Citizen Media Watch

Steve Outing, in a recent “Stop the Presses” column in Editor & Publisher, lists ten things small newspapers can do to fight decline in circulation and become more web2.0.

The 10 things (check out Outing’s column for the details):
1. Copy and build from the industry leaders
2. Don’t hire print-focused employees
3. Hire a hot-dog programmer, one way or another
4. Find (free or cheap) help and go crazy with experimentation
5. Make a class assignment.
6. Join forces with other small papers
7. Develop lots of localized online communities
8. Utilize the camera-toting army
9. Mix up professional and citizen reporting
10. Play off of what else is available online

And in the spirit of citizen content, let community members have their say in their own words — even if that means allowing bad grammar and misspellings. As long as it’s crystal clear that something is from a community member in his own words, very few people will mind.

(via Journerdism)