Final Thoughts

I just passed in my final business plan. Excellent. It is quite satisfying to see this pretty and professional final result that I spent lots of time trying to perfect all neatly printed and tucked into a folder. Looking back on the semester, it's awesome seeing how my simple idea that started  in September blossom and evolve into a formal business plan and website today (Guan Xi News if anyone wants to check it out:).

Sandy, thank you for making my time in the journalism program fun and fascinating. From newswriting to editing, your classes were always a highlight in my schedule because you fostered a professional yet comfortable environment that I always enjoyed being in. Best of luck and you better come back as a guest speaker next semester!

Reflections of Making a Business Plan

Paragraphs of casual self-praise, color-coordinating, and minute alignment later, I have successfully made a professional looking business plan. This exercise was a first for me and I'm happy to say that I think it turned out quite well. I was surprised at the difficulty of writing about my business idea in a manner that would make it appeal to investors and incite excitement for a new venture. It was kind of like finding that fine line between excitedly telling a friend about something awesome while still remaining coherent enough for them to understand. The visual part was definitely the hardest for me. I wanted it to look nice, but also professional. Since my area of expertise is not graphics, I tried to keep it simple and classy by adding color and textual difference. Overall creating my business plan was a positive exercise that pointed out my strengths and weaknesses of presentation.

I will never be a graphic designer

Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned from creating my business plan is the importance of the aesthetic appeal. Up to this point I felt very confident with my written and verbal presentation of my EJ project. I know that I can grab the attention of an audience through words because that's what I've dedicated my time and efforts to thus far.

I always knew that visual presentation was equally important, but I've never really had to sell one of my ideas with visuals. This business plan highlighted my flaws. I spent 30 minutes trying to line up borders and center graphics. As frustrating as it was to spend so much time on what seems like minute details, it's good to know the areas I need to improve.

Thoughts about Gagen's Opinion Piece

Watching the events of the Boston Marathon Bombings unfold during a journalism class last semester was a truly remarkable experience. We were able to process and discuss in an academic setting the aftermath and reporting taking place live on-the-scene. I definitely think it is appropriate for Thomas Gagen to post an opinion piece like this less than a year after the bombings. There is no doubt that a horrendous event occurred that left many families broken, but certain actions should be questioned further. I think Gagen did a good job of delicately stating discrepancies of the April 19 response while also maintaining a somber and professional attitude.

I agree that one of the biggest questions about the response is why so many police officers were needed to find one already injured man. "Surely the Watertown police needed help, but did the presence of so many officers encourage more gunfire than was necessary?" Shutting down Watertown and searching the houses within the perimeter not only infringed on the people's Fourth Amendment rights, but it also raised the state of public panic. Of course there was a cause to be afraid of, The Tsarnaev brothers set off bombs, but instating a lock down over an entire town was quite an anomaly.

Looking at the comments section below the article, some said that the people gladly went along with the lock down and search, indicating that the police did the right thing. Sure there were no reports of protesting the mandatory house stay, but I mean, wouldn't you stay inside if swarms of officers and guns were in your neighborhood? I know I would. To end his questions, Gagen presents a clear and succinct plan of action he thinks should be done. One that includes "an authoritative study, commissioned by the Patrick administration, but independent of state government." I agree that a period of analysis and reflection should be done so the events of the marathon bombings can be explained and applied to future instances.

News in disguise

I was researching the Northern Pass Project for one of my other classes and a Concord Monitor article popped up pretty high in the Google search. The headline reads " Northern Pass Project: Two Views." And I think, great! I found an article that lays out both sides of the argument so I can form my own opinion.

Wrong.

Listed in the byline only as "Gary Long, For the Monitor," I found out at the end of the piece (which only shows one view of the argument, by the way) that Gary is President and COO of PSNH, one of companies that created the Northern Pass Project. Sure, under the headline it says " power plan is good for taxpayers and good for the environment," but isn't it the Monitor's job to interview this man, not let him write his own piece?

Competition for Guan Xi News

Just as it's important to understand the target market, it's important to find out who you'll be fighting with to gain audience attention. Luckily, Guan Xi News is a specialized, niche market website that has little direct competition. However, there are other, if not quite as local, competing sources.

Hippo Free Press

The Hippo is a weekly paper circulated throughout New Hampshire. While is mostly covers southern New Hampshire, it's the state's largest circulation weekly and its second largest circulation paper all together. The Hippo covers general events, restaurants, activities, classes and more and has built a strong and loyal base. The Hippo Free Press is perhaps the biggest competitor to Guan Xi News because overlap could happen in the events and restaurants categories. However, Guan Xi News is specialized and online only and can still stand apart.

The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe is a publication based out-of-state that has larger facilities and funding and can therefore cover more international topics. Our audiences may be similar because Guan Xi News will also feature issues and topics currently happening in Asia. While The Globe may have Guan Xi News beat when it comes to large scale coverage, Guan Xi News is at its core a local service that will connect more directly with New Hampshire residents.


BBC News online

BBC News presents a similar style of competition as the Boston Globe because BBC Asia is a bureau that is on the ground and covering a wide range of news stories within Asia. The BBC can potentially serve as a supplement to the audience of Guan Xi News, not just a source of competition. I'd like to incorporate BBC articles in a discussion forum on Guan Xi News so my audience can get a scope of what's happening overseas and how it could relate back to New Hampshire.

Market Research for Guan Xi News

Before delving into the particulars, it's important to know why this exercise matters. Based on the outside sources I looked at, market research is important because in order to start a successful business, you have to know what you are dealing with. Gathering as much information as early as possible helps you prepare for questions advertisers and investors will most likely throw at you.

Here is a list of 10 elements of market research that pertain to Guan Xi News:

1. How large is the target market?
2. Describe the populations, demographics and income levels of the target market.
3. What tools are needed to provide the service?
4. How will Guan Xi News be promoted to the target market?
5. On what budget will Guan Xi News be promoted?
6. What are the specific services of Guan Xi News?
7. What are the target market's needs?
8. How fast is the market growing?
9. What is the geographic area for the target market?
10. What are the opportunities and threats facing Guan Xi News?
11. How will the opportunities and threats be dealt with?

To start, here is an expansion of 5 of the elements:

How large is the target market?

The target market for Guan Xi News is all of New Hampshire, the total population of which is 1.3 million (as of 2012), according to the US Census Bureau. Of that population, 2.4% identify as Asian. While Guan Xi News is an outlet that will appeal to any NH resident regardless of background, the Asian population is a key group because of specific focus and interest in the content.

Describe the population, demographics and income levels of the target market.

