The Wired City : Reimagining Journalism and Civic Life in the Post-Newspaper Age

In The Wired City, Dan Kennedy tells the story of the New Haven Independent, a nonprofit community website in Connecticut that is at the leading edge of reinventing local journalism. Through close attention to city government, schools, and neighborhoods, and through an ongoing conversation with its readers, the Independent's small staff of journalists has created a promising model of how to provide members of the public with the information they need in a self-governing society. Although the Independent is the principal subject of The Wired City, Kennedy examines a number of other online news projects as well, including nonprofit organizations such as Voice of San Diego and the Connecticut Mirror and for-profit ventures such as the Batavian, Baristanet, and CT News Junkie. Where legacy media such as major city newspapers are cutting back on coverage, entrepreneurs are now moving in to fill at least some of the vacuum. The Wired City includes the perspectives of journalists, activists, and civic leaders who are actively re-envisioning how journalism can be meaningful in a hyperconnected age of abundant news sources. Kennedy provides deeper context by analyzing the decline of the newspaper industry in recent years and, in the case of those sites choosing such a path, the uneasy relationship between nonprofit status and the First Amendment. At a time of pessimism over the future of journalism, The Wired City offers hope. What Kennedy documents is not the death of journalism but rather the uncertain and sometimes painful early stages of rebirth. In The Wired City, Dan Kennedy Tells The Story Of The New Haven Independent, A Nonprofit Community Website In Connecticut At The Leading Edge Of Reinventing Local Journalism. Through Close Attention To Local Issues--and Through An Ongoing Conversation With Its Readers--the Independent's Small Staff Has Created A Promising Model Of How To Provide The Public With The Information It Needs In A Self-governing Society. In Addition, Kennedy Examines Other Online News Projects, Including Nonprofit Organizations Such As Voice Of San Diego And The Connecticut Mirror And For-proft Ventures Such As Batavian, Baristanet, And Ct News Junkie. At A Time Of Pessimism Over The Future Of Journalism, The Wired City Offers Hope. What Kennedy Documents Is Not The Death Of Journalism But Rather The Uncertain And Sometimes Painful Early Stages Of Rebirth.--back Cover. Introduction: Apocalypse Or Something Like It -- Annie Le Is Missing -- The Outsider -- Rebooting The Register -- A Hotbed Of Experimentation -- Print Dollars And Digital Pennies -- From Here To Sustainability -- How To Win Readers And Influence Government -- The Care And Feeding Of The Former Audience -- Race, Diversity, And A Bilingual Future -- Epilogue: The Shape Of News To Come. Dan Kennedy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book tells the story of the New Haven Independent, a nonprofit community website in Connecticut that is at the leading edge of reinventing local journalism. Through close attention to city government, schools, and neighborhoods, and through an ongoing conversation with its readers, the Independent's small staff of journalists has created a promising model of how to provide members of the public with the information they need in a self-governing society. At a time of pessimism over the future of journalism, this book offers hope. What the author documents is not the death of journalism, but rather the uncertain and sometimes painful early stages of rebirth Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication Page -- Table of Contents -- Introduction: Apocalypse or Something Like it -- 1. Annie Le is Missing -- 2. The Outsider -- 3. Rebooting the Register -- 4. A Hotbed of Experimentation -- 5. Print Dollars and Digital Pennies -- 6. From Here to Sustainability -- 7. How to Win Readers and Influence Government -- 8. The Care and Feeding of the "Former Audience"--9. Race, Diversity, and a Bilingual Future -- Epilogue: The Shape of News to Come -- Notes -- Index -- About the Author -- Back Cover 'This is the first effort that I am aware of anywhere to do a book-length profile of an emerging genre - the local online news community [. . .] Kennedy does a wonderful job of illustrating this story through people, incidents, anecdotes, and then rolling back into the theory and policy implications. "The Wired City" is important to participatory democracy and community.' - Bill Densmore, director The Media Giraffe Project