Boston Globe Provides Craig Newmark Primer and Update
The Boston Globe runs a fine Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, primer and update . The site also has a 28-minute audio discussion with Newmark.
A good quote from the article:
“They’re one of the very few companies in the world that could raise its prices with impunity,” says Peter Zollman, founding principal of Classified Intelligence. He says Craigslist is a for-profit business “run like a nonprofit.”
But Newmark says users – the constituency he’s most loyal to – don’t care about Craigslist making more money. “There’s nothing noble or altruistic or pious about what we’re doing,” he says. “Once you make enough money and provide for your future, it’s more satisfying to change the world a little bit.”
And cashing out by selling the company is out of the question. “Jim and I know some of these really rich guys,” he says. “They’re not happier than anyone we know. So what’s the point?”
On the journalism front:
Craigslist is often characterized as an assassin of newspapers, spiriting away their classified advertising revenues. …
“Has Craigslist caused newspapers pain? Yes. It’s called capitalism,” Zollman says. “They came along with a better mousetrap, and people started using it.”
Newmark is personally interested in exploring the potential for the Internet to support new kinds of journalism, whether produced by professional investigative reporters or amateurs. “We need investigative reporters to ask tough questions,” he says.
Among the organizations he supplies with moral or financial support are the Sunlight Foundation, which aims to improve access to congressional information; NewAssignment.net, which promotes “open source” reporting; and ProPublica, which is building a team of investigative journalists.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
If only Craig would expand and create the First National Open MLS, for real property sellers and lessors.
This could be easily done, and would be a boon for all targets, except that it would save many sellers many dollars.
As a 30 year veteran Realtor, I know whereof I speak.
john barry
June 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am
Craig Newmark will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com Monday June 23 at 5 PM New York time.
To talk or listen to Newmark please go to my blog, http://www.garybaumgarten.com and click on the link to the show.