The target market encompasses the entire state, but will most likely be heaviest in the larger cities. This is because of greater numbers of opportunities (events, classes, businesses that reflect Asian cultures) and greater population diversity. These cities are Manchester (109,565 total residents), Nashua (86,494), Concord (42,695), Salem (28,77).
 
The demographics of the target market are more ambiguous. Guan Xi News offers a service in the specific area of Asian studies and cultures and therefore will reach a number of age groups. For example, a  forty-year-old world news connoisseur, a family of four that has traveled to Thailand, teachers and students of Asian studies, a couple that immigrated to New Hampshire from Guangdong, China, or a young professional looking for a festival to engage in over the weekend.
 
Similar to demographic openness, income level does not matter greatly in terms of identifying the target market. There will be no paid subscription to access content because Guan Xi News is a service and source for all. Money for the target market would come into play based on personal interest to attend a festival or visit a shop.

What tools are needed to provide the service of Guan Xi News?

For the foreseeable future, the biggest cost to run Guan Xi News is transportation. The main goal of Guan Xi News is to highlight Asian cultures in New Hampshire. This means traveling to different locations across the state to report. Currently I am the only staff member and will cover my own cost. In the future, interns and staff will hopefully join as a volunteer service. Adding paid staff is an option to be explored once the site is established.

Also needed is a website to display Guan Xi News content. A Wordpress blog offers a neat, clean, organized, and professional outlet that can be personalized and easily updated. This provider is ideal for a start-up because the basic level blog is free. The basic plan include a blog, theme options, and basic customization. In the future, upgrades may become feasible based on site profits. The premium level plan is $99/year and adds a custom domain name, advanced customization options, and 13GB of storage for video, audio and other content. The highest plan is the business level which is $299/year. This option adds 50+ customization options, unlimited storage, complete ad control, and live chat support.

How will Guan Xi News be promoted to the target market? 

In partnership with the official launch of the website, I would like Guan Xi News to host a cultural festival in which NH business, clubs, restaurants, shops, and schools can gather in one location and show their wares to the public. This would serve as a way for Guan Xi News to establish ties with relevant businesses in New Hampshire as well alert the public. Examples of businesses and organizations are:

Confucius Institute at UNH, Durham NH
 Saigon Asian Market, Manchester NH
Vacation Bound Travel Agency, Nashua NH
Academy of Heath and Martial Arts- Taoist Arts Center, Nashua NH

Word-of-mouth will also be heavily utilized for promotion. Reaching out to town halls and radio stations are a couple of examples of useful outlets.

On what budget will Guan Xi News be promoted?

Exploring grant funding from organizations with similar passions to Guan Xi News is a way to involve the community, receive funding, and spread the word. The positives are the immediately tangible benefits of start-up money for travel and the negatives are restrictions and regulations pertaining to advertising and even content. The Association for Asian Studies awards grants to individuals who have profound interest and expression in areas relating to Asian. The grants applicable to Guan Xi News are the China and Inner Asia (CIAC) small grants (of about $2,000) and the Council of Conferences (COC) outreach grants (varied amounts). Finally, the budget for promoting Guan Xi News at the time of start-up with involve personal funding from me.

Journalism and Salaries

With the the spring semester of my senior rapidly approaching, naturally I've been thinking about jobs and money quite a bit. During our class with John Christie, he asked what we thought about earning $26,000 for just under a year. The job is for someone who has worked in the industry for 3 or 4 years. That question got me thinking a bit about my expectations, at least for the beginning of my career.

Now I am fully away that beginning salaries in journalism are not fantastic. And I'm prepared to scrimp with the best of them if it means getting a job I am really passionate about. Interestingly, when John tossed those numbers out there, I thought that sounded low. I've anticipated making somewhere between 20-25 for my first years in the business, but at least from my position now I wouldn't want a job that required almost five years experience not to break 30.

I know this is all talk right now, but I think it's wise to have somewhat of an idea of what I want so that when the offers come rolling in (as I'm sure they will for all of us) I'll have a frame of reference on which to base my decision. 

Reaction to John Christie

I think John may have been my favorite guest this semester. Big statement, I know, because all of our guests have been excellent, but John and Naomi's work with Pine Tree Watchdog is so applicable to our class and also just plain cool. To me, it offers a great example of someone taking experience and passion for journalism and turning it into an entrepreneurial business.

I enjoyed John sharing the numbers with us because it helped me at least build a perspective or base as to how funding for a news source like Pine Tree Watchdog goes. And of course, many of us have to start thinking about salaries and jobs now, so another reminder is always good, and terrifying.

I could tell simply from the way he spoke to us that staying true to Pine Tree Watchdog's vision is top priority. Transparency abounds, from the website where conflicts of interest and donors are clearly laid out, to sticking only to topics that serve the public good of Maine. I'm very glad I got the chance to meet John.

Q's for John Christie

 Here are some of the questions that came to me while exploring Pine Tree Watchdog.

• As publisher, senior reporter, and editor, does the workload ever get too heavy for you? How do you manage and/or delegate? What made you decide to take on all three hats?
• When you open a newspaper or go to a news website, what is the first section you go to? How has that preference influenced Pine Tree Watchdog?
• What is is like working with your spouse?
• What was the public's reaction when you first started Pine Tree Watchdog? Has is changed? What is it like now? 
• How do you differentiate a mission statement from a visions statement?

My vision. My mission.

It turns out that writing succinct vision and mission statements is not easy. I studied Pine Tree Watchdog's statements and tried to use that format to form my own statements. This exercise of summarizing everything about an idea into two separate sentences is very challenging, but also beneficial because it forces me to flesh out my idea and purpose even further. Here is what I came up with:

Vision: Guan Xi News will fulfill the responsibility of a news outlet that is focused specifically on connecting Asian cultures to New Hampshire towns through locally produced reporting and community engagement.

Mission: Guan Xi News will expose and unify residents to the many facets of Asian culture present in New Hampshire through honest and dedicated journalism that is published on multimedia platforms by and for Guan Xi News.

Pine Tree Watchdog

My initial and superficial opinion of Pine Tree Watchdog was positive. The website has a clean and neat layout and a theme color that carries throughout and ties in well with MCPIR's goals and coverage. One of the first things I noticed during my site exploration was that the tabs on the homepage aren't the typical news sections. Instead of local news, business, and arts, Pine Tree Watchdog has ethics, public safety, and environment. To me, this indicated right away that Pine Tree Watchdog isn't a typical news site. It doesn't take long to affirm that Pine Tree Watchdog is serving a need, specifically going "beneath the surface of Maine government."

On the About us page, it's clearly stated that Pine Tree Watchdog's purpose is to fill the gap left from Maine newsroom cuts over the years. Investigative journalism is a dying art that must be resuscitated. Pine Tree Watchdog alerts the reader of this right away. The goals of both the mission  and vision are immediately reflected by the stories on the homepage: Gov.-elect LePage, pharmacuical licensing and drug theft,  and UMS spending.

