Information Needs Observatory

The idea is to create an observatory that identifies and tracks information needs within a specific territory. It would generate a reporting frontend that lists potential news stories that should be covered but aren't. The goal is not to produce a "cahiers de doléances" but an actionable to-do list.

The project is inspired by the Detroit-based news organization Outlier Media and their focus on addressing information gaps in the community. The goal is to expand upon that and similar experiences by creating a system that is flexible enough to be replicated in different territories and can be scaled across various regions and countries.

Nuts and bolts:

Hyper-Local Focus: The application would be adaptable to any hyper-local territory, from Catania to Heidelberg to Nairobi.
Data-Driven: Information needs would be identified through a combination of micro and macro-economic indicators, quality-of-life pulse surveys, on-the-ground interviews, and other surveys.
Automation: The process would be as automated as possible to ensure efficiency and scalability. This would apply to data collection and parsing as well as modeling with machine learning.
Non-Profit & Independent: The project would maintain a non-profit and independent status. The business model would be that of a specialized newswire service, made available to news media organizations through paid subscriptions. Profits would be reinvested in expanding to new territories and having a wider reach, as well as for news and reporting production to sometimes tackle information gaps directly.

Potential Impact:

Empower Communities: By identifying and tracking information needs, the project can empower communities to advocate for better coverage of issues that matter to them.
Inform Journalism: The data generated by the observatory could help journalists identify and prioritize stories that are relevant to their audience.
Strengthen Democracy: By ensuring that communities have access to the information they need, the project can contribute to a stronger and more informed democracy.
Derive General Insights: By analyzing data across different localities, the project could identify common information gaps and needs that can inform broader media practices and policies.
Assess Journalism Health: A significant disconnect between what journalism covers in an area and the existing information gaps can serve as a measure of both journalistic health and the overall democratic quota.

Next Steps:

The project is currently seeking funding to validate feasibility and access to relevant data, build a team, select territories to focus on first, and develop and implement the application and observatory.