News Entrepreneur Boot Camp 2011

May 15, 2011 - May 20, 2011
Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, University of Southern California
In partnership with the USC Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, the Center for Communication Leadership and Public Policy, and the Online Journalism Review

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About the Seminar

The Knight Digital Media Center (in partnership with the USC Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, and the Online Journalism Review) held its special News Entrepreneur Boot Camp May 15-20, 2011, in Los Angeles, CA. This intense one-week boot camp plus 6-week online learning program was designed for 16 competitively selected digital entrepreneurs with great ideas for community news and information initiatives in the public interest. Topics covered included:

• Identifying the best business model for sustained success.
• Developing a feasibility plan.
• Audience development and customer acquisition.
• Developing and implementing revenue and advertising strategies.
• Successful social networking models.
• Understanding and using analytics.

Traditional news organizations are floundering as business models collapse and audiences are increasingly turning to alternative news and information sources. This was the third [email protected] boot camp designed for digital journalists and others who are passionate about new ideas for serving the information and news needs of their communities but who lack the grounding in business and start up skills.

Expert faculty from both academia and the private sector provided intense instruction, coaching and mentoring on developing marketable business plans for building organizations that provide news and information in the public interest.