The About Us page is also very transparent about staff and processes. This allows the site to remain above reproach and keep a good standing in order to continue to serve the public. The ethics and conflicts of interest subpage is pretty unique as well. It tells of the specific involvement of board members, donors, and news staff. My final observation of the About us page was the big nod to support from the Comm School at BU. Overall, Pine Tree Watchdog is completely open with its purpose and support, which to me marks an honest and reliable source of news.

Pitch Practice Review

I enjoyed Monday's pitch practice exercise because it gave me a chance to see the live reaction to my website. Since my audio had issues on my blog, this was a fresh chance for everyone to hear my ideas in a formalized and concrete manner. Overall I think the class appreciated my website venture, but didn't really connect with the actual product because I choose a niche area. That's fine and kind of what I expected. I did get a lot out of the feedback done on each blog. For instance, Ashley gave me some great layout ideas and Katie helped with some pointers from The Art of Pitching. All good things to know and easier to see from an outside perspective.

As a whole I think our class has come up with some really solid ideas. I love Catie's News in Comics and Breanna's See the News. They both offer something tangible yet unique, with a lot of expansion possibilities. Also, I think Heather was very a effective presenter, both engaging and professional. Seeing the first half of the projects fleshed out and live was definitely a good experience.

Part reaction, part rant, about the Forbes piece

Lewis DVorkin's article about today's ad environment was informative. I benefited from learning about the different types of ads, what they do, and what monetary value they have. Also, the fact that DVorkin has both journalistic and business experience makes him a credible source on the topic of ads in journalism.

As the article progressed, DVorkin seems to get more frustrated with journalists' attitudes toward advertising. He pokes fun and takes jabs at reactions, which to me diminished his authority a bit. On the topic of "powerful movements in the ad industry," I have a selection of responses that came to me whilst reading.

First, I have zero problems with sponsored ads on Facebook and Twitter. They aren't news sources and both have the ability to reach a wide demographic with a range of products and services. It makes sense to see sponsored content popping up.

Next, the big kahuna of paid content. I understand that paid content, also known as native advertising, is rising in popularity. I also understand its potential to bring in money. However, it is not news and should be treated differently on news sources. If I were in charge of a news source, I would put heavy restrictions on paid content (amount and design) and charge the hell out of the business behind the ad. To me, paid content has become a necessary evil in the world of journalism.

Finally, DVorkin used the term "brand journalism" which is defined as "knowledgeable marketers who are transparently identified and labeled as such providing expert information and perspective desired by consumers." I'm going to call a BS on titling this a form of journalism. By nature, businesses paying to have positive things about them featured on a news source is not journalism. You want paid content? Fine. You want is to appear on a screen or page like an actual story? Fine. But don't call it journalism because it is not.

In closing, DVorkin is currently not my favorite guy ever. His final paragraph about how new advertising will help the greater good of journalism by making it more relevant and of a higher quality is pompous and peevish. But I must give credit to Mr. DVorkin for inspiring a lively reaction in me. That shows that his angle and delivery did serve me a purpose.

EJ Pitch Review- Round 4

See the News
Pros:

• Slide 2: thoroughly, well-explained, shows potential for growth.
• Slide 6: love the idea of an end-of-year print collector's edition.
• Slide 10: I like that one of your future goals is "changing multimedia in journalism." Dream big!

Cons:

• Slide 3: does the font change or just get bigger?
• Typos! Slide 5: highlights
• Slide 8: Large news sources like the Globe and the Herald aren't competition? They take photos as well.

Overall I though your PP was nicely presented with a simple and clear background that conveys a solid idea.

The News Stand 
Pros:

• Background: love the color blocking.
• Slide 6: great graphics and layout, just make sure you don't cover any text.
• Slide 8: I like the tangible quality of this. It adds variety and mixes up the textual slide patter.
• Slide 10: I don't think I even have to say why this is on the "pro" list.

Cons:

• Title Slide: I think I need some explanation to understand your company name.
• Overall Slides: good info, but way too wordy. Use bullet points and voice the rest during your pitch
• Slide 7: teeny, tiny font.

I enjoyed the color scheme and general content of the PP, but it looked a bit cluttered at times. Also, you end with a solid "next step" slide, but I think getting a bit inspiration could work.

Well Now
Pros:

• Slide titles: your headings really pop.
• Slide 2: I like that you told us what you're all about right away.
• Slide 3: shows the market opening does exist and why it needs to be filled.
• Slide 7: the conferences and workshops sound really cool. Would the field professionals be contributors to Well Now?

Cons:

• Slide 9: as a reader of Self Magazine, I'm not fully convinced that Well Now is different. Can you expand?

I liked your PP very much! It was informative and interesting and most of the questions I had coming in were promptly answered.

Choice News
Pros:

• Slide 2: very enticing introduction to your product.
• Slide 10: citing experts gives you credibility.
• Presentation: very animated in your text; keeps the audience engaged.

Cons:

• Title slide: lovely background, but the words are a bit too small.
• Spacing: careful on the spacing- some slides looked squished and other had too much white blank.
• Typos! Slide 6: 1 one these choices.
• Maybe one too many ! in there. Reserve for the big moments!

It looks like your site would appeal to news junkies, historians, fiction writers, and conspiracy enthusiasts. Nice range! And i really like your idea. I would definitely check this out.

EJ Pitch Review- Round 3

The Gamer's Gazette
Pros:

• Title slide: informative on all the needed levels
• Slide 9: nice collection of staff. Are they paid or volunteer?

Cons

• Background: smartly simple, but perhaps a bit too bland
• Slide 3: all good info, but too much for one slide. List the keys and say the rest during the pitch
•  Typos! Slide 4: if the news story is important enough. Slide 8: The Gamer’s Gazette is the only gaming news outlet.

Some of the wording confused me (annual volume on slide 10), but I'm sure this stems from my lack of knowledge of the video game world.

News in Comics
Pros:

• Background: I find it rather epic-looking.
• Images: love the color is adds!
• Audio: good intonation, clear, engaging.
• Slide 5: the wording is fabulous.
• Closing slide: clever and genuine, I like it.

Cons:

• Title slide: "comicly" is an intentional misspelling?
• Images: can't decide it it's a tad too busy.
• Font: a bit larger might be nice.
• Slide 9: Stick to one color for the text. Cohesive is helpful.
• Slide 10: wahh word heavy! List key sections then voice the rest or separate into two slides.

Overall I think this is a fabulous idea and you presented it very well. I would definitely be interested in seeing News in Comics.

