jseed  is a free software project to develop an open publishing platform for micro-scale news outlets. We have a strong focus on the needs of journalists and citizens as the people closest to both the process of sourcing news and the news itself.

By considering existing and emerging models of journalism, we hope to build a platform that can broadly enable local news reporting. Among others, these models include traditional newspaper print and online outlets, pro/am collaboration, link journalism, community-centric news sites, and individuals or small groups of citizens seeking to meet or expand news coverage where they live. Enabling journalists and citizens to report and engage freely is a central goal, and the web is the two-way medium that might raise that goal to become an intrinsic element of civic life.

We seek and welcome insight from a broad range of people in and around local news media - journalists, bloggers, editors, publishers, local governments, chambers of commerce, media organizations and new media thinkers and developers. Follow us on Twitter @jseedproject or check back to learn more and find out how you might get involved.

Thank you.