Journalism Enterprise.com

Neaju

February 8th, 2008

Rating:

By Nicolas Kayser-Bril

What do they say it is?

“Neaju is the Internet’s first true citizen journalism site. It was built to allow anyone to report news as it is happening, and to post it for everyone to read, bypassing the normal editorial process that typically distorts reporting and inserts opinions and spin.”

What do I say it is?

What used to be a smart way of making money using other people’s sweat. The terms and conditions clearly state that Neaju will monetize your content by any means necessary and you won’t get a dime for it.

Content-wise, the total lack of editing allows for anything to be published on the front page¹. Bar-room journalism has found its home. Conspiracy theorists, rejoice!

What’s great about it?

The whole concept is supposed to be mobile-based. Great! But when I tried to access the site from the WAP Proof emulator, an error message popped up.

What could be better?

The absence of any journalism notwithstanding, Neaju doesn’t allow for much editing, as even in-text linking is off-limits. Some features could be interesting, such as the ability to follow a theme or a writer, but the system is so closed it makes it useless. Why not allow RSS instead?

How is it going to make money?

AdSense everywhere! They seem to have an in-house salesperson, but who would dare leaving a brand in such an unsafe environment?

Should I pay it any attention?

No. The total lack of journalistic work is a clever way to reduce costs. But it certainly doesn’t create any value for readers, who would have to fact-check themselves. For writers, the incentive to publish on Neaju instead of blogging is thin, as they lose control over content and leave behind any advertising revenue.

Neaju’s model isn’t about value creation, but merely about shifting value from writers to the publisher.

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[1] I did publish a paraphrased and worsened version of an article from notoriously anti-Israeli freelancer Jonathan Cook I found on a Hezbollah website. One hour later, the CEO sent an e-mail requesting the source. If management checks on every story, the business model will have to evolve…

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Entry Filed under: Citizen journalism, UGC