Unblocked Writers
Pros:

• Title slide: nice colors and good graphic.
• Slide 5: realism towards website problems and your openness about them is wise.
• Slide 7: broad audience looks good to potential investors.

Cons:

• Slides 2, 3, 6, 10: looks bare. Try and alter/fill/balance the space better.
• Slide 4: while I think it's important to have a mission statement, I don't think devoting a slide to it is the best option. Try and incorporate the points of your mission statement into the overall pitch.
• Slide 8: too repetitive with text (variety of fields).

Your PP is very clean and simple, which is easy to follow.  It's good that you don't rely on the PP to speak for you and have plenty of material to speak about, but make sure you aren't so sparse on the PP that your audience lacks a visual aid.

Reaction to Terry Williams

It was great to hear from Terry Williams this week, a prominent person in the business. It always impresses me to see a journalist's timeline of jobs, especially Terry's old school journalism progression from reporter to editor to publisher.

His discussion about new revenue areas in journalism rings true with many of the ideas we've been throwing around in class all semester. It's encouraging to hear exact same topics we're developing and focusing on in class from a successful journalist. Taking on niche publications, incorporating digital and social media, and becoming a jack-of-all-trades are all relevant and necessary things to think about as soon-to-be college graduates.

Finally, hearing what qualities a newspaper publisher and COO looks for when hiring new people can only help.

Challenges and Advantages for Women Entrepreneurs

A lovely vignette in Ch. 3 of Entrepreneurial Journalism (94) caught my eye because it ties in quite well with Meg Heckman's visit last week, specifically regarding her thesis work. Despite UNH's and other universities' high number of females in journalism programs, most of the individuals at the top of journalism businesses are male.

According to Briggs, women are driving the market for digital companies and are more active on social media, but unfortunately are still treated as lesser in the "man's world" of business.The advantages listed are women's tendencies to be more creative and incorporate the community better as an aid in starting a business. While this is true and useful, I'd have to say as a women I think I face more of the challenge side than the advantage side in embarking out as an entrepreneur.

In light of the discrepancy, it becomes so much more important for women to take chances and venture out into the business and journalism worlds. Programs such as the New Media Women Entrepreneur grants (usually $12,000) are fantastic because not only do they help women get started with their projects, but also encourage the women to be active and pursue their goals.

So how do we fix the imbalance of the sexes? More women! The only way to equal out the predominantly male workplace is to flood it with women. I've seen first hand in my journalism classes the great ideas created by other women. We just need to seek resources and make sure we're pursuing opportunities to the fullest.

EJ Pitch Review 2- Focused Fencing

Here is my pro/con list for Corinne's Focused Fencing EJ project pitch.

Pros:

• Title page: clean, concise, love the mantra and the graphic. 
• Idea: right off you state your specific and direct explanation of services and consumer base. I'm following and on board right away.
• Slide 3: love the graphics! It adds color and shows your market. Way to multitask.
• Slide 6: thorough and well-thought out plan for distribution and workload. Shows that you are realistic and organized.
• Overall: layout of proposed magazine content is clear and well-rounded. Can meet a lot of interest withing your field
• Great closing slide!

Cons

• Background: Simple is always good. My personal preference is to have a splash of repeating color
• Identification: I assume you did this in the audio, but having your name and info on the PP might be good
• Slide 2: slightly awkward wording on the middle point
• Typos: Minor, but noticeable. Slide 4: is also a growing sport, Slide 5: includes
• Focused Fencing concept: having a paid print edition and a free online edition is interesting. One one hand, it lets consumers choose exactly what they want. On the other hand, it might come back to bite you. What if you print and have no subscriptions? Is printing based on demand? 

It's unfortunate that we're all having such troubles with the audio because after looking at Corinne's PP, I'd really like to hear her pitch it. The PP presentation is laid out in a business-like manner, but with some fun graphics added in. I'm curious about how she chose to present her spoken component.

EJ Pitch Review 1- The Source

I went through (I believe it's Heather's?) pitch for her EJ venture, The Source, and made a pro/con list of the aspects I think she did really well and the ones that I think could use a little alteration.

The Pros:

• The background: you chose one with clean lines and simple colors, which makes it easy to read yet not boring.
• Slide titles: overall they're engaging and informative without being over-the-top and wordy.
• The "model" motif: having a series of slides that show examples of other models you used as inspiration is a great idea. It shows that you've done your research and surveyed the competition. For the pitch, it keeps the presentation symmetrical and easy to follow.
• The "what we can learn" slides: similar to the model motif, you give tangible examples that help the audience comprehend your idea.
• The Source as an idea: it looks like you've tapped into an already established idea (the pulse) but are taking it a step further, ultimately differentiating your idea and causing you to stand out. I like it!

The Cons:

• Typos! To name a few, slide 2: Wikipedia, January. Slide 4: The Source isn't capitalized. Slide 8: algorithm. Slide 13: user's hits. Make sure to spell check a lot because typos come off as unprofessional.
• The Hyperlink Model; I understand this as an important slide, but I think it's wordy and hard to understand. Try and list key points on the slide as a supplement to what you actually voice in the pitch. Same with the Pinterest Model and Economic Model slides: less is more! Too many words could cause the audience to lose interest.
• Slide 15 placement: I'd move this up with the other 'inspiration' sites because it makes it more cohesive
• No closing slide? I like closing slides because they let you sum up your favorite point and get the audience excited for the next steps in your endeavor.

Reaction to Meg Heckman

I thoroughly enjoyed Meg's visit this past Monday, most obviously because she is a successful female journalist full of ideas and advice. I like that she chose to spend much of the class brainstorming with us. It had an almost boardroom (or more fittingly a newsroom) feel to it because she initiated conversation and posed questions, but relied on our responses to further the discussion.

The emphasis on the LION conference was fascinating as well. I love the idea of having a community just for small or independent journalism businesses. It's important to have a base that you can rely on and from what Meg shared is sounds like the members of LION are dedicated and enjoy sharing ideas amongst themselves.

Overall I learned a lot this week about hyperlocal journalism and wish I could take a class with Meg next semester.

Guan Xi News project pitch

*I'm not sure why the audio isn't working on the blog. It worked in my PP and I followed all the instructions to publish it online. Please bear with me while I try and figure it out.

A preface to my project pitch. Read this first!

In order to adhere to Kawasaki's rules for the art of pitching, I thought it would be best to give you some small but important background information here rather than in one of my precious PP slides.

I've decided to name my EJ project Guan Xi News (www.guanxinews.com). Guan Xi 关系 is a Chinese term that in Mandarin is used to describe relationships and connections that benefit those entering a partnership. It also refers to networking and has been a respected principle in China for decades. In recent years, the pinyin (name for the Romanization of Chinese characters) "guan xi" has become popular in Western countries as well.

