Spot.us - Where Citizens & Journalists Collaborate

Spot.us is a site that makes possible community funded reporting by bringing together citizens, journalists and news organizations under the same URL. Using Spot.us, members of the general public can commission journalists to do investigations on stories that might otherwise be overlooked or bypassed.

A story can be started by visiting the section that goes by the pertinent banner. In addition to that, you can fund stories that were started by others and that you wish to be researched. A tool for making donations is consequently provided next to the existing stories, and you can specify the amount you wish to donate. A “Quick donate” feature is likewise included, and it will enable you to pick the topic that you wish to fund and then choose the one you like best from the list that is displayed.

The main page of the site includes the most recent stories, whereas those that are almost funded are similarly highlighted. A blog is likewise part of the premises.

In finishing, this site stands as a true marketplace where community members and independent newsmen can convene and collaborate, and hopefully bring important issues into the consideration of the general public. Make a point of visiting it if you like the abovementioned approach and desire to offer your support, or if you feel there is a topic that merits media coverage and don’t know where to resort.

“Spot.Us is a nonprofit project of the Center for Media Change. We are an open source project, to pioneer “community funded reporting.” Through Spot.Us the public can commission journalists to do investigations on important and perhaps overlooked stories. All donations are tax deductible and if a news organization buys exclusive rights to the content, your donation will be reimbursed. Otherwise, all content is made available to all through a Creative Commons license.”

It offers an ideal outlet for journalists and citizens to collaborate together.

How is the funding process itself implemented?