Civic Engagement Resources from the Knight Foundation Media Learning Seminar

I just got back from the Knight Foundation Media Learning Seminar 2012 and wanted to share some of the materials I provided for the attendees.Here’s a list of useful llinks and white papers focused on civic engagement and future of news projects:The Knight Foundation Community Information Tool Kit, http://www.infotoolkit.org

Released in April 2011, this tool kit helps leaders  harness the power of information to advance their goals for a better community. It offers a simple, easy-to-use set of tools to help take stock of your community’s news and information resources, and take action to improve them.

(See a related video discussion with Mayur Patel: http://vimeo.com/19721589 )

Getting Local: How Nonprofit News Ventures Seek Sustainability

http://www.knightfoundation.org/publications/getting-local-how-nonprofit-news-ventures-seek-sus

How are successful non-profit newsrooms engaging audiences and diversifying revenue? The Knight Foundation’s Mayur Patel, with Michele McLellan, studied eight well-funded organizations and reports on the results in this fascinating survey.

From Idea to Implementation, Taking your project to the next level, http://slidesha.re/vbDUjQ

This presentation by KCIC Circuit Riders Susan Mernit, Michele McLellan and Lisa Williams offers essential tips and resources for kicking off a successful project that are useful to everyone who has to execute on an idea.

Thinking about site sustainabiity, talk by Ben Wirz, The Knight Foundation

http://www.knightdigitalmediacenter.org/site/resource/3373/?/seminars/video3-3/knight_community_information_challenge_bootcamp_2011/

What are important indicators for sustainability to think about in the early days of your project? What lessons can Silicon Valley Startups teach us about building for success? Wirz’ talk is loaded with useful ideas.

Web Development 101: Getting Your Site Right From the Beginning, Lisa Williams

Video: http://www.knightdigitalmediacenter.org/seminars/video4-2/boot_camp_for_knight_community_information_challenge_projects1/

What do you need to know about web developers BEFORE you start a new project? What do you need to know about what you want? Circuit Rider Lisa William takes you through key questions to ask.

Social Media for News Sites, Susan Mernit, Kwan Booth & Amy Gahran

http://bit.ly/vtISpi

This on-line module focusing on social media, civic engagement and tools for news provides an easy-to-read window in some of the fine points of using social media tools and is part of the Knight Citizen News Network from J-Lab at American University.