Today, we are extremely excited to announce our partnership with
The News Hub, a UK-based online publishing platform for citizen journalism. As part of Outernet's curated content, Outernet will be broadcasting a selection of The News Hub's top articles across various subjects. Additionally, Outernet will be broadcasting instructions for how Outernet users can submit articles of their own that Outernet will submit to The News Hub on the user's behalf. Not only does this empower the most disconnected populations to have a voice in global media, but it gives them an opportunity to get paid for their writing too.
An Outernet user who wishes to contribute to The News Hub will write a story on a topic of their choosing. This will be outlined in a simple document that will also give guidance on the basics of writing a compelling story and structuring a narrative. The user would then have to email the story to Outernet. We would provide minor editing and then post the story to The News Hub on the writer's behalf if the writer could not create their own account on The News Hub due to lack of Internet access. The News Hub pays the top 10% of stories published each month $30 and the top 6 contributors a $150 bonus. For the poorest areas of the world, this income is substantial.
Thane Richard, Outernet COO/Editor, says,
"The entire purpose of Outernet is to give the exceptionally powerful tool of information to those who currently do not have it. Ultimately, it is about agency. Agency to effect the outcome of one's life and to change one's surroundings to move life in its desired direction. Being able to share currently untold stories with a wider audience and to potentially earn an income from those stories is a service we are thrilled to provide. Everyone wins when more people can contribute to the global marketplace of ideas."
William Stolerman, Founder of The News Hub, says
"We're incredibly excited to be working with Outernet. Together we can help end censorship, but our partnership means more than that. We'll be giving a voice to people who are currently silent, who have no way of telling the outside world what's happening on the ground. We'll be giving those people a chance to share their stories and we'll be giving them a chance to make money from their work."
At present all stories on The News Hub are published in English. As this program moves forward, the ability to translate submissions and offer content in different languages will be explored. The News Hub uses a payment mechanism that is accepted in dozens of countries around the world.
