Complete Story
12/02/2016
Microsoft and newspaper publisher Pioneer launch citizen journalism app, give Windows 10 tablets to subscribers
The past two decades have been rough for the newspapers. In the digital age, most people expect to get their information for free, shaking the traditional news industry.
But to Seattle-based Pioneer News Group, digital media isn’t just a threat. It’s an opportunity.
The company, which operates 23 newspapers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Montana, is launching a radical new digital program to convince past subscribers to come back and court a new generation of readers.
Readers who sign up for a $15/month, one-year digital subscription with participating newspapers will get a Windows 10 tablet included. The tablet comes pre-loaded with uReporter, a new app that allows community members to upload content. In addition to the digital subscription, participants can also have the Sunday newspaper delivered to their homes.
The program is the product of a collaboration between Pioneer and Microsoft. The Redmond, Wash. software giant helped Pioneer find an app developer and is providing the cloud infrastructure to run uReporter.
Beyond uploading content around breaking local news — like weather events, rallies, etc. — uReporter users can submit photos, videos, and short stories reflecting daily life in their communities. Editors review the submissions and decide whether to publish immediately, hold for later, or reject the content.
UReporter was designed with the rise of citizen journalism in mind. People are used to reporting what they see and experience on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter — even Snapchat. Pioneer doesn’t see this behavior as a liability for the traditional news business. The company believes it can be an asset.
