New Voices: Making Money

Making Money

By Jan Schaffer
J-Lab Executive Director

LiveFromArlington solicits donations to support the site through an online “tip jar.”

It’s one thing to create a hyperlocal new media site. It’s another thing to have it stick around for a while. That usually takes money, resourceful partnerships or creative ideas for bringing in some financial support.

If there’s a controversial issue in the community, maybe a local funder or university will sponsor a community online dialogue, with a follow-up town hall brainstorming meeting to come up with solutions.

Perhaps a partnership with a local journalism school can help supply writers, editors, photographers, videographers or graphic artists.

Do you want to do an official community survey? How about making an overture to a business or marketing professor in your local college or university?

Of course, funders, donors and paid subscribers are welcome. But think about developing some niche funding opportunities as well.

Here are some micro revenue ideas for micro news sites that we’ve come across. Please let us share with others your good ideas. E-mail Craig Stone, .

Sponsorship opportunities

Photo contests: MyMissourian.net earned some start-up revenue by getting a local camera shop to sponsor a photo contest on the site.

Interactive baseball cards: The Lawrence Journal-World in Kansas invites the community to nominate outstanding young athletes for interactive baseball cards.

Video and Photos:

Photo galleries: Shoot ‘em and sell ‘em. Most news organizations sell hard or digital copies of photos requested by readers.

Multimedia obits: The Spokane Spokesman Review does print and video tributes to people in their community who have died. Family members may purchase a CD of the tribute for $25.

Advertising:

Ads/Directory Listings: NorthwestVoice.com’s print edition offers small businesses the opportunity to advertise for as little as $48 an issue for a coupon or a directory listing. HAS GRAFIK

Video Ads: The Lawrence Journal-World offers job seekers video employment ads.

House Tours: A sister publication, the Steamboat Springs Pilot, offers 360-degree house tours in its real estate listings.

Coupons: Let local retailers and restaurants offer their best bets or dinner deals of the day.

Subscriptions/Donations:

Donors: LiveFromArlington.com has a tip jar on its site.

Email Subscriptions: The Baltimore Daily Record Online, the city’s legal and business publication, offers eLink, an interactive e-mail service that will bring each day’s home page directly to your inbox.