Citizen journalism isn't exactly new, but the rise of social media has given the collaborative form space to grow. Now, the two platforms are joining forces via Bulletin, Facebook's publishing and subscription tools for independent creators in the US.
To test the new system, Facebook partnered with a some well-known individuals including author Malcolm Gladwell, sportscaster Erin Andrews (pictured), author Mitch Albom, and TV personality Tan France. "Through Bulletin, we want to make Facebook a better place for these creators, and unify our existing tools with something that could more directly support great writing and audio content—from podcasts to Live Audio Rooms—all in one place," a company blog post said.
The new service, first spotted in January, comes on the heels of Twitter's Revue newsletter platform acquisition, as well as an exodus of prominent journalists from mainstream publications to Substack subscriptions.
Bulletin provides each user a standalone website with customizable brand name, logo, and color palette, plus multimedia embeds and other styling options. It's expected that writers will attempt to garner an audience using subscription-based offers like exclusive content, commenting abilities, and access to private Facebook groups and Live Audio Rooms. Bulletin writers keep all subscription revenue (handled via Facebook Pay) for the length of their partnership, and are welcome to take patron lists and content when they move on from the platform. Facebook is currently offering a multi-year licensing deal to give folks time to build a relationship with readers.
"We want to connect audiences with a range of new and diverse voices, and enable them to go deeper into the topics they care about," according to the blog. That means additional design options, promoting work outside of Facebook, and collaborating with other creators, not to mention legal resources, design support, and assistance with financial services. "We respect the work of writers and want to be clear that anyone who partners with us will have complete editorial independence," the company said.
Campbell Brown, Facebook's VP of global news partnerships, promised more publications from local writers, thanks to a recent $5 million grant for journalists to build a relationship with audiences, monetize subscriptions, and access experts. In return, participants must regularly publish public-interest stories focused on a local community using Facebook's Bulletin tools.