                                    

The idea of guan xi is intimate, personal, and indicates a solid working relationship between two individuals that establishes trust. In China, good guan xi is viewed as a must-have component for a successful business.

I decided to use guan xi as the title for my endeavor because one, it's a principle centered on good business, two, it stems from an Asian culture, and three, it literally means making connections, which is what my website is all about.

The goal of Guan Xi News is to make connections between cultures in Asia and New Hampshire, to foster a community, and to sustain a successful business.

Reaction to Meg Heckman's article

Meg Heckman's article "Optimism reigns at hyperlocal news confab" on NetNewsCheck.com is about a recent news conference in Chicago for Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION) about the current climate for hyperlocal reporting.

The conference focused on the community of independent, hyperlocal news sites and how the market for such businesses has progressed. A lot of the discussion among attendees was about the support network for small (even one person operations) and what the future looks like for these hyperlocal businesses.

After reading this piece, I really saw the tangible benefits of having a conference for and organization like LION. Being able to meet with others who are on the same path or have similar goals offers encouragement, boosts morale, and allows for an exchange of ideas.

The conference event that I liked the most was the "round-robin where publishers took turns sharing tips about business strategies, branding and operations." David Boraks of DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net talked about hosting profitable interaction events like a pub crawl while Kim Clark of NoozHawk suggested getting a mascot (like her stuffed hawk, Scoop) to build a brand. This session seems like a great way to cover a whole host of topics in an open and welcoming setting.

The overall theme of the article is that hyperlocal is a tough field that often gets a lot of coverage when business is hurting and very little coverage when business is going well. Hyperlocal publishers seem happy about working in a world without Patch and plan to continue working their butts off to achieve their goals and keep hyperlocal news strong.

Finding Mantra

After our discussion of mantras in class on Monday, I did some brainstorming to try and find a suitable mantra for my website. I started by reviewing my idea statement:

"I'd like to create a website dedicated to exploring Asian culture in New Hampshire. My vision for the site is to cover different events and festivals, shops and stores, and educational opportunities throughout New Hampshire. In addition, I'd like to profile community members, encourage current news discussions, and report about local issues. I have a passion for Asia as well as New Hampshire and I believe the two have connections that just need to be uncovered."

Next, I looked at the initial tagline for my website:

"Cultural connections from New Hampshire to Asia"

And then I did a chunk of free writing in the hope that I could mix and match parts of different four-word mantras to find that perfect fit.

• Crossing borders, forging bonds.
• Melding cultures, making connections.
• Seeking knowledge, inspiring passion.
• Exploring New Hampshire, Discovering Asia.
• Culture. Community. Coverage. Commentary. 

I think that I like "Exploring New Hampshire, Discovering Asia" the best because it uses the two key words (NH, Asia) and summarizes the point of my website in a nice snappy way. Snaps for mantras! 

I've got Harry Potter on my mind

With all of the Homecoming fanfare taking place this weekend, I've been thinking a lot about Harry Potter. I'm a huge fan of the series. I love re-reading the stories and re-watching the movies because I always notice something new, some small detail that I hadn't seen before. I watched the 5th movie a week or so ago (my least favorite of the franchise because they chose all of the wrong things to highlight in perhaps the most info-packed book of the series!) and noticed again the motif of the newspaper that carries the viewer through scene changes in order to keep the plot cohesive. The newspapers stuck out to me more this time and I pondered the presence of the media in the wizarding world.

Of course the media bias in the 5th book is outrageous because the government directly impacts the main news source,  The Daily Prophet, ultimately causing Harry to trust in an alternative and at the time discredited source, The Quibbler. But anyway, what I love about news in the books is that it's totally interactive. Newspapers change, have constant motion in images and content that not only grasps the reader's attention, but also sustains it. Newspapers in the wizarding world are the perfect combination of our print and online media. They have the traditional and nostalgic feel of tangible paper and the dynamic and updated aspect of online. Ms. Rowling seems to have found the perfect go-between for old and new journalism. Now, if only we could translate it to the Muggle world...

Having a healthy fear

In the first chapter of "The Art of Starting," the author gives a nice layout of what you need to be a successful entrepreneur. A meaning, a mantra, so on and so forth. The writing is blunt and to the point and overall the examples were clear. What I appreciated most about the chapter was the point that having fear does not automatically equal failure. The author states early on that "realizing that you have doubt and trepidation doesn't mean you won't build a great organization." I really connect to this thought because I'm a firm believer that having a healthy fear is good in many situations. For instance, when giving a speech in front of a large group of people. Having fear in this setting aids in greater preparation and humility, resulting in an effective performance. The author continues about forgoing the vicious cycle of planning in order to just jump in and get started. I'm a big fan of planning, lists, and organization so this hit home for me. Having fear is okay and not having everything planned is okay. Sometimes, you gotta go for it and see how it pans out. Like the author stated, "no one ever achieved success by planning for gold."

The glory of timelines

I was researching the political climate in Sri Lanka for another class yesterday and I came across a timeline by the BBC that highlighted all of the important events in Sri Lanka since 5th century BC in a short, easy to comprehend manner. Obviously for research purposes this was a great find because all of the info I needed was right there. I did a little more looking and saw that this is a regular feature by the BBC for many countries and conflicts throughout history.

I think timelines are a great tool for absorbing information and think it would be useful if news organizations used them more often to track ongoing stories. In class a few weeks ago we talked about how for many stories we here the big news right when it breaks, then nothing. Timelines would be a concise way to track a story and keep it going without having to report the same news over and over. It would perhaps be less time consuming for the reporter (easy, ready to go format!) and beneficial to the reader who can grab the key points and stay on top of an ongoing or aftermath story.

Reaction to Joe Burke

This week's crash course in accounting was intense and informative. Leading up to the class, I wasn't sure how Joe would be able to cover such a big topic in just one class period and I was happy when I saw that his power point was dedicated to three specific aspects that he felt were most relevant to our studies. I liked the layout of his presentation because he first told us why this subject matter is important to learn. Similar to many of my fellow journalists in class, math is not my strong point. Seeing just how necessary it is to know the basic accounting principles gave me even more incentive to apply myself and do my best to comprehend.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to grasp each point Joe brought up, but I feel confident in saying that I understand the basics and could successfully make my way around the business section of a newspaper. While I don't think that my only option as a journalist should be to rely on a business person or accountant in all of my endeavors, I do think it wise to form a partnership, professional and/or personal, with someone in the business field so I at least have a resource I can call upon when need be.

