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News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

nytimes.com

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Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#11

Post by sparkzilla »

morisy wrote: post #9
sparkzilla wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And during that time there's no revenue? I'm not sure why I'm being downvoted: as a publisher of multiple online and offline projects it seems an extravagant amount for a publication that has a very narrow scope.

It's a non-profit, so probably not much if any advertising, and they'll likely be drawing a lot from ProPublica's model in terms of organization, impact, and growth. ProPublica's annual expenses were over $12 million in 2016, and if you're interested you can get a rough breakdown of where that goes in their 990: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/142...

ProPublica has a much, much wider brief, which should translate into why it receives $16 million in annual contributions. OTOH, I can't see how a site that covers a technology niche can support that level of ongoing contributions.

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#12

Post by sparkzilla »

mikeryan wrote: post #6
sparkzilla wrote: post #2

Perhaps their first investigation should be on why they need $23 million to create a niche site.

I know you’re being downvoted for snark but I’m going to take a shot at answering this anyway. In a world where Value is measured in Value in news these days is entirely dictated by the Cost By Impression there’s a huge gap in getting news that’s hugely valuable for only a small audience. In this case it may be an audience of one but he’s apparently willing to both fund the work and share the findings and that’s bett…

Value can also be gathered through subscriptions.

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#13

Post by elvinyung »

chrisweekly wrote: post #3

This looks awesome. >"The site will explore three broad investigative categories: how profiling software discriminates against the poor and other vulnerable groups; internet health and infections like bots, scams and misinformation; and the awesome power of the tech companies. The Markup will release all its stories under a creative commons license so other organizations can republish them, as ProPublica does." Also,…

Thanks for the suggestion! I've also been simultaneously reading You Are Not A Gadget by Jaron Lanier, and The Efficiency Paradox by Edward Tenner, both of which seem to be pretty good reads so far.

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#14

Post by atomical »

sparkzilla wrote: post #2

Perhaps their first investigation should be on why they need $23 million to create a niche site.

I knew it. You're involved with cryptocurrency and equating this to an ICO. It's naive how people in blockchain think startups don't need much cash to build a product.

And you're trying to raise $33m in an ICO? The hypocrisy is just stunning.

https://newsblocks.io/#tokens

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#15

Post by sparkzilla »

atomical wrote: post #14
sparkzilla wrote: post #2

Perhaps their first investigation should be on why they need $23 million to create a niche site.

I knew it. You're involved with cryptocurrency and equating this to an ICO. It's naive how people in blockchain think startups don't need much cash to build a product. And you're trying to raise $33m in an ICO? The hypocrisy is just stunning. https://newsblocks.io/#tokens

No, my comment is based primarily on the narrow scope of the publication, which to my mind, as a lifelong publisher of online and offline media, seems excessive. If they were using an ICO to raise the same amount of money for the same project scope I'd also think that excessive.

As for my own project, we have a much wider goal (to convert all the world's news -- past and present -- into data that can be used as a platform for applications) that obviously requires far more investment than a niche content site.

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#17

Post by p2t2p »

tlb wrote: post #10

The comparison to canned food is interesting. It probably resonates with people better than comparing the tech industry to cigarettes. Few people now remember how beloved cigarettes were in their heyday.

I wonder if anybody could give me a link to read on canned food issues. I come from Russia and there were non in USSR and Russia after USSR dissolved, what were the issues in the US?

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#18

Post by mikeryan »

sparkzilla wrote: post #12
mikeryan wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you’re being downvoted for snark but I’m going to take a shot at answering this anyway. In a world where Value is measured in Value in news these days is entirely dictated by the Cost By Impression there’s a huge gap in getting news that’s hugely valuable for only a small audience. In this case it may be an audience of one but he’s apparently willing to both fund the work and share the findings and that’s bett…

Value can also be gathered through subscriptions.

Yes. And apparently this effort can get by on a single subscriber who pays $20 per decade for his subscription,

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#19

Post by atomical »

sparkzilla wrote: post #15
atomical wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I knew it. You're involved with cryptocurrency and equating this to an ICO. It's naive how people in blockchain think startups don't need much cash to build a product. And you're trying to raise $33m in an ICO? The hypocrisy is just stunning. https://newsblocks.io/#tokens

No, my comment is based primarily on the narrow scope of the publication, which to my mind, as a lifelong publisher of online and offline media, seems excessive. If they were using an ICO to raise the same amount of money for the same project scope I'd also think that excessive. As for my own project, we have a much wider goal (to convert all the world's news -- past and present -- into data that can be used as a pla…

Like someone else said it costs big money to hire people and retain them over 10 years.

They have a reasonable startup objective where as your startup is taking advantage of naive investors that want to invest in X meets blockchain.

None of the copy on your site communicates that you have even a basic understanding of blockchain. You can't throw blockchain at "fake news" and expect a different outcome.

Re: News Site to Investigate Big Tech, Helped by Craigslist Founder

#20

Post by cheriot »

sparkzilla wrote: post #2

Perhaps their first investigation should be on why they need $23 million to create a niche site.

The expense is the investigations and reporting not the website. That's part of why news organizations have been so hard hit. As soon as they publish information, someone else can republish it for nearly no cost.
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