San Francisco Chronicle Experiments with Crowdfunding Projects
The San Francisco Chronicle has contracted with Beacon, an Oakland-based startup that helps journalists and news organizations crowdfund their projects, to raise $15,000 from readers for a new multimedia project. The Chronicle is the first major newspaper to crowdfund a reporting project through Beacon. The project will look at the intersection of technology and innovation and immigration regulations in the Bay Area. The funds raised will go towards hiring freelance journalists with expertise in international reporting.
The Chronicle’s 30-day crowdfunding initiative showed strong progress in the morning following their announcement, raising nearly one-fifth of the total goal. The Beacon initiative represents another potential revenue stream for newspapers.
Other publications, including The Huffington Post and The Nation magazine, have worked with Beacon on crowdfunding initiatives. Beacon has also listed the Los Angeles Times as a future partner.
Now HTML5-Ready, Star Tribune Helping Advertisers Evolve Ads from Flash
StarTribune.com has become the first news and information site in Minnesota to be HTML5-ready, providing an alternative to Flash to display advertising. As web browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox have begun disabling content that uses Adobe Flash, citing security and usability concerns, employing technology that is accepted by popular web browsers will ensure the continued availability and viewability of advertising on its site.
The move by browsers away from Flash means displaying ads produced using Flash technology may no longer be possible. The Star Tribune completely rebuilt its website earlier this year to support HTML5. It no longer features any Flash content.
In addition to incorporating the technology on its site, The Star Tribune is working with advertisers to design new HTML5-based ads, as well as convert their existing Flash ads. The Star Tribune is currently still accepting advertisers’ Flash-based ads during the transition to HTML5.
Wall Street Journal Expanding its International Presence
The Wall Street Journal has enhanced its international presence, launching expanded print and digital editions in Asia and Europe. The global editions aim to attract more readers and meet the needs of a growing global audience. Through its regional iPad and Android editions, its content will reach many more readers around the world.
The print editions will be available Monday through Friday and will feature content tailored for readers in these geographic areas, with print editions targeting regional business readers. A new Markets Digest page will feature major global indexes and rates.
In addition, the content of the global editions will be broader in scope, including the Journal’s standard business, finance, politics and other sections, but also featuring expanded commentary and analysis by the Journal’s global columnists. The new editions will still include many of the Journal’s hallmark features including What’s News, Opinion and arts and entertainment.
Staff updates:
Tampa Bay Newspapers: Tampa Bay Newspapers has named Christopher George, editor of the Leader, a weekly publication. George has worked in the newspaper industry since 2006 and is a former news editor for the Lakeland Ledger, a daily newspaper. He was also previously with The Villages Daily Sun in The Villages and the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northhampton, MA.
George will succeed Juliana Torres, who is the new editor of the Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor Beacons, two monthly publications. Torres became editor of the Pinellas Park Beacon in 2010, then the Largo Leader in 2012. Torres was previously with the Osceola News-Gazette in Kissimmee, FL.
American City Business Journals: Atlanta Business Chronicle publisher Ed Baker is leaving at the end of 2015 to start a career in education. He will serve as the Executive in Residence at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.
Baker has been publisher of Atlanta Business Chronicle for more than 30 years, since 1986. He also held other corporate positions over the years in addition to his publisher role. Prior to joining the Chronicle, he worked in advertising. A successor was not named.
Lindsey is Director, Communications at the News/Media Alliance. She has over 15 years of experience working in communications for nonprofits.