An analysis of late night TV

I'm a big fan of late night television. I love the satire and sarcasm of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, the boyish humor of David Letterman, and the unorthodoxy of Craig Ferguson. I generally treat the above shows as forms of entertainment, but sometimes the hosts of these humorous shows are able to explain complex issues from the news in a very effective manner. So I wonder, can Stewart and Colbert be categorized as legitimate news sources? Can Ferguson and Letterman be labeled as proficient news commentators?

While the case for Letterman is tough to make, and Ferguson even more so, I think that Stewart and Colbert make a compelling case as top news sources. In 2009, the Huffington Post reported that Jon Stewart was voted most trusted modern-day newscaster in an online poll by Time Magazine. He earned 44% of the vote from the lineup that also included Brian Williams and Katie Couric. It's not a surprise that fans of the show hold him in high esteem, but to raise him to the level of newscaster, not just TV show host, is something else.

I have absolutely no problem turning to the Daily Show or Colbert Report to listen to the news talked about in a rather irreverent manner. It's refreshing and sometimes, as I said above, enlightening. But the problem comes when Americans start relying solely on Stewart and Colbert as their news sources. While they both do a great job informing and swaying the public, they're not reporters. They are not journalists. I think an altering of discernment is one of the biggest byproducts of a Stewart-and-Colbert-heavy news diet, especially for those who believe that Colbert's Republican passion is true, not a farcical facade.

Overall I think Stewart and Colbert should be treated as resources or tools to help sort out news and issues, not primary sources.

The GAAP

While reading all about depreciation, goodwill, and changes in equity, it was hard to ignore the presence of GAAP. Since GAAP was completely new to me, I decided to do a bit of background research to look into its creation and importance in the world of accounting.

Definition: GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) is a set of accounting standards and principles used by companies to assemble financial statements. GAAP are part standards set by policy boards and part commonly accepted ways of recording accounting information.

History: The American Institute of Accountants (later the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) created the Committee on Accounting Procedure in 1939 that started research on accounting. A series of committees and boards issued opinions, statements and standards throughout the next handful of years that eventually became the  formalized GAAP.

Uses: GAAP is a collection of guidelines, not a set of rules, that regulate how financial statements are prepared and presented. GAAP covers basic principles and guidelines, detailed standards, and generally accepted industry practices.

Benefits: By adhering to GAAP, businesses can achieve consistency and organization with their financial information and also reduction the risk of misrepresentation. GAAP was created to protect businesses and investors and keeps companies accountable with their financial reports. By using GAAP businesses can be fair and transparent with financial information.

A language of its own

Of course every profession or sport or club has its own language used among insiders to get things done. As journalists, we're familiar with words or phrases other people find quite odd such as photog, clip, 5 W's, crawl, nut graf, and lede. After reading the glossary of fundamental accounting terms I realized that all businesses, including those in journalism, have to have some knowledge of these terms. I'd say I'd heard of one out of every four terms in the glossary, but could effectively explain maybe five total. Thinking that this doesn't apply to me as a non-business major is wrong because I could be part of or start a business in which having some idea of what everyone else is saying would come in handy.

Reaction to John Herman

My first thought after listening to John's presentation was: this guy must never sleep. His ability to dive into project after project and come up with idea after idea was equally inspiring and intimidating. It showed me that ideas don't have to be solid and fully formed and secure a job for the remainder of a career. Projects can switch and have a limited lifespans so one can move on to the next thing. For me, this is quite relieving. I don't all have to have that one sustaining idea right now.

One of my favorite things about John is how his self- promoting self-branding effectively left him title-less. This concept is kind of tough for me to wrap my head around because I've never really viewed a job or life path as not having a description. The way John wears many different hats and can only be described as or summed up into 'John Herman.' I think that's pretty darn cool and a great way to get out there and have others pick up and follow your ideas.

Potential customer feedback

Kymus Ginwala, 84, male, Director at Ginwala Associates 

"I'm a sucker for anything entrepreneurial and for innovation so you have me hooked."

Mr. Ginwala came to the US from India to get an engineering degree from MIT and ultimately remained in the US. He likes the idea of having a resource for Asian residents, but thinks one of the first things to be done is to identify the customer base; how big is it and how diverse in terms of language and skills. "Define your customers and talk to them to assess their needs and thinking."

Another idea he thinks would be beneficial is to have a section focused on helping Asian seniors understand the NH environment better. "The young children get acclimated quickly, but the elders get left behind. So health is an issue and information on this can be very useful."

He suggested that one of the first steps should be to have discussions with peers at UNH to get a better understanding of culture and adapting culture to a new setting. He likes the 'Why NH' idea because it "broadens the local population's view of immigration."

 He also had some ideas for content including:

• Profile a restaurant and business regularly to help them attract business but also to encourage them to advertise.
• Profile non-Asian businesses that want to attract the Asian customer.
• Have a section on Asian food with help for a recipe from the appropriate restaurant or business which attracts people who like to cook as well as places to buy the ingredients. (This would be for local NH residents but helps the Asian restaurant and encourages advertising)
• The NH agencies which help immigrants settle in as well as the non-profits could be important links.

"The website will be an evolving issue with some successes and some failures the latter being important to the progress and development of the eventual site."

 

Emily Siel, 16, female, high school student 

"If it was out there, I would definitely read it."

Ms. Siel is a high school junior who has lived in New Hampshire her whole life. She's never been to Asia, but has learned about it through the experiences of others. She thinks that the website would be interesting to read and something new, since she's not aware of anything else like it in the region. She doesn't think she would ever pay a subscription because "this topic is not in my usual area of interest," but would read it if it were available to the public for free. She was most interested in the 'Why NH?' series because it would be a cool way to hear a story she'd otherwise never have heard.

Alicia Edwards, 21, female, business student

"I think this is an extremely well crafted idea and you've thought of all of the appropriate avenues to cover."

Ms. Edwards is studying business at UNH and has also taken Mandarin language and Chinese culture classes. She thinks that the "ideas and articles are on point and interesting" and that the website would be a great source of information and entertainment. "I think it's similar to a town website (in a good way) but not something I would pay for." She believes that due to "the way the internet is, the information would be somewhere else and easy to go to find it."

However, something she would pay for and thinks would act as a way to inform and involve the community is to host an event similar to UNH's U-Day. She suggested a $10 admission fee to go to an event that is basically an all-out culture festival. Restaurants, clubs, stores, could all be there to show their wares and talk to the public. The website would act as the connecting link and could not only let people know about it, but also bring in some money.

Q & A with Allie Ginwala

Q: I have read your idea and I would like to understand a little more about it. What need does this idea fill? Is this a need that you have yourself? Who would share this need?

