Aron Pilhofer
- Associate Professor & James B. Steele Chair in Journalism Innovation, Temple University
Over there now at @pilhofer.bsky.social
Had it with this place. You stay if you really want to, but I'm gone.
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Articles by Aron Pilhofer
You’ll soon need to log back in to the Star Tribune. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
We at the Minnesota Star Tribune are committed to continually enhancing our digital products and experience. Earlier this year, we rebooted and upgraded the Minnesota Star Tribune’s website and apps to create a cleaner, crisper, modern platform that we’ll continue to build upon. And today, we’re reaching out to let you know about another upcoming enhancement that will impact anyone who visits startribune.com or our mobile apps. Starting Friday, Oct.
Welcome to a new era of technology growth for the Star Tribune
If you’re reading this, then you may have noticed things are starting to look a little different around here. The Star Tribune’s website and apps received a technology reboot today, and I’m excited to tell you more about it. We’ve been hard at work updating our digital products to better serve you, and today’s reboot is just the start. We’re making this upgrade to our platform because we’re committed to providing the best possible experience for everyone who comes to the Star Tribune.
The Athletic: Good for the Times, a potential disaster for local news
It turns out, The New York Times does really care about local news — just not in the way we thought. By purchasing The Athletic, which covers 270-plus sports teams in more than 47 local markets, The Times has placed itself in direct competition with every local news site for the same pool of subscribers. And since the average number of news sites people will pay for is one, that is very bad news indeed for local legacy news organizations.
As it turns out, product thinking is a great asset in a crisis
The Product Immersion for Small Newsrooms training program will expand due to its success When we launched our news product training pilot last February, we knew it would be key for local news organizations’ survival in the long run; product thinking would put them on a path to find new audiences, improve internal processes and monetize news, in time. And then COVID-19 hit.
RTK Request Bloomsburg University
9 Communications 12 Files Communications Subject: Pennsylvania Right to Know Act Request: RTK Request Bloomsburg University Email To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act, I hereby request the following records: * Any annual, quarterly or semesterly logs or reports that detail how often various school therapy services are provided to students. Please provide logs from the academic year beginning in 2014 through the present.
Heather Bryant, Tyler Fisher, Jessica Morrison join News Catalyst team
I am thrilled to announce (though slightly belatedly) our first hires to the News Catalyst team. Heather Bryant will take on the position of deputy director, product. For this role, I was looking for someone with a sharp product focus, someone who is creative and entrepreneurial. Oh, and someone who understands the challenges facing local news enterprises. I couldn’t imagine a better fit than Heather. Heather popped on my radar while she was on her JSK Fellowship in 2016-17.
The Sigmas: An award to celebrate, elevate and empower data journalism around the globe. See you in Perugia #ijf20
By Aron Pilhofer and Reginald Chua, co-chairs Let’s be honest: Journalism awards kinda suck. They are stuffy, elitist affairs that tend to favor the usual suspects and don’t do much to elevate the work they are meant to reward. Global awards in particular are rarely truly global, and tend to be highly Europe- or US-centric. In launching the Sigma Awards for outstanding data journalism this year, we hope to do better. A lot better.
How DocumentCloud bolsters investigative journalism and the exchange of public information
Aron Pilhofer is a co-founder of DocumentCloud. Today Knight Foundation is announcing $250,000 in new support to the open source journalism tool, to encourage investigative journalism and the exchange of public information. It was just about nine years ago when Eric Umansky, Scott Klein and I hit upon an idea we hoped might help journalists be a little more transparent in their reporting.
Come work with us!
Want to save local news? We do too. For struggling local news organizations, digital transformation has become something closer to digital survival. That’s why we launched News Catalyst. Simply put, our mission is to help local news enterprises transform themselves into sustainable digital businesses. And we are hiring two key roles on our team to help us get there: a Deputy Director of Product and a Developer.
The Gannett/Gatehouse deal is even more depressing than I imagined
God bless Ken Doctor for having the patience to dig through all this Wall Street posturing and monetary machismo to pull together such clear-eyed analyses of the Gannett/GateHouse merger (acquisition, really, as it turns out). Few people are better sourced than Ken is on these kinds of stories - and frankly, few journalists understand this as well as he does.
What’s Your Economic Outlook?
Readers shared their expectations about their job status, the future of the economy and the prospects for the next generation.
The Correspondent became the most participatory journalism crowdfunding project in history without one story on its site. Here’s how — The Membership Puzzle Project
“Maverick businesses that a generation or two ago might have had little choice than cooperation now find investors willing to buy in and take over before they bother considering other options. Awash in investor capital, most ambitious entrepreneurs seem oblivious to the prospect of funding and growing business grounded in the communities they serve.
Release Notes: Tweaked profile pages, News Nerd applications, and take our survey!
November 13, 2018 Release Notes: Tweaked profile pages, News Nerd applications, and take our survey! This is your chance to help us set our priorities for 2019 We’ve made a small fix to eliminate a search bug from some profile pages. More importantly, you can help us set our 2019 priorities by taking our user survey — and get a chance to win free MuckRock swag.
News Integrity Initiatives supports MuckRock and DocumentCloud mission with $250,000 grant
October 10, 2018 A revamped DocumentCloud, tightly integrated with the rest of the MuckRock suite, is coming next year Written by Michael Morisy, Aron Pilhofer We are thrilled to announce that the News Integrity Initiative has awarded us a $250,000 grant over 18 months to support the technical side of the merger between DocumentCloud and MuckRock and support the expansion of all our services beyond journalism.
News Integrity Initiatives supports MuckRock and DocumentCloud mission with $250,000 grant
We are thrilled to announce that the News Integrity Initiative has awarded us a $250,000 grant over 18 months to support the technical side of the merger between DocumentCloud and MuckRock and support the expansion of all our services beyond journalism. MuckRock is currently available to anyone seeking to file and track freedom of information requests. DocumentCloud is available only to journalists.
News Integrity Initiatives supports MuckRock and DocumentCloud mission with $250,000 grant
We are thrilled to announce that the News Integrity Initiative has awarded us a $250,000 grant over 18 months to support the technical side of the merger between DocumentCloud and MuckRock and support the expansion of all our services beyond journalism. MuckRock is currently available to anyone seeking to file and track freedom of information requests. DocumentCloud is available only to journalists.
News Integrity Initiatives supports MuckRock and DocumentCloud mission with $250,000 grant
We are thrilled to announce that the News Integrity Initiative has awarded us a $250,000 grant over 18 months to support the technical side of the merger between DocumentCloud and MuckRock and support the expansion of all our services beyond journalism. MuckRock is currently available to anyone seeking to file and track freedom of information requests. DocumentCloud is available only to journalists.
Read Hunter S. Thompson’s correspondence with LBJ on their original letterhead
The O.G. (Original Gonzo) journalist Hunter S. Thompson wielded a way with words that cut through a lot of 20th-century America’s crap, and throughout the mythic course of his life, the moments in which he crossed the country’s police state were well-documented in his books and articles. In some cases, these times also live on in the government’s filing cabinets, crumbs in the official record of a citizen concerned but good-humored. Materials living at the Lyndon B.
Read Hunter S. Thompson’s correspondence with LBJ on their original letterhead
The O.G. (Original Gonzo) journalist Hunter S. Thompson wielded a way with words that cut through a lot of 20th-century America’s crap, and throughout the mythic course of his life, the moments in which he crossed the country’s police state were well-documented in his books and articles. In some cases, these times also live on in the government’s filing cabinets, crumbs in the official record of a citizen concerned but good-humored. Materials living at the Lyndon B.
MuckRock Release Notes: Come build a chatbot with us
As far as new features, this was a quiet week but we did have exciting news: We’re looking for our next round of News Nerds in Residence, who will work with the teams at DocumentCloud, MuckRock and Quartz to build chat-based “super powers” that can be used by tens of thousands of people. Read on for more details on our News Nerd residency, or apply here.
MuckRock Release Notes: Come build a chatbot with us
As far as new features, this was a quiet week but we did have exciting news: We’re looking for our next round of News Nerds in Residence, who will work with the teams at DocumentCloud, MuckRock and Quartz to build chat-based “super powers” that can be used by tens of thousands of people. Read on for more details on our News Nerd residency, or apply here.
Read Hunter S. Thompson’s correspondence with LBJ on their original letterhead
The O.G. (Original Gonzo) journalist Hunter S. Thompson wielded a way with words that cut through a lot of 20th-century America’s crap, and throughout the mythic course of his life, the moments in which he crossed the country’s police state were well-documented in his books and articles. In some cases, these times also live on in the government’s filing cabinets, crumbs in the official record of a citizen concerned but good-humored. Materials living at the Lyndon B.
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
Celebrate International Right To Know Day!
This FOIA Friday coincides with a particularly special day for transparency enthusiasts all over Earth: International Right To Know Day. Celebrated by freedom of information fans on September 28th each year, RTK Day is a chance to reflect of the powerful possibility of government access for the people.
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
How to read an FBI file: A beginner's guide
With the recent launch of both our book of Federal Bureau of Investigation files and a crowdsourced effort to analyze Ronald Reagan’s 30,000-page file, we thought it would be the perfect time to answer one of the most frequently asked questions we get here at MuckRock: How do you even begin to tackle these huge releases? This is intended as an introductory guide, and, as such, we won’t be going into the intricacies of the Bureau’s filing system, such as common forms and offense codes.
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
This week’s FOIA round-up: Trump's family separation policy leaves a paper trail, and Orlando's "bureaucratic inertia" stalled a life-saving response plan ahead of Pulse shooting
In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records confirm the Trump administration’s intentional policy of family separation and shine light on a stalled Orlando Fire Department policy that could have saved lives during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. In public records law news, a provision of a November ballot initiative could expose San Francisco’s lauded Sunshine Ordinance to lawmaker interference. See a great use of public records we missed?
FOIA FAQ: Appealing fee categories and waivers
Crafting an appeal can be daunting, but the results are worth it. Here’s some quick tips on what you can do to get an agency to reconsider your fee category, which can result in drastically reduced costs. When it comes to appealing fees, you are most likely appealing an agency’s rejection to your fee waiver request, a high fee estimate, or proving your media status to the agency. The appeal serves as a friendly reminder of the law and the misuse of it.
Announcing the Fall News Nerds in Residence
September 25, 2018 Two journalists have answered our call to make Quackbot the next great journalism tool Edited by Michael Morisy, JPat Brown In June, we put out a general call to news nerds everywhere asking for great ideas to make our Slackbot for news (we call it Quackbot) amazing. Today, we are thrilled to announce we have had not one but two journalists take up the challenge.
Feature Focus: Getting the most out of DocumentCloud
Back in June, we announced that DocumentCloud and MuckRock were merging. Today, DocumentCloud’s co-founder - and our Chief Strategy Officer - Aron Pilhofer will outline some of the platform’s less-known features to ensure you’re getting the most out your hard-won records. Most journalists join DocumentCloud to make a large collection of documents searchable, or because they want to publish documents to the web. But there is much more to the platform than that.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
CIA file confirms the White House’s role in “The Adlai Stevenson Affair”
The details of the negotiations and planning surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis have long been the subject of some contention for historians, with some of the most influential and enduring accounts contradicting what the tapes of those planning sessions tell us.
Please Welcome Dylan Freedman to the DocumentCloud Family
We are thrilled to announce the latest addition to the DocumentCloud family, Dylan Freedman, who has assumed the role of lead developer. Dylan comes to us fresh off earning his masters in journalism at Stanford University — but he’s no typical hack. Prior to Stanford, Dylan worked for several years at Google, first as an intern and then as a full-time member of the research team.
Share Six Words About Your Mother: The Contest
Tell Us About Mom 0 of 6 words
No, Craig Newmark did not kill local news.
A bit of a rant. I wasn’t going to say anything about the absurd, unnecessary shots this New York Times story took at Craig Newmark in reporting his welcome and generous $20 million donation to CUNY’s journalism school. But after reading all this journalist-driven outrage on the subject, enough’s enough.
MuckRock and DocumentCloud merge to build tools for a more informed society
We are thrilled to announce that DocumentCloud and MuckRock are merging. The reason is simple: Mission. Our organizations share a core belief that institutions should be open, transparent and accountable to the people they serve. This merger will strengthen both organizations and allow us to serve our users and that mission far better than either of us could alone.
MuckRock and DocumentCloud will merge to build tools for a more informed society
Over time, our goal is to make the sites and services we run work seamlessly together, helping guide our combined 30,000 users through every step of the reporting process, from finding initial ideas to obtaining documents to analysis and, finally, publishing reporting critical to an informed democracy. By the end of the year, you should start to see some visible changes: Easier document search and analysis in MuckRock. The ability to log into both sites with a single account.
Calling all news nerds: Come work with us and make Quackbot amazing
Last October, Quartz and DocumentCloud joined together to launch Quackbot, a bot that performs useful tasks for journalists from inside Slack. It’s completely free and available to any newsroom. All you need is a (free) DocumentCloud account. More than two dozen newsrooms are already using Quackbot, even with a very limited number of launch skills (we call them superpowers, actually).
Tools for Trust: The list – Aron Pilhofer – Medium
Tons of tools journalists should know about DataWrapper A simple, intuitive tool to help make amazing interactive and static charts and graphs. Guardian Mobile Innovation Lab The Guardian’s open R&D lab looking at ways to make news on small screens a better experience. Flourish A tool for creating gorgeous data visualizations that can be forked, shared by the community. DocumentCloud A tool to help journalists analyze, share, annotate and, ultimately, publish source documents to the web.
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