Q&A with ONI?s Bill Lascher about Spot.us

This Q&A originally appeared on the Oregon News Incubator blog.

Bill Lascher is a founding member of ONI and was the group’s very first “fearless leader.” He currently has a pitch up on Spot.us in an effort to attract sponsorship for a story on seismic risks to nuclear stations here in the Pacific Northwest. He agreed to share some of his experience in this Q&A . . .

ONI: Why did you decide to approach community-funded reporting site Spot.us with your proposal instead of pitching a newspaper, magazine or website?

Lascher: I’ve long been considering doing some project with Spot.us — David Cohn, the project’s creator, introduced it my graduate class two years ago — but haven’t yet had a project idea that really seemed like a good fit. Meanwhile. I preferred it to a newspaper, magazine or other website because the site allowed me to take responsibility for setting a deadline, timeline and structure for the piece that would work for me. It also allows me to get feedback as I work on the piece. I feel I might need some outside perspective because the nuclear power industry, the large scale of engineering involved, and the complicated science all require a really steep learning curve and a careful attention to detail, and outside input will help me insure I don’t overlook anything. In fact, I’m looking forward to the possibility of qualified individuals signing up as peer editors (I will be picky about those though; I need help from professional journalists and science writers, not advocates for or against the nuclear industry). In my opinion, Spot.us could also use additional reporting from the Pacific Northwest. Finally, Spot.us funding will allow me to report and write the piece, but I’ll still be able to engage other partners to publish or feature the piece, especially after I can show a little more “proof of concept” in the story through progress reports and additional donors.

ONI: How did you determine what the supporting cost would be for your story?

Lascher: It was a challenge. Ultimately, I want to be optimistic, but not unrealistic. Spot.us provides a guide as you set up a pitch for suggested requests and donations. I worked in an additional $200 beyond what they suggest for this length of piece because I know I’ll be traveling to the Tri-Cities at least once (hopefully more) and will need to pay for a train ticket or gas and lodging. The amount I’m asking to breaks down to about 50 cents a word. Not great, but not horrible, and it’s a realistic goal. Also – and I could be wrong about this – there’s always the possibility of earning more once I reach my goal or getting additional payments if other publications pick this up.

ONI: What was your experience like developing this pitch for Spot.us and putting it up on their website?

Lascher: For the most part it was easy and straightforward. It was one of the easier pitches for me to conceptualize. Immediately after some initial reporting I realized Spot.Us was the right place for it. Though there was a technical glitch or two uploading the pitch (probably exacerbated by user error), David was incredibly accessible. Not only did he address the glitches he spoke with me at length to determine the best schedule and nature for the pitch. I’m always impressed by just how easy it is to reach and discuss stories with David and that makes any hiccup easy to deal with.

ONI: What is your strategy for spreading the word about your pitch and driving up support/donations?

Lascher: I need to ramp it up. The first week of reporting this piece I’ve been working on other previously set deadlines. Though I’ve taken time to research the story and do initial reporting, I’ve set fundraising on the back burner. That said, I’ve raised a quarter of my goal in a week through announcing the piece on Twitter and Facebook. The most effective strategy, though, will be direct requests of key individuals: Professional contacts (from whom I may be able to tap peer editors as well), family and friends. Also, Spot.Us encourages you to (and I’ve committed to) regularly update the public with blog posts, and that keeps the story in the public’s mind.

ONI: If your story pitch doesn’t succeed on Spot.us, do you have other plans for your proposal (like pitching a news outlet)? (And would you pitch via Spot.us again?)

Lascher: Well, so far I’ve raised a quarter of the money I need. I’d like to respect the investment of money or time (for those who took the sponsored surveys) already made by supporters by completing this project as outlined. I can always still try to sell the piece to other outlets, and I hope to arrange to do so so that when the piece publishes on spot, it will publish simultaneously in whatever outlet that may be. As to pitching spot again, sure, if I have the right idea, though even if successful I’m not sure how I feel about tapping the same individuals for support twice in a row and I need to find out more what others have done with repeated Spot pitches.

ONI: What are your thoughts on community-sponsored journalism?

Lascher: Great! I really don’t have more to say. But I guess I will. I mean, we already have community sponsored journalism and have decades. That’s what public broadcasting is. I do have some slight concerns about people only doing the journalism for which people are paying. We need to do the journalism people aren’t paying for. We need to ignore metrics and analytics and tell the stories that aren’t being told, that need to be told. Fortunately, with at least this model, I can do the work and people can determine if they want to pay me, versus me waiting to see what people are paying for and only reporting to those desires.

Posted in writing & publishing.

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