"Crowdfunded journalism is a new model for funding journalism in which reporters solicit micropayments from readers to finance their reporting. In the present study, we seek to identify the major motivations behind readers' donations to a pioneering crowdfunded journalism website, Spot.Us. Under the
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theoretical framework of collective action, we explore a total of 9 motivations: altruism, fun, belief in freedom of content, social, community, self-esteem, understanding, image, and family and friends. Combining self-reported survey data (N = 344) with behavioral data on readers' complete donation records obtained from the Spot.Us server, we found that belief in freedom of content, altruism, and contributing to one's community were self-reported to be highly valued by donors, but fun and family and friends motivations were the only positive predictors for actual donation levels. We discuss the implications of these findings on the sustainability of crowdfunding as a business model for news." (Abstract)
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"The discussion of opportunity costs, choosing a platform and networking strategies highlights the clear need for more industry data and transparency [...] Further, the private sector can monetize research on network effects and fundraising norms across the continent [...] Regarding the supply of ca
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pital in Africa, the Cheetah Fund model could potentially be scaled across the East Africa region, or even the entire continent, to include other crowdfunding platforms and instruments, such as debt [...] entrepreneurs should seek partnerships with individuals or marketing firms located in more developed crowdfunding ecosystems [...] There is significant room for payment systems innovation within the private sector." (Conclusion, page 15)
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"Crowdfunding the Future undertakes a dynamic interdisciplinary approach to the examination of the new, and growing, phenomenon of crowdfunding and its encompassment of digital society and media industries. The book offers a wide range of perspectives and empirical research, providing analyses of cr
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owdfunded projects, the interaction between producers and audiences, and the role that websites such as Kickstarter play in discussions around fan agency and exploitation, as well as the ethics of crowdfunding. With a series of chapters covering a global range of disciplines and topics, this volume offers a comprehensive overview on crowdfunding, examining and unraveling the international debates around this increasingly popular practice." (Back cover)
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"As advertising revenues shift to non-journalistic platforms, news organizations face financial difficulties. To safeguard pluralism and editorial competition, alternative funding sources should be considered. Policymakers can support private media organizations with mechanisms such as tax relief or
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even direct subsidies to specific media companies. Such support need not compromise media independence if safeguards such as statutory eligibility criteria are in place. Given convergence, support for private media should also be extended to online media." (Key messages)
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"Credible crowdfunding systems require more than entrepreneurs and willing investors. They also need a supportive ecosystem and enabling factors, including forward-thinking regulations, effective technological solutions, and cultures that can adapt to this new investment vehicle. This includes the c
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oncept of a “constellation of trust” that enables all parties to participate. The key factors that have facilitated crowdfunding in developed countries include: a regulatory framework that leverages the transparency, speed, and scale that advances in technology and the Internet can deliver to early-stage funding marketplaces; strong social media market penetration and Internet usage, which is necessary to harness demographic and technology trends to drive collaboration and cultural shifts; a regulated online marketplace that facilitates capital formation while providing prudent investor protections through education and training; collaboration with other entrepren eurial events and hubs including business plan competitions, incubators, accelerators, universities and co-working spaces to create a channel for opportunity and oversight." (Executive summary, page 8)
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"The community radio stations participating in the pilot project offer special dedication and greeting programs that allow community members to send greetings to friends and family on air. The main objective of this pilot was to understand whether these generally underfunded radio stations could mon
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etize these greetings systems through a mobile money technology that would be developed with another implementing partner, MobiKash, a mobile wallet service provider based in Nairobi." (Executive summary)
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"According to this paper, many media businesses lack management skills and experience in developing effective business models. "Compounding this is a lack of media development assistance targeted to media managers, the expansion of economic constraints on media businesses, and a lack of access to in
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vestment capital", says the executive summary, and concludes that "this naiveté about the business side poses a significant risk to the sustainability of independent news media. At the same time that audiences are growing, they are also increasingly decoupled from advertising, traditionally the largest and most easily accessible form of revenue supporting news media. Whether a market is growing or declining, this trend threatens to undermine the ability of independent media to fund news reporting." (commbox)
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"Quality journalism is expensive to produce – so how will it survive as current sources of revenue shrink? Funding Journalism in the Digital Age not only explores the current challenges, but also provides a comprehensive look at business models and strategies that could sustain the news industry a
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s it makes the transition from print and broadcast distribution to primarily digital platforms. The authors bring widespread international journalism experience to provide a global perspective on how news organizations are evolving, investigating innovative commercial projects in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, South Korea, Singapore and elsewhere." (Publisher description)
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"Discussions on how to support sustainability of independent media generally focus on the political conditions, the legal framework and – especially in German development cooperation – on the quality of journalistic coverage. Nevertheless, economic factors are of equal importance, not only for p
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ure survival but also with respect to editorial independence and the resources available to enhance or guarantee the quality of media outlets. The German Forum Medien und Entwicklung (Media and Development) highlighted in its annual international Symposium, “Money Matters – How independent media manage to survive”, two dimensions marking economic sustainability: factors constituting a restricting or enabling media environment; factors supporting the business management of media in their endeavour to become self-sustainable." (Executive summary, page 5)
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"L’auteur examine comment, face aux nombreux handicaps qui freinent l'expansion de la presse, un journal peut survivre en pays en développement, malgré sa faiblesse financière et l'impréparation des journalistes — Les devoirs civiques qui sont impartis à la presse ne facilitent pas sa survi
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e — Cette thèse est expliquée à partir d'exemples pris en Turquie." (Jean-Marie Van Bol, Abdelfattah Fakhfakh: The use of mass media in the developing countries. Brussels: CIDESA, 1971 Nr. 2330, topic code 110.0, 140)
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"Aperçu bref sur les problèmes financiers et celui de la production du papier au Brésil." (Jean-Marie Van Bol, Abdelfattah Fakhfakh: The use of mass media in the developing countries. Brussels: CIDESA, 1971 Nr. 2110, topic code 140, 142)