Online Journalism News

Collaborative news site enlists student journalists

A new citizen journalism project has enlisted journalism students to produce interactive news features for its website.

The collaboration between Yoosk.com and members of the Electronic Publishing Msc at City University in London saw the students create features on subjects such as the role of the media in the Madeleine McCann affair and proposals for the expansion of Stansted Airport.

Yoosk.com encourages registered users to submit questions on featured news items. Each individual involved in the news piece is tagged as a player and could face questions submitted by the reader.

Entered questions are then voted on by other users and if popular enough are followed up by a network of journalists working for the site who aim to get the individuals concerned to respond to them.

The students have been responsible for following up these queries and securing answers from those questioned, who include MPs, journalists and business leaders.

"This project will give City students real experience in web-based journalism," said Neil Thurman, senior lecturer at City University.

"Our link-up with Yoosk.com will give them the opportunity to learn key skills in online publishing, not only by working with an innovative new journalism site, but through meaningful interaction with Yoosk.com's growing audience."

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citizen journalism | yoosk | city university |

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