A: According to the last census, there are about 30,000 residents of Asian heritage living in New Hampshire. While this is still only 2.2% of the state's total population, it's group rising in number that should be given attention. In the past three years I've gained a passion for studying Asia and its cultures, specifically China and India. I've spent time in Asia and have come to learn about and love many unique things that weren't readily available to me living in New Hampshire. My website would highlight Asian cultures in New Hampshire. The target audience for my website is two-fold. The first would be for the Asian residents of New Hampshire to have something that would connect them to events, news, and places in New Hampshire. The second is to expose residents of New Hampshire to new ideas and give them a chance to learn and grow just as I have.

Q: At this point you should have some idea of who the average user of your product will be. What is the profile of that person?

A: My average user will a New Hampshire resident most likely in Manchester, Nashua, or the Seacoast region who enjoys world news and events and being immersed in new cultures or connecting to facets of already known cultures. I see the average user also as one who has traveled a bit and is perhaps looking to bring new life to his or her daily New Hampshire routine.

Q: Who wants this product that you intend to develop?

A: Students and teachers of Asian studies. Community members with ties to an Asian country or culture. A family that has traveled abroad and wants to relive the experience. A young twenty-something looking to engage in a fun festival over the weekend. The possibilities are rather wide open.

Q: What problem or need are you satisfying for your customers? (Remember, the customers aren't necessarily the people who will be using your product. For example, television audiences aren't customers unless they pay for the product, as in HBO. The customers are advertisers.)

A: I'm providing an outlet in which a whole host of age demographics will come together on common ground. Restaurants, festivals, classes, boutiques, grocery stores, travel agencies that focus on Asian culture can come to my website to advertise knowing that the individuals on the site already have an interest in their area. By focusing on a specific group and/or topic the advertisers and members can come to the same place to accomplish their goals, knowing that the focus is tailor made for them.

Q: We all have to live. Where is the money in this product?

A: The money for my website would come mainly from advertising because I don't want to require subscriptions. My goal for the website is to expand and explore ideas and cultures and I feel that requiring paid subscriptions would deter new viewers from the site. I'll also explore grant options because my website had a fairly singular focus that may be applicable to receive money.

Q: You are a journalist. Where is the journalism in this product?

A: This website is bursting forth with journalism. It's about introducing things to people they may have never heard of before. It's about connecting a community that may feel secluded or underrepresented. The journalism takes place when writing about a local mid-Autumn festival celebration or reviewing a new shop dedicated to selling saris. It's journalistic in that the content will involve people and their stories. Also, outside topics that are relevant will be on the website and open for comment and discussion among readers. The beauty of this website lies in the possibilities for journalism to be explored.

Q: We've read that passion is key to success of a new venture. Money alone will not sustain it. So where is the passion in your product?

A: Having lived in China, traveled in India, and studied language, literature and economics, my passion for Asia runs deep. Paired with the love for my home state of New Hampshire, it can easily be determined that my goal for this endeavor is to instill passion in others as well.

Thoughts from the reading

 I think I've settled on the Briggs text as my most useful text book this semester. It has a nice mixture of applicable ideas and tangible examples that both inspire and frighten me as an aspiring entrepreneur. Going along with the theme of EJ as a manual, Ch.8 highlighted for me the fact that no matter what type of journalism I pursue, SEO and social media are must-have areas of knowledge.

Briggs talks a lot about the importance of SEO and how important it is for entrepreneurs to optimize Web content via the art of the search engine (262). For instance, I knew that linking added variety to a website and helped get better listing in search engines, but I never thought of it as an "endorsement" for the merit of an article. It makes sense because when I read an article I really enjoy, I'll post it to Facebook or tweet about it so my friends and family can enjoy it too. If I ever have my own website, gaining credibility by linking to other sites will hopefully become a mutual action in return.

Another point Briggs made that in hindsight I should have seen as obvious is that social media promotion is just as important as the actual content. I tend to view social media as a secondary source of information and a primary source of keeping in touch. When it comes to business and journalism, social media has to be a priority, not just a promotion tool to use in my spare time. I can't focus on just the writing and reporting. In order to be successful as a jack-of-all-trades, social media, SEO, and the technical side have to become a priority.

EJ Project Idea Statement

I'd like to create a website dedicated to exploring Asian culture in New Hampshire. My vision for the site is "to cover different events and festivals, shops and stores, and educational opportunities throughout New Hampshire." In addition, I'd like to profile community members, encourage current news discussions, and report about local issues. I have a passion for Asia as well as New Hampshire and I believe the two have connections that just need to be uncovered.

The pre-packaged tweet

In the Nienam article about Jeff Bezos, I encountered a pretty cool feature for the first time. Three or four times throughout the piece, a certain section or line was shaded with the little Twitter bird at the end. If you click on it, you're directed to another window where the quotable section and article link are ready to go in a tweet from your own account.

I was surprised and impressed by this feature that was completely new to me. I tend to enjoy taking my favorite quotes from an article and tweeting about them. With this feature, you have the quote and link already organized. Plus, the shaded sections indicate that the reporter (or editor) singled out a certain section as important.

I wonder if a similar format could be applied to other social media outlets? Perhaps a ready-to-post Facebook status blurb for Linked In.

EJ project idea expanded

In one of my posts last week, I narrowed down interests and knowledgeable subjects to find something I could pursue as an EJ venture. I'm still noodling around with my idea, but what I have so far is a website about Asian cultures in New Hampshire. It would cover different events and festivals throughout the state, boutiques and shops with cultural ties and themes, and a whole host of other fun things like that.

Of course, it would need to serve as purpose. The key is to find a need and fill it. For that reason, I came up with this little relevancy blurb:

Bringing Asian cultures to New Hampshire or Connecting New Hampshire to the World

What I'd really like to do is tie things back to New Hampshire, to keep this state as a base. With that in mind, I could expand from just being an events site to a more news/issues oriented one. Here are some story pitches:

• Profile a prominent community member
• Cite outside articles (BBC, New York Times) that are pertinent
• A series called 'Why New Hampshire?' that would be all about individuals' stories of how and why they came to New Hampshire and how their lives have been impacted.*
• A feature about the rise in number of students from Asia studying abroad in New Hampshire

*This site would not just be for residents who immigrated. It would also be for second generation and so on residents. For anyone with a tie to or interest in an culture of Asia.

I need to do a bit more research into specific communities and website/blogs/newspapers that already exist to cover this topic, but it's definitely something I'm passionate about and would love to write about.

I think Mark Briggs sums it up best when he instructs us to "find a niche and attack it in a way that no one else can. Give your customers or audience real value in exchange for their time and money, and the competition will be worrying about you instead of the other way around."
 

