Interview with C. Zawadi Morris

C. Zawadi Morris is another longtime resident of Fort Greene who contributes regularly to the blog. She is a grants writer, public relations consultant and volunteers at the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA, tutoring and teaching arts and crafts in the after-school program.

How did you get involved with writing for The Local? Why did you want to get involved?

When the site launched, they ran a story online about it, and I contacted the editor and gave them my information (I have a master’s degree in journalism from Medill), and they brought me on board. I love writing.

What types of things do you like to contribute to the site?

Stories that deal with life and people in a microcosm; everyday wonders that normally would not make news; and stories that inspire.

How does your experience compare to writing for more traditional media?

They are much more open to pitches about random items. As we are unpaid, they act very supportive and grateful for our contributions. The editing is still very stringent, as it is still The New York Times.

How are journalistic models of citizen reporting advantageous?

It is much more personal. It creates a more intimate dialogue between a community of people, and also inspires greater community activism. It becomes a social networking site of sorts.

What challenges or limitations do citizen reporting news sites face?

The stories are shorter. The tend to incorporate less editorial and more news-based reporting.

What challenges does The Local specifically face? What successes have you seen with the site?

I am unsure of the challenges on the editorial side, as I am just a freelance reporter. However the site’s popularity has grown tremendously in a short period of time, and it continues to grow.

As long as the NYT name is on this blog, they will have to maintain some oversight with its content. Do you think moving to a citizen generated site is reasonable/sustainable? How much oversight do you think the NYT will need to maintain?

I think citizen generated sites are most definitely sustainable, and are the wave of the future.

Given that, do you think a site like this is possible to implement and maintain in other communities?

Yes.

What sort of process do you go through to submit your writing? Can you post/report whenever you want or does your work go through editors at the NYT? Are you given specific topics/ideas to blog about?

We are assigned, as well as pitch stories. Editorial review remains stringent.

Do you anticipate being a long-term contributor to this blog?

Yes.

Do you see a site like this being able to replace a traditional local newspaper?

Over time, yes. But there are so many factors to address and consider before a complete replacement could take place. There’s still great value in news print that is portable. I still enjoy the fact that I can read the Sunday Times the following Tuesday, or on the bus or in the bathroom. These sort of conveniences are not so easily available through online news.