 a lot of its journalism through the use of set formats and templates for reporting.<\/p>\n

This can be applied to any organization with internal or external newsletters or websites that need credible, and authentic content from readers.<\/p>\n

Here are a couple of examples:<\/p>\n

In our \u00a0‘Dorms Disclosed<\/a>\u2019 format, students write reviews of their own housing\/dormitories.\u00a0 Another example is\u00a0\u2018Lab and Library\u2019, where PhD students write a short essay about what it is exactly that they are interested in, right now.<\/p>\n

Other University Post formats have included a \u2018Research Relay\u2019 of professor interviews, where they nominate the next interviewee themselves, and a ‘War of the Wardrobes\u2019 based on readers’ photos of student styles around the world’s campuses.<\/p>\n

The formats are successful in their own right – \u00a0generating excellent journalistic pieces on subjects of niche interest. But\u00a0they are also successful in terms of leads to\u00a0further content, often by the users themselves.<\/p>\n

According to the Tow Center For Digital Journalism’s guide, crowdsourcing in journalism can be analysed from the point of view of entry points for audience input: Audiences can be voting, witnessing, sharing news and specialized expertise, contributing data or unique knowledge, completing tasks, volunteering time or skills to help create a news story, engaging audiences and joining in call-outs.<\/p>\n

After trying out several formats for user\u2013generated content, I have come up with a short list of things that a good format should have, and each of them have one or several audience entry points. This list is at the back of my mind, whenever we discuss a new format at our editorial meetings.<\/p>\n

A good format for user-generated content works if:<\/p>\n