Good news for online news ventures
So, how is the
We will use the grant funding to recruit, train and deploy a highly structured network of volunteer journalists to produce a comprehensive and professional daily local news report.
By creating a network that includes at least one citizen journalists in each of Chicago’s 70+ neighborhoods, we believe we can offer local news coverage that is more comprehensive, nuanced and diverse than the report found in Chicago’s large daily newspapers. We expect our approach will substantially increase the volume of news coverage in Chicago’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, and create a large number of trained journalists in those communities.
This project is especially cool because it pushes the boundaries for citizen journalism. While some news organizations (the BBC, OhMyNews) have launched ambitious citizen journalism efforts, nobody has attempted to create an organized, cohesive system that enables coverage of a large city. We’ll be the first.
We get closer every day to the point where online replaces print and broadcast as the nation’s primary method of getting of news. The Ch-Town Daily News looks to be a non-for profit venture, as it’s using grant money and donations. But don’t think people with money to invest (who don’t base their decisions on nostalgia) aren’t wondering if this online news thing is viable.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Just testing the comments feature. Thanks for listening.
So who will get the grant for P-town? Dennis or Summers?
I think it's a great idea…but I don't like the volunteer part of it. "Reporters" in every neighborhood is great though and will be the advantage they would have over the large daily's. Reporters that actually know they neighborhood, it's people, and what's important to them.The question, in my mind, is who will read this? No matter what people tell you, they don't want "good" news. They want to hear the bad. They want to know who shot who and which politician is swindling us this time. Will someone in the Gold Coast care about a church event or even a robbery in Bridgeport?Great idea. Great concept, but I'll be interested to see if they pull it off.
Don't tell C.J., but I'm going to apply for a grant in his name and swipe the cash. BWAHAHA.
Billy needs the money more.
Just think of the annual salary I could give myself with a $340,000 grant.