The project „molo.news – On the Validation of a Relational Platform for Urban Public”serves to build a relational platform for urban spaces that is available throughout Germany. Research is being conducted in cooperation with the Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research at the University of Bremen (ZeMKI), the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institute (HBI) and the University of Leipzig.

The project team met at the Institute for Communication and Media Studies at the kick-off of the project at the beginning of May. The main focus was on further technical developments in the field of „machine learning” as well as the upcoming integration of content in the new test regions.

Background

The platform molo.news is intended – as a mobile application – to address people who are no longer or insufficiently reached by traditional local journalistic offerings (including young people or people with low incomes). Due to the economic crisis of local journalism, which is also increasingly present in large cities, molo.news should also offer the possibility of monetisation without competing with established media offerings.

Research Project

The project serves to evaluate the platform after the development and first test phase in the greater Bremen area, in six German large, medium and small cities – now including Leipzig. On this basis, further concepts are to be developed for nationwide scaling. In order to ensure the long-term operation of molo.news, a sustainable business model is also being developed. In addition, income opportunities for freelance journalists are being validated. The project is supported by various media organizations and experts in public interest journalism.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the three-year project as part of the VIP+ programme (“Validation of the Technological and Societal Innovation Potential of Scientific Research”).

To the project Websites

molo.news

Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research at the University of Bremen (ZeMKI)

Leibniz Institute for Media Reseach | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI)

University of Leipzig (in progress)