Word of the Day: crowdsourcing
From Wikipedia
“Crowdsourcing” is a term coined by Wired magazine writer Jeff Howe and editor Mark Robinson in June 2006. It describes a business model akin to outsourcing, but relying sometimes upon unpaid or low-paid amateurs who use their spare time to create content, solve problems, or even do corporate R&D. Other times is based over the set of ideas and abilities than only can be found in a crowd.
Crowds targeted for crowdsourcing include garage scientists, amateur videographers, freelancers, photo enthusiasts, data companies, writers, smart mobs and the electronic herd.
Why this could be important to newspapers:
From Wired.com, Gannett to Crowdsource News
The publisher of “America’s newspaper” is turning to America to get its news.
According to internal documents provided to Wired News and interviews with key executives, Gannett, the publisher of USA Today as well as 90 other American daily newspapers, will begin crowdsourcing many of its newsgathering functions. Starting Friday, Gannett newsrooms were rechristened “information centers,” and instead of being organized into separate metro, state or sports departments, staff will now work within one of seven desks with names like “data,” “digital” and “community conversation.”
Crowdsourcing attempts to replace selectively hired, trained and managed workforces with mass volunteer or paid participation and self-organization. [Link]