What Does the Digital News Initiative Involve?Posted by Bertelsen Coley on July 17th, 2021 The Digital News Initiative (DNI) is a European organisation established by Google to support high-quality investigative journalism via innovative technologies and innovation. It includes an "Innovator Fund" valued at over EUR 150m, that in its first year issued seven grants to news organisations across Europe. The main drivers for this growth are its new focus on non-profit organisation and its innovation projects. There is also a desire to increase the diversity of the newsroom staff. Many newspapers and magazines have been losing their traditional commercial readership as well as readers and advertisers over recent years and in response this has led to a focus on digital newsgathering by these publications. This is reflected in their revenue models, as many have found it more expedient to sell advertising space to online media companies. Many people are also turning to the internet for breaking news as the vast array of news stories and information they can find online is almost limitless. They may also be less inhibited to express themselves by posting their opinions in public forums such as Twitter and Facebook. The Digital News Initiative therefore proposes a set of principles to govern the use of technology by news organisations. These include: * Encourage participation from the public and encourage participation by the press. agency welcomes any comment or feedback from the public and allows the submission of web pages and blog posts by registered users. It is also happy to receive press releases and blogs but asks that all submissions are under a Creative Commons Licence. This enables anyone to reuse or re-use the content without obligation and with no additional cost. * Stay current with the industry. The web industry is constantly changing and growing and the DNI wants to be there to ensure that the online news services it supports are up to date and providing the information that is required by its users. agency recognises the importance of diversity in the workforce, and newsrooms that cater for a diverse customer base must represent the entire industry. To do this, the DNI has developed a Code of Conduct for members which sets out the standards to be expected. * Stick to the news. All content provided by the DNI is newsworthy and authentic. News that is inaccurate, misleading or untrue will be identified as such. This applies to reports released by the DNI itself, as well as information released by independent agencies. * Focus on local news. All the content published on the DNI's website is localised, reflecting the communities in which the websites are based. This means that users who are not residents of the county where the newsroom is based will still be able to access the site. It also means that those living in the counties or cities or towns where the websites are based can still have access to the news. This also applies to online news. Those who are unable to view the news online due to a technological barrier can simply log onto the website and read the news there. * Avoidfake news. Fake news tends to circulate quickly and finally online and can have a far-reaching impact on how people perceive an issue. Fake news sites tend to exaggerate the facts and twist them to serve their purposes. This is especially dangerous when it comes to breaking news, as the effect of that lie can influence people in a very negative way. The use of fake news sites should therefore be monitored closely to ensure that their coverage does not feed into the wrong end of the spectrum. * Invest in growth. The DNI has developed a strategy to invest in growth through the growth of its own team and outlets. This is done through a program called Digital News Initiative Growth. It encourages growth through the creation of new sites and the growth of existing sites, through the making of content and promotions that attract potential customers, and by offering promotions and information that help improve the reach of the internet. The initiative also makes sure that digital news outlets are offered grants for their continued success. Digital news outlets are made stronger and more visible with the help of the DNI's growth plan, which should ensure that the industry grows and prospers.Like it? Share it! More by this author |