Spot.us has taken up the cause of the underprivileged journalist. The “community powered reporting” website that provides journalists with funding to pursue stories has announced that contributors will soon be able to donate their time and knowledge to an article, instead of just their money. Is it an innovative way to promote journalism (granted, an industry in need of philanthropy), or is it a low-budget version of a corporate investor with editorial influence?
Maybe it’s naive to be resistant to these kinds of partnerships. After all, if the National Post and CBC can share content, anything is possible.
About the author
Katie Hewitt was the Head of Research for the Spring 2010 issue of the Ryerson Review of Journalism.