Seacoast Arts Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics for Seacoast Arts: 

1. Be Independent.

Be impervious to outside forces; your work is entirely your own and successful reporting should not be influenced by factors beyond the website’s editorial board. 

2. Be Accountable. 

Mistakes will be made. What makes the difference is how we as a company deal with them. Admit mistakes as soon as they are realized, and we will correct errors in a timely and apologetic fashion. 

3. Remain Unbiased. 

We are all people, and we all have opinions, ideologies and thoughts that our writing is susceptible to. Do your best to keep your own opinions from seeping into your work. Objectivity and neutrality are the key to maintaining our reputation as a valued news source. 

4. Commit to Truth.

As journalists, our first goal is to uncover the truth and then report it as quickly and accurately as possible. We will not sink to speculation. Facts must be checked thoroughly. 

5. Be Open and Progressive. 

As a company, we will not become stagnant. We will be always open to something different or something new, and always in pursuit of moving forward and becoming better. We will always listen to each other’s ideas and take them into consideration, for in order to succeed, the company must always be moving forward to the next big thing. We will not be left behind. 

6. Maintain high-quality journalism. 

No matter what the subject, no matter what the deadline, quality comes first. Whether this is the quality of writing or the accuracy of the facts contained within, we will not run a story until it is deemed to uphold a certain standard of excellence set forth by the editorial staff. 

Coping with Failure

I'm not going to lie, I am terrified of failure. I do not take risks, I make overly calculated decisions and the possibility of failing is something that oftentimes holds me back from choices that I otherwise would be gung-ho about. However, through this class and reading online, it is clear that entrepreneurs do the exact opposite of what I just described. Entrepreneurs must be equipped to deal with the probability of failure, and instead of being held back, must push forward and take what they have learned and apply it to their next venture. I know it sounds cheesy, but the phrase "Learn from your mistakes" is entirely applicable to the world of being an entrepreneur. Very few get it right on their first try; fewer still get great amounts of success.

What I have learned from the process of taking this class is that there are many things I do not know nor understand regarding the business world, and I'm sure many people who go out on their own and try to create a company or a product feel the same way. Trial and error is necessary, and accepting the fact that there is a (large) possibility that your idea will not play out like you planned, whether conceptually or financially, is vital. Entrepreneurs should be afraid of failure — obviously everyone is — but failure should not be something that is going to keep them knocked down. Maybe a better way to word it is to be "wary" of failure; you are not impervious to it, but it is not something that will end you either. If you make every decision based on your inherent drive NOT to fail, those kinds of safe decisions might be what eventually leads to your downfall anyway.

Q&A with Nashua Patch Editor Carol Robidoux

Describe a little bit of your history in journalism.

I attended the College of New Jersey in the early 1990s and a professor advised us to "get a foot in the door" at a newspaper, "sweep floors if you have to," and make yourself known. So I applied for a job in the advertising department of the Bucks County Courier Times entering code for computerized ads, and got the job. Within a short time I got to know the City editor and one day approached him, told him I was a J student and would love to write a story for the paper. He assigned me a story on Pet Cemeteries, and I put my heart into it. The story ran and, 6 months later, they were hiring a part time news reporter. I applied for that job and when they asked if I had any professional writing experience I referred them to the story I wrote for them. I got the job. After graduation, I continued to work there and eventually applied for a full-time position. I became an award-winning news reporter and columnist, and launched a teen section, which continues to this day. In 2001 I was hired by the New Hampshire Union Leader as a night side news reporter, so I moved my family the 360 miles north for that job. 

 How does what you are doing now differ from working from conventional papers like the Union Leader or the Bucks County Courier Times?

