BostonNow Launches Hybrid Citizen Journalism Site

BostonNow is an interesting hybrid publication that combines a free Boston daily newspaper and a multii-media website that incorporates both traditional and citizen journalism. I've started a blog on their site, and will post relevant entries there.

John Wilpers, editor in chief of BostonNow, said he wanted to fill the paper with items that local bloggers submitted to the BostonNow Web site. The site also culls posts from other blogs and runs excerpts from newswires next to articles from reporters. There are still relatively few blog posts, which appear in gray boxes, but Wilpers told the NY Times he thought the feature would grow.

He says they'll "be running the blogs through the same fairness and quality standards we run our own reporters through.”

As newspapers struggle with their online identities, various ways to incorporate citizen journalism have emerged, from allowing people to upload news photos to having staff reporters blog, to the BostonNow model of incorporating bloggers' into the site.

Bloggers retain ownership of their submissions to BostonNow, but are not paid for their work. Wilpers said he's still considering the best way to compensate bloggers. He says he intends to provide rewards packages including things like press credentials or consulting services to help bloggers make money from traffic on their sites.

What's Next Blog is also part of the Washington Post/Newsweek Interactive Blogroll, which syndicates bloggers' content and promised to provide, but does not often deliver, advertising to member blogs.

Like other bloggers, I join these programs to increase exposure of my blog content to potential readers and consulting clients.