ABC News
Craigslist.org Founder Eyes Journalism
Craigslist.org Founder Craig Newmark Hopes to Develop Pool of Amateur Journalists for Site
In a file photo Craigslist.org CEO Jim Buckmaster, left, and founder Craig Newmark are photographed outside of their office in San Francisco on Thursday, April 14, 2005. The number of users and paying customers at Craigslist.org is expanding at more than 100 percent per year _ a growth rate that any venture capitalist or budding e-commerce company would covet. But Craigslist, a San Francisco-based nonprofit community Web site, has little interest in finding new sources of revenue, going public or even expanding the 18-person staff. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
By RACHEL KONRAD
The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO May 7, 2005  The number of people who use Craigslist.org is expanding at more than 100 percent per year a growth rate any venture capitalist would covet. But the people who run the 10-year-old community Web site, which gets 8 million unique users and more than 2 billion page views per month, seem to have little interest in exploiting new sources of revenue, going public or even adding to their 18-person staff.
The bare-bones site a trusted resource for everything from finding roommates to selling used cars in 105 cities in 23 countries, charges for very few classifieds, doesn't serve up traditional ads and plans no major changes to its business model.
Instead, founder Craig Newmark told Associated Press editors and writers in a bureau visit, his newest fascination is community journalism.
Newmark hopes to develop a pool of "talented amateurs" who could investigate scandals, cover politics and promote the most important and credible stories. Articles would be published on Internet sites ranging from Craigslist to individual Web logs, or blogs.
Craigslist.org gets more than 4 million classified ads and 1 million forums postings each month, and Newmark who no longer runs it but remains one of three board members is often blamed for decimating classified advertising revenue at regional newspapers. But he says he has no desire to steal readers from mainstream media.
But he believes the reason why newspapers are losing circulation is that too many traditional journalists are willing to quote politicians and business executives even if they're blatantly lying merely for the sake of perceived objectivity. He'd prefer an "open source" model of journalism where legions of volunteers act as writers, assignment editors and fact checkers to challenge mainstream journalists.
"People are looking for attitude and guts in reporting not full-on gonzo journalism, but hey, tell us what you think," said Newmark, who described himself as having Whig values strong on defense, fiscally conservative but socially liberal.
Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist.org, is fascinated with the idea of community journalism.

According to the ''Associated Press'', Newmark is interested in an 'open source' approach to journalism, allowing a huge team of volunteer journalists to stand up to their mainstream counterparts. By acting as news gatherers, writers, and desk editors, Newmark envisions the rise of a regularly updated "trustworthy" outlet that can inform voters ahead of the United States midterm elections in 2006.

Although plans are currently only on the horizon, Newmark has discussed project ideas with Dan Gillmor, a former technology columnist at the ''San Jose Mercury News'' and founder of Grassroots Media Inc., and Jeff Jarvis, a former critic for TV Guide and People. Newmark explained: "People are looking for attitude and guts in reporting not full-on gonzo journalism, but hey, tell us what you think."

The collaborative approach to news reporting that Newmark describes is already, in one way, very much alive today in the form of Wikinews: volunteer writers from around the globe can contribute articles, gather news, fact check and review each other's work. A spokesperson for craigslist confirmed that Newmark is "very familiar" with Wikipedia, the sister project to Wikinews.

Confirming that his advisers had been in contact with the Wikimedia Foundation, Newmark himself told us earlier today: "I'm very aware of Wikinews, and I really like the idea."