Patch is more immediate. I am one person covering the entire city of Nashua, so it's also demanding. I can't cover every event or story, like a traditional newspaper tries to. I make sure I cover the "big stuff" in terms of breaking news, and I aggregate some stories from other sources, providing links to stories by other news outlets and giving them full credit for the stories. Once there was a gunman on the loose in the woods behind a supermarket. I had just come home to Manchester after working all day in Nashua, and when I saw the news alert about the shooting, I immediately turned on the police scanner app in my iPhone, and was able to report on what was happening via Twitter and Facebook, giving readers a minute by minute status update about where police were searching, etc. My editor was amazed at what I was able to do — more than any other news outlet actually at the story — because I was listening to the action and pulling up maps and posting them along with the updated information. Also, there was a freelance photographer at the scene who sent me great photos, so my story really was the most timely and informative for a news story that was unfolding. Newspapers can't provide that kind of information. 

What sets Patch apart from other news organizations?

Well back to the idea of entrepreneurial journalism, that was one question asked during the interview process, about how we felt about working independent of a newsroom. I got laid off from the Union Leader in 2008 and in 2009 became a regional correspondent, which meant I was basically an independent contractor of the news, and I sold my stories and photos back to the UL. The money was not great but I learned how to operate on my own, and even launched a news blog, which functioned much like Patch, before I knew there was Patch, called Derry Ink Link (I covered the town of Derry) and the people loved it. The Union Leader did not love it, and felt I was giving away their content for free, but I argued that the site could be monetized if someone would try, and we were getting to that point in our relationship when I decided to quit the UL and go with Patch. What sets Patch apart, on that note, would be that they think about news delivery in a different way. It's a completely different model than what newspapers have -- for one, there is no paper product or overhead to pay for up front. There is cost involved in equipping a reporter to work in the field remotely -- we all get Mac books, iPhones, cameras with video capability and air cards, so we can file stories quickly and efficiently from wherever we are.  But we also have a team of ad sales people who know how to sell Patch to advertisers based on how different it is and what it adds to the community. 

What advice would you give journalists looking to break away from traditional forms of journalism?

• Hone your writing skills so that you can write succinctly and effectively and quickly, but well. 
• There is no substitution for great writing.
•  Buy a good camera and learn to take your own photos. Not just snapshots, but learn how to tell a story photographically. 
• Play with video. It's easy to produce a 2-minute video that helps to tell a story, and readers feel engaged by video.
•  If you have those three skills, you can become your own news producer and start a news blog which becomes your resume. Post about things happening on campus, in your home town, with your friends, attend school meetings or events and report them like stories.
• Establish a voice for yourself. Use words to your advantage. Don't settle for tired, newspaper style reporting. Be lively and engaging. 

What does a typical day like for you?

As soon as I wake up, 6:30ish, I check email for breaking news over night and scan the news Tweets from WMUR/UL/Telegraph to see if I missed anything. After I wake up and eat it's non-stop -- lots of emails come in with story ideas, news briefs, police items, and so I post some of those right away, or plan them to post in the next day or two. On days when I have scheduled interviews, I head to Nashua. On days I don't have interviews, I work ahead on stories I've already done reporting for, or I go to Nashua to work remotely, and find new stories to work on for future days.

Where do you see Patch going in the future?

I see it continuing to evolved into something different -- more attuned to social media, where most people are not getting and sharing news. I hope it continues to grow and expand -- every state should have a Patch. 

What is your favorite thing about working for Patch

The autonomy, the feeling that I am a news agency unto myself. I have support from two great regional editors  who provide backup for days off/vacation, and who also provide stories of more statewide scope when relevant. Also, we are a team of 12 -- 2 editors and 10 local editors, and we meet a couple times a month to talk about the job and what works, a sharing of ideas.  But I definitely like controlling what goes on the site and what gets coverage, and how I cover it. We are encouraged to try new things, and sometimes when you try something that is successful, it's replicated by other Patch sites. That's pretty cool.

What advice do you have for monetizing a business like this, with advertisements, etc.?

You have to have something that's valuable to an audience, something that people see value in -- like NPR -- it's quality news and information that people are willing to support through a donation, and advertisers are proud to sponsor it.

