What Associated Content Saw at the DNC

This post is courtesy of News Director Tim S. and AC's Content team.

To paraphrase real estate's mantra: citizen journalism is all about local, local, local.

That's what AC saw at the Democratic National Convention last week in Denver - local writers localizing a national event. The DNC included speeches, rallies, protests, caucus meetings, art shows and more. And because many of these events were open to the public (Denver Mint levitation, anyone?) it's a great vehicle to show how CPs can shine.

Take, for example, the video reporting efforts of Dave Maddox, a Denver resident. From protests to outdoor theater, Dave caught firsthand on video what many of us could only see on the evening news.

Then there's Connie Wilson, AC's go-to CP for national politics reporting. Flying in on her own dime from Chicago, Connie covered much of the on-the-floor action at the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field. Connie is aggressive and willing to talk to anyone - and photograph them, too. Just ask the Kennedys.

Those are just a couple of examples. Many CPS, from convention aficonados to political novices, contributed their experiences.

AC's efforts last week also included camping out at Google's Big Tent (in the heart of lower downtown, just a few blocks from the main convention site) to spread the word about AC. In pairs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, AC Content Managers talked to bloggers and other media types about what AC does - we publish what's important to you, get you exposure and pay you along the way.

Here are some numbers from AC's efforts at the DNC:

• 50 first-person, original reporting stories
• 6 photography slide shows
• 7 video stories

But the numbers weren't even half the story. Most importantly, the DNC allowed AC to showcase what it can provide for readers and how it can improve the chops of citizen reporters.

We hope to have similar success this week at the RNC in Minneapolis-St. Paul. If you live in the area or know folks interested in writing about their experiences, check out your Calls for Content assignments or shoot us an email at news@associatedcontent.com.

Updated: New numbers for our DNC coverage just in on 9/4

• 50 first-person, original reporting stories
• 9 photography slide shows
• 10 video stories

New media presence at the DNC

The election will be in the air until November 4th, but one thing is already clear about this election cycle: new media is here to stay. Associated Content Producers, this means you! It is an exciting time to be a citizen journalist or a blogger, and it is certainly a hot topic among more traditional media types. From our own CPs who are creating content for us about the DNC (see Monday's AC blog entry), to the 500 people at Google's Big Tent, to MySpace's Decision08 and the Huffington Post's "Off the Bus" feature, new media is a force to be reckoned with. Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos, put it perfectly in an interview with the San Jose Mercury News when he said, "The bottom line is that people no longer want to be spectators. Technology allows us to essentially become participants."

New media, otherwise known as real people writing online with fresh viewpoints and compelling stories--without corporate agendas--are what we're all about at AC, and we think we've got the best of the bunch.

AC President Luke Beatty attended an interesting luncheon held by the HuffPo yesterday in Denver. Panelists Arianna Huffington, George Stephanopolous, Charlie Rose, Rahm Emanuel, and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas (and others) discussed how new media is changing the game and interacting with traditional media. It was will.i.am who had the comment of the day (courtesy of FishbowlDC), "You want to make content that you can put in your pocket, not it throw away in a garbage can." As members of the new media our CPs are making relevant, versatile, mobile content every day and are changing the way consumers get their news and information. And, unlike many bloggers, they're profiting from their labor. Keep up the good work!