This power point provides valuable back to The Mud, an online news web site in Rotorua, New Zealand. Set up to provide an improve service to the community following the down-scaling of media owned by national companies. Located at www.themud.co.nz - The Mud takes its name from the world famous geothermal resources located in the city and wider region.

1. The Mud
News from NZ’s HOTTEST City
themud.co.nz

2. Why The Mud?
Thinking grew from
publication of novel
around changing
role of media in
small towns.*
* Published by BMS Books 2012.

3. Diagnosis of local news coverage
• Loss of local community news
• Downsizing reporting staff
• Shrinking news space
• Lack of key group coverage
• Photo display page fillers

4. What are we?
• A Social Enterprise
• Uses business processes for change
• Uses creative means to tackle core problems
• Changing news and information in Rotorua
• Widening interest in local elections
‘Social entrepreneurs act as the change agents for
society, seizing opportunities others miss and
improving systems, inventing new approaches, and
creating solutions to change society for the better’
* Ashoka Innovators for the Public

5. Structure and Principals
Mike Smith – BMS Ltd,
publishing services
Kevin O’Connor – Public
Relations
David Dowthwaite – Family
& Commercial Law
Nancy Groh – former U.S.
TV producer and director
Experienced senior journalists
Strong community connections

6. Personnel – growing talent
The Mud provides an opportunity for people to gain
Experience in the field and build CVs for future work.
• Video
• Videography
• Video editing
• Interviewing
• Digital media

7. Steaming Hot Digital Media
• Video
• Blogging
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Transcripts

8. Local elections provide opportunity

9. Limited resources
Need to find new ways to achieve:
• Local news through wider input
• Community information exchange
• Breaking down news silos

10. National and international survey
• Web sites
• Formats
• Funding
• Shifts in news media

11. How to make The Mud
• Options review
▫ Full news web site
▫ Community web site

12. How does The Mud work?

13. Setting the agenda
The Mud Newspaper
News Vids on The Mud
Vids on Election 2013
News on Election 2013
Fun in The Mud
Mayor standing again as job not done
Kevin Winters Q & A
Steve Chadwick's campaign launch
Warwick Lampp
Business and elections 2013
Roger Gordon
Bryan Hughes
Ron Finn
Youth Issues and 2013 Elections
Tania Pinfold transcript
Laurie Durand transcript
Barbara Stewart Transcript
Helen Hindmarsh petition
Inner city revitalisation
Mike Steiner transcript

14. Interview 1: Launch

15. 2 Youth issues

16. 3 Business

17. 4 Inner city revitalisation

18. 5 Letters to the Editor

19. What can you do?
Opportunities:
• Help shape new local media service
• Video
• Your own event
• Interviews – The Mud, Profiles
• The Mud Mayoral Debate
• Community group input
• Creatives – art, digital, writing

20. Support themud.co.nz
Get stuck in with:
• Sponsorship
• Donation
• In kind
Tel: (07) 349 4107
Email:
themudrotorua@gmail.com