Reporter vs. Journalist

When I first became interested in journalism in the 9th grade, I was adamant about terminology. It was always "I want to be a journalist" never "I want to be a reporter." In my mind, the word "reporter" was sullied. "Reporter" brings up images of squirrely individuals with an in-your-face attitude and an alcohol dependency. "Journalist" brings to mind an intense interview session, editorial-style writing, a reputable name. Not that any of the above is bad (except for the alcohol dependency) but for me a definite distinction was needed.

In our Newsonomics reading for the week, Doctor called briefly upon the image of the reporter of yesterday, as one who you would not want your child to marry because of the dark and devious road ahead. Maybe that's why such negativity is associated with and towards reporters. I think the old school idea of a reporter is one of the problems for the new era of journalism. People think of reporters as invasive and pushy. Now, the concept of reporter seems to be fading, replaced by commentators who don't even report, they just talk, and people still have negative associations with the media.

Is there any hope of a happy medium? Where reporters and journalists can dig for a story, effectively talk about and present it, and maintain a standing? Will the public ever like us? Do we even want them to?

Q & A with Susan Caldwell

Susan Caldwell is the founder and publisher of Applaud Women, an online magazine for women in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine.

1. Please describe what you do.

I created a print magazine for women in NH, MA, and ME almost 11 years ago. I’m the owner, publisher, editor, designer, occasional interviewer and do pretty much everything except the writing. In April 2009 I ended the print version. For me, designing the magazine hasn’t changed that much. I still design in the same way, I just had to learn how to put it online.

2. What inspired you to start Applaud? What were you doing before?

I was single mom so I had to find stuff to do that would support a family, not necessarily what I wanted to do. I came into some money and decided to figure out what I wanted to do. Everything in my interest and capabilities pointed to art so I did some research. I decided that I wanted to be a graphic designer so I went to the tech in Manchester to get my degree. 

I started making greeting cards, designing and selling them, when a friend suggested that I try selling them at a craft fair. At the fair, the woman at the table next to me had a digest for crafters and I thought, "Wow, I could do that for myself.” 

I’d already been networking with women in New Hampshire and realized that there wasn’t a magazine for women business owners in New Hampshire. Later on, I decided to expand the scope of the magazine for all women in NH, MA, and ME, partly for advertising purposes.

I had interned at New Hampshire Magazine for a semester while taking classes in Manchester because it was a requirement. I never thought it would someday lead to my own magazine.

3. What were the first steps of the process? Did you make a business plan?

The first this I did was talk to the woman who made the digest magazine. I knew from the beginning that the sales part would be the toughest for me. She was a great person to go to and she gave me great ideas and other people to talk to for more information and tips. I think that’s the best thing to do for anybody. Just find someone who has already done it and pick their brain.

4. What is the best part of having your own business? 

The freedom to have your own schedule and come up with your own ideas. You can decide whether to go with your ideas or not. It’s your own work, what you’ve completed alone. There’s a really a good feeling about that.

5. The worst part? 

The worst is that you tend to work harder. I’ve worked harder for myself than I ever have for anybody else. And money is always an issue. Money and time have been the biggest challenges.

Print was a nightmare. It's tougher for a business with a small staff and resources because distribution and even editing is more heavily critiqued. I hated giving up the print, but found out it was a blessing. I used to drive to Lyme, NH, in a rented van piling magazines back to bring back to my garage. To do this right, you need money to start, the right advice, and the ability to hire a lot of people. The Hippo did it right. They had the staff and the experience. 

It’s just me, which has its good times and its bad times. Definitely take advantage of resources dedicated to small businesses. Joining clubs like New Hampshire Creative Club where illustrators, designers, writers are all part of the creative mix.

6. What do you hope Applaud will look like in 5 years?

Better. Always better. I would really like it to be a household name and an inspiration to women.

7. What is the most important piece of advice you could give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes and asking questions. Keep your mind open to possibilities. You have to be a risk taker and can’t be closed minded. For me, I was ripe for that. I spent 30 years doing stuff that was boring and I hated what I did so I was so excited to do something that I could be passionate about which was really cool.

Profile of local entrepreneur Rian Bedard

In 2007, Rian Bedard took an urban permaculture class that changed his life forever. Living in California at the time, he learned about food waste and its impact on the earth. Once he finished the class, Bedard came back to New Hampshire to turn his new passion into a reality.

Mr. Fox Composting (formerly EcoMovement Consulting + Hauling) encourages people to recycle food waste as a daily habit that prevents adding to already stuffed landfills. The process is simple: Mr. Fox Composting gives you a container and liner to collect your food waste. At the end of each week, they come by to take it away. Everything from fruit peels to eggs shells to old bagels can be tossed in the bin.

Bedard is the founder and CEO of Mr. Fox Composting (founded in 2009) that is based in Dover, New Hampshire, and currently serves the Seacoast region.

Cool EJ sites

Here are a handful of successful journalistic endeavors I found online over the past week. I'm always inspired by what people come up with out of thin air. It makes me want to try harder and do something unique as well
 
Contently is a story-telling platform created to help adapt the world of publishing to the digital age. Founded in 2010 the goal of Contently is to assist journalists and "storytellers" with freelancing careers. The site bio says that writers are "no longer bound by so-called rules of who can be a publisher and who can't. At Contently, we're devoting our lives to leveling the playing field for the hungry and talented creators and publishers out there." I haven't signed up to create an online portfolio, but perhaps I will soon.

Latitude News is a site with the motto "It’s time for journalism to mashup the local and the global." In addition to tying together local, national and global, Latitude News is utilizing many platforms to get their message across. In 2012 they introduced a monthly audio feature that takes a closer look at one "intriguing tale" of US world relations per episode. More recently, they started a weekly radio report called the Local Global Mashup. And of course they have a twitter account. I really like format Latitude News uses. They take an issue big in the US and look into other country's methods of coping with similar things. I think the news Latitude covers and the way they cover it is a definite step into the future of journalism.

The Hairpin is a general interest women's website that covers books, music, daily news, travel, health, and advice. After looking only at the "About Us" page, I could immediately tell that this is a specialized site with a flair and pizazz in every piece of writing. The site "links to the stories of the day that appeal" and maintain the label of a women's site since it is mostly run by women, written by women, and read by women. Their contributor content comes in the form of text, video, illustration, and interested contributors are welcome to send submissions directly to the staff. I liked The Hairpin right away because it's a breath of fresh air in the genre of "women's writing." Usually female-oriented journalism is all about fashion, relationships, shopping, and weight. That is not the extent of interest areas for every female on the planet. As a woman, I can say we also like world news, business, and travel in addition to a list of places to buy the best yoga pants. The Hairpin gives me a nice balance, covering anything they deem interesting for the day.