I love the concept.  Microfunding reporting, independent of a news organization.  Readers, meet the reporter.  If enough money is raised to cover the costs of the story, the reporter is put to work.  I gave $5 to a proposed story on MUNI express buses in SF, and why there were not more of them.  I just got this email:

Score for for community funded reporting!!

Together we’ve raised $250 from 14 people who gave an average of $17 each!

http://spot.us/pitches/39

I couldn’t be more giddy. But now comes the hard part: Tom Prete, our reporter, will represent us – asking the questions and digging up the answers.

Next we will assign a fact-check editor to the story. Once the reporting is done – we will let you know.

In the meantime: If you know any news organizations that might be interested in this reporting – you should let them know. If they want first publishing rights that is possible: But they’ll have to refund all the donations. At just $250 – and with a built in audience – I’d argue that was a deal.

Best thing of all?  It is a nonprofit, so your funding of a story is tax deductable.

Way to go Dave Cohn and team.

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Dave was planning on having a burrito in the Mission District of San Francisco, and via twitter I caught up with him.  Once fully stuffed on some amazing food, Dave pulled out his camera and did a short interview.

The link to the video of Andrew Hyde is here.

Thanks Dave, that was fun.

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