Jimmy Wales is the millionaire behind the world’s biggest source of public information – Wikipedia, and if he gets his way, you’re going to be visiting him for news soon too.
Wales has announced a crowdfunded news site called The WikiTribune, based around similar principals to his own Wikipedia, Wales wants to find a new model for media – not citizen media, not advertising supported media – crowd supported and fact checked media.
WikiTribune will employ journalists. People like you and me can contribute to WikiTribune, and the idea is people can contribute to a specific area of need – perhaps a niche not filled by the mainstream media?
Perhaps people will fund a journalist to report on Garden Insects? If they did, a journalist would write stories, and use the power of the community to fact check them.
Readers can visit the site for free, and anyone – like with Wikipedia – can submit changes to stories which are then reviewed and updated transparently.
Very noble, top idea – but it won’t likely take on the news giants of the world – because as much as Jimmy Wales seemingly detests click-bait, it’s not going anywhere soon.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts two popular podcasts, EFTM and Two Blokes Talking Tech. He also appears on over 50 radio stations across Australia weekly, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show each day and appears regularly on A Current Affair.
Father of three, he is often found down in his Man Cave.