Kickstarter Blurb

Every day in the Seacoast area, countless events pertaining to arts, entertainment and arts culture are presented, from shows in Portsmouth's Music Hall to art galleries at 3S Artspace, to concerts at Hampton Beach's Casino & Ballroom. However, with all these events happening, oftentimes some get lost in the shuffle, through incomprehensive coverage of local newspapers and magazines to a lack of an online platform to keep track of constantly changing event updates.

This is where Seacoast Arts comes in. A blog/calendar-based website, Seacoast Arts is devoted to providing up-to-date coverage on music, fine art, theatre, dining, literature, dance, film and comedy in the greater Seacoast area of New Hampshire. As the arts community is vibrant and attracts both locals and tourists, the need for a publication to accurately and quickly provide information regarding arts-related events is certainly needed.

Why fund us? Because there's nothing like this in the area. This website will elevate coverage of a vital part of the community and draw attention to cultural events that are normally passed by. Also, the website's focus on social media and 21st century technology will make it popular amongst a younger audience, with its easy-to-use interface attracting older users.

Spot.us

A lot of the stories that are found on spot.us are investigative journalism stories that are looking into injustices in the system. They are mostly stories that are trying to right a wrong that someone perceives in society. It is a lot of local news stories that might not otherwise get intense attention, but through the collaboration efforts of a community, these important stories can be told. The quality of the journalism seems as if it could be good if the right people got involved, and it appears that the people who are pitching these stories have a specified route they are planning on taking to tell the story in the best possible way.

Five stories I would fund on spot.us include:
1. A story on accessibility options in Yellowstone Park and Grand Tetons National Park ($25)
2. A story on toll hikes for disabled passengers on the T in Boston ($10)
3.  A story on the effect the Bronstein apartments are having on the city of Nashua, N.H.  ($10)
4.  A story looking into the effectiveness of the Oakland Police Department ($30)
5. A story on the struggle to preserve liberties when we are living in a society of tight security ($25)

And my funding goes to...

If I were given $100 and had to choose who to fund out of the five projects I listed above, I would divvy up my money as follows:

 I would not fund iCrates, since I think that it is too focused on vinyl music and does not appeal to a wide enough audience to be able to justify a 96-page edition once a year. A print magazine of that quality and size would need some excellent photos to justify needing such a medium, and I don't think that iCrates will be able to offer photo and graphic options for a magazine of that nature.

I would give Matter $50 because it has already established itself as an idea that has appealed to a wide audience and it presents itself as publication that values good journalism, which I appreciate.

I would give Hello Mr. $30 because I think it is a good idea that has a wide range of appeal and is a niche publication that would be able to easily find a market, since it prides itself on being different than other kinds of magazines directed at gay men. I would not give it more than this with the money I have, however, because I am concerned about shipping costs overseas.

I would give WhoWhatWhy and State of the Re:Union $10 each because I appreciate their ideas and I think that each of them do have a place in the journalistic world and deserve a push forward, but their ideas didn't speak to me the same way that the other ones did. WhoWhatWhy is a good idea, but I don't know how interested its audience can maintain after a while since their "problem" they outline in their pitch might not be easily solved just by their website. State of the Re:Union is a good idea, but I'm not sure how wide it will reach, as it is a radio show, and radio is not the go-to method of journalistic communication these days.

Journalism Kickstarter Projects: 5/5: iCrates

iCrates Annual is a high-end print magazine about music on final and independent music culture that is seeking funding on Kickstarter. Until now, iCrates only existed online, but now it is seeking funding in order to be a print magazine, which would be a high-quality print magazine with exclusive features and the best online content from the last year. It would be 96 pages with 25 features celebrating independent music culture, past and present.

Funding for this project began on Oct. 30 and so far, has raised $4,015 of its $26,000 goal. It has 26 more days to go, and 62 current backers, but it is going to need a surge if it is going to meet its goal on time. It's based out of Berlin, Germany, so unless Kickstarter is big over there, it is going to need some generous donors in order to meet its goal on time