Comments (0) BEST CITIZEN-BASED MEDIA OUTLET - 2008
The Uptake
"Will journalism be done by you or to you?" the UpTake's homepage ominously asks. The fledgling citizen-journo outfit, launched last fall, has opted for the former, riding the crest of the new media wave using on-the-ground video coverage with an unapologetic advocacy bent. Founded with the looming Republican National Convention in mind, the nonprofit is heavy on the politics, and features some familiar names within local media and activist scenes: Executive Director Jason Barnett, a St. Paul sculptor and political activist; Chuck Olsen, creator of the Minnesota Stories video blog; Mike McIntee, producer of the Inside Minnesota Politics podcasts; and Bridget Cusick, former communications director for Keith Ellison's congressional campaign, just to name a few. During the primaries, tech-savvy dispatches from places like San Antonio and New Hampshire cut through the abstractions of polling data and provided a street-level window into electoral goings-on. Viewers should expect similar insight during the RNC convention.
