What are you passionate about and not seeing reported in mainstream media news coverage? If you’re looking to support independent journalists and be the change you want to see in the world, it’s worth stopping by Spot.Us, an open source project that just launched in early November.

Notably, Spot.Us is a community driven project created by the Center for Media Change, a 501 (c) 3 organization with a mission to enrich culture and strengthen democracy by facilitating the creation and development of internet-base business models to preserve the economic and professional viability of journalism.

More and more people are tuning into the web for their news coverage by joining social news communities and subscribing to social news aggregators. It’s not surprising that a business model based on community funded reporting is garnering some of the news trafficking happening all over the web. As we turn to our peers online for tips on the best places to eat or purchase, so we turn to our online tribes for news coverage that isn’t touched by advertising dollars or influenced by corporate funded agendas.

People visiting the Spot.Us website can commission journalists pitching compelling issues that might be overlooked stories by mainstream media. All donations made on Spot.Us are all tax deductible and consequently, if a news organization picks up the story, all donations will be reimbursed.

 
Spot.Us is an online networking platform for independent reporters, concerned community members and news organizations that join forces online for both collaboration and support. Spot.Us is an admirable online community celebrating authenticity of voice and the sincerity of community based, collaborative news coverage. Journalists will pitch stories on Spot.Us with a title, short description, and supporting video along the writer’s qualifications and how the reporting will help the issue.

The Bay Area organization was founded by David Cohn and made possible by the generosity of the Knight Foundation, individual funders, advisors, developers, and designers. Spot.Us is an exciting new platform for web based activism and a “must watch” internet based business model for community supported, investigative reporting.

Stay in the know with this exciting new community on their blog at http://blog.spot.us/ or follow their tweets at http://twitter.com/spotus.

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