Thanks to the People Who Worked on OffTheBus; Here's What Comes Next

We thought the 12,000 people who participated in OffTheBus during campaign 08 would like to know: they're finalists for a Game Changer award given by the WeMedia Project. WeMedia's purpose is saluting innovation. Our purpose today is to thank the people of OffTheBus for opening up the campaign news and commentary "game" by their participation. Thanks for all the writing, reporting, recording, digging, web searching, e-mailing, news scanning, tape editing, expertise-sharing, columnizing, team playing, and eye-witnessing (that's a partial list...) they did during the project's 16 months of activity. They made it happen: the first open platform election coverage team ever assembled by a major news site.

So congratulations to our OffTheBus volunteers and to the OTB staff, led by Project Director Amanda Michel, who was the project's prime mover since it launched in the summer of 2007; Editorial Coordinator Marc Cooper, who added editorial vision and helped manage the growing list of regular writers; Managing Editor John Tomasic, who handled the page and edited pieces; Neil Nagraj, who helped get the project off the ground; and Associate Editor Hanna Ingber Win, recently involved in all of the above. Our deepest thanks to them, the pros in the pro-am mix we were aiming for with OffTheBus.

It sounds obvious, but you couldn't sign up and join the reporting staff in the national section of any major newspaper covering the 2008 election the old way. It's not part of their model to invite the users in. But if you were an interested user of the Huffington Post, you could sign up for OffTheBus. That's what we mean by an "open" platform. You can sign up.

The project went live in July 2007 as an experiment designed to cover the amazing presidential election of 2008 - and it succeeded beyond all our expectations (thanks in large part to Amanda Michel's ability to steer without controlling OffTheBus's thousands of contributors). In fact, OffTheBus was such a success that HuffPost intends to make the crowd sourcing and distributed journalism methods developed and honed by OTB during the election an integral part of our editorial process -- utilizing them across all of our different sections.

To that end, we are inviting the almost 2,000 contributors who wrote posts for OTB - and everyone else in our HuffPost community who is interested - to become part of the process. We have created a simple sign up form that will let us know which subject areas you are most interested in.

Soon, we will have a lot more information on how you can get involved in this exciting next phase of Huff Post's development, but filling out this form is a great first step.

Back in March 2007, when we announced the collaboration between Huffington Post and NYU's NewAssignment.Net, we said you could "participate in politics by covering the campaign."

An election, after all, is about participation in a democracy that actually works. It is not about standing by while other people choose a nominee and select our next president. The web was making it possible for more people to participate in the election. In the media sphere, participation had already exploded with political blogging, the rise of YouTube, and the steady growth of online communities.

It seemed clear to us that a more participatory form of campaign coverage was called for in 2008. We were sure it would emerge somewhere on the Net. Why not in a section at the Huffington Post?

Going into the "wide open" 2008 campaign, we knew the mainstream press, despite all pressures it was under, would offer a horse race product, with some issues coverage and certain fact checking features added on. The master narrative would be "who is winning?" Day-to-day stories would be provided by polls, strategy news, and the usual campaign management follies. Regularly featured material would include profiles and flip flops, gaffes, mistakes, assorted breakdowns in discipline -- and attacks. Lots of polls and poll watching. A controversy of the day as the default rhythm, and so on.

We wanted to add to all that. That's why we picked the name, OffTheBus. Let a distributed, diverse crowd of amateur users with lots of different starting points have a go at campaign news and commentary, seeded by a few pros. Contributors, said Arianna, will be independent...

focused on their piece of the puzzle, and not what everyone around them thinks. They will be decentralized -- spread across the country, with no one on high giving them their marching orders. And they will be as diverse as possible -- a mix of campaign insiders devoted to their candidates, neutral outsiders, passionate partisans and steely-eyed observers... The end result will be more sources of information, more eyes and ears focused on a wider variety of subjects, more outside-the-mainstream voices given a platform.

The same wave of low-cost, newly practical participation that led record numbers of Americans to give money, and join networks for the candidates, also led 12,000 people to sign up for OffTheBus and participate in politics by covering the campaign. We were proud to be associated with it as co-publishers. And we look forward to continuing on the road to the journalistic future that OffTheBus helped map out.

Thanks again to everyone who made the journey possible.

Comments

[gwojtowy]

I used to be vehemently against Obama. Now I am a fervent supporter. He gives me hope. he's and island of calm in a Perfect Storm sea. And the good ship USA is about to get a better crew.

When the alt-A and option ARM mortgages come due, things will get far worse before they get better. We need a calm skipper who can keep the boat afloat.

As times get worse, I look forward to defending the man and the party who will pull us out of this mess.

[blondesprite]

Thank you for Off The Bus! I am thrilled to be a part of this.
During an interview and way back in 1992, I proposed using the Internet (back then it was prodigy) to organize a state and national network of advocates. My interviewers thought I was nutz and I did not get the job.
In 1998, I wrote a grant for the U. S. Department of Eduction. I proposed utelizing the Internet to save state and national money by creating a virtual university. It would have cleaned up green house gasses by easing traffic congestion, reached out to the disabled, taught mothers of small children in the comfort and safety of their own homes, re-certifed doctors, nurses and all that goes with it, on and on.
The U. S. Department of Education sent my proposal back and remarked it was the most ridiculous proposal they had ever received. Imagine that.
My children tell me all the time, "Mother, you are so ahead of your time". Now, I can tell them, not any more and I am not alone.
Thank you again Arianna and OTB staff, you have no idea how good this feels.

[artistcain]

Damn it to hell every day I watch some talking head going over solutions to the economy or future action that might be taken and as usual they are missing the bull’s eye. You can yap all you want but until you keep repeating the mantra (Give every American tax payer and legal social security card holder $5,000 each year for the next 4 years) every day and show the American people how to get Congress to enact this plan your just blowing hot air and misdirecting the American public. