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Citizen journalism site AllVoices has launched a syndication programme to bring professional and amateur newsgatherers together.

The site, which was launched 13 months ago, is in talks with 'traditional' media groups in the US, Europe, Middle East and south Asia, Aki Hashmi, the company's chief operating officer, told Journalism.co.uk.

Two broadcast partners and a range of online-only deals are in the pipeline for the syndication programme, which has initially been launched in beta, added Hashmi.

Under the syndication programme users will receive 75 per cent of the money paid for non-exclusive and exclusive images and video content and retain copyright of the material.

The programme has been developed in response to feedback from users looking to monetise their content, explained Hashmi. The technology powering the site makes publishing and distributing contributors' work online low cost, enabling the site to give the majority of any sale fee back to the user, he added.

The programme is the next stage in marketing the Allvoices' community's content, said Hashmi.

Item-by-item fees for media buyers and partners, as well as fixed rates for certain packages of content are being developed.

"The syndication programme is very good news for the community; it’s very good news for traditional media, because they’re looking for global content and most of them have been very dependent on Reuters and the AP," said Hashmi.

"These have become the global providers of news, but, if you look at it, in 40 per cent of the countries they have no coverage.

"If you have a platform where you can bring professional and citizen journalists together you can have global reach."

The site is looking to build a syndication network and would also consider syndicating news feeds, for example all items on the site relating to one country, to media organisations.

Earlier this year the site, which now attracts more than 3.2 million unique users a month and reports from 157 countries, launched an incentive programme for its contributors .

The reward scheme has been well received by those users looking to make money from their contributions, said Hashmi.

Advertising will remain as the main source of revenue for the site, said Hashmi, adding that the combination of the reward scheme and syndication programme offers contributors more opportunities to make money.

Prior to launching the syndication programme, the site introduced relevant Twitter updates to its news report pages .

Both initiatives will increase the exposure of Allvoices' contributors, said Hashmi.

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Written by

Laura Oliver
Laura Oliver
Laura Oliver is a freelance journalist, a contributor to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, co-founder of The Society of Freelance Journalists and the former editor of Journalism.co.uk (prior to it becoming JournalismUK)

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