Public Policy App

1

1. What is your project? [1 sentence]

To develop a one-stop public policy app to remedy the problem of hit-or-miss local news coverage of local government, as well as to build community and, with that app and the content it makes available, to contribute to real, self-governing democracy.

2. How will your project use mobile tools and approaches? [2 sentences]

The app would, among many other things, stream live (and provide archived) video of ALL city commission and county commission meetings, as well as access to ALL public records associated with those meetings. Using voice-recognition technology, the app would also allow citizens to key word search archived video to locate with time codes when the word (or subject or topic) was mentioned or discussed in the meetings.

3. Who will use it and why? [1 sentence]

Local residents will use the app to monitor and even participate in local government; secondary audiences include journalists and government employees.

4. Please list three ways they would learn about your project.

This is a vastly under-served media market, one with no television, only one newspaper, one news website focused mainly on weather, politics and dining, and some mediocre local radio. Because we are a college, we are not seen as competition by local media, therefore local media will be used to publicize availability of the app, which will provide a service no one locally provides. Specifically, news stories about the new app will run in:

1. Rome News-Tribune (daily newspaper)
2. Hometown Headlines (local news website, at hometownheadlines.com)
3. Our own Viking Fusion multimedia news website, vikingfusion.berry.edu

5. What connections have you made, or will you make, with others [communities, organizations or networks] about your project? [2 sentences]

Faculty and staff at Berry College personally know the mayor, most city commission members, city manager and county manager, chief magistrate, and various other local government officials and point people. We also will seek to liaise with local media to offer their readers and listeners this valuable portal to local government.

6. What part of the project have you already built? [1-2 sentences, feel free to include links]

The multimedia news website, which will host all of the documents and video. http://vikingfusion.berry.edu

7. What does success for your project look like? [1-2 sentences]

Success will mean residents are increasingly participating in local governance beyond simply attending meetings (“doing” democracy rather than merely believing in it). Success will also mean that local officials and their work are fully transparent and accountable, and, perhaps, that similar communities to ours are “borrowing” or honoring our mobile app by implementing something similar (we plan to share everything).

8. What resources do you need to succeed? [1-2 sentences]

Development funds, pure and simple. We have student journalists, a robust web presence, and dedicated, collaborative faculty and staff.

Additional details:
Please list who is on your team:

Steven Hames

Kevin Kleine

Curt Hersey

Brian Carroll

Jason Peterson

Expected number of months to complete project:

9 months

Estimated Project Cost:
$150,000

Name:

Public Policy App

Twitter:

#tarheelblue

#japberry

Email address:

shames@berry.edu

kkleine@berry.edu

chersey@berry.edu

bc@berry.edu

japeterson@berry.edu

Organization [if applicable]:
Berry College

City:
Rome, Georgia

Country:

United States

How did you learn about the contest?

Poynter Institute website