+Can (must?) there be a fundamental shift to empowering local information sources to deliver news through local media in new ways

+New days: Self-publish

Youth sports team, garden club, private school can: Post news instantly to their own website (very low cost) Post news instantly to their own Facebook page (free) Email news to their community (almost free) Record videos of their news and post to their own YouTube

Channel (very low cost) Tweet news or links to their news/videos (free) Post blogs with unlimited word counts and freedom to

expound on topics important to them/their communities (free)

+Individuals can do all of the above …and more … with their news

Their engagements/weddings Their children’s births Their promotions Their winning shots Their opinions

+News sources self-publish

Public schools, local governments, chambers of commerce all doing the same thing …

All have websites, social media feeds … audience just a click away

ALL GOING DIRECT

+Communities still need objective journalism None of this replaces the need for journalism:

Reporting Story telling Fact-finding Exposing Uncovering Spotlighting Giving context, background, history

+We need both

We agree that self-publishing & direct digital marketing do not replace journalism

But if both the advertisers and lots of the information sources no longer need us as badly …..

Don’t we need to do different?

+Appeal to the self-publishers

Embrace local news and information that comes direct Make easy Make appealing Make “professional” Give them tools Give them wider reach Give them new audience

Xtraxtra.com

Xtraxtra.comHow it Works

Xtraxtra.comHow it Works

+Xtraxtra.com

South Boston Community Partnership Coordinators (Imani, Mary, Hannah)

How we promote engagement

+Xtraxtra.com

Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston

Curley Community Teen Center

Doc Wayne Youth Services, Inc.

Generations Incorporated Notre Dame Education

Center, Inc. South Boston

Neighborhood Development Corporation

South Boston Neighborhood House

West Broadway Task Force

South Boston Danforth Art Framingham Artists Guild Framingham Public

Library Foundation JFS of Metrowest Leadership Metrowest Performing Arts Center of

MetroWest

Framingham English At Large Friends of Medford

Family Network Medford Jr. Mustangs Greater Medford Visiting

Nurses Association

Medford

CambridgeDedham

WeymouthMilton

+Xtraxtra.com Non-profits “ I’m a big believer in this concept and think the idea is very, very cool. The site is easy to use and (Imani) has been a tremendous help. ”

- Daniel Smith, Development, Generations, Inc. – South Boston

“ It’s been a win-win for us. Any free (publicity) for a non-profit is really helpful, and the points system is really cool. We promote our content on xtraxtra through our other social media, but it’s nice to have it on a professionally organized platform that is different than social media.”

- - Kristen King, Marketing & Development Assistant, - Notre Dame Educational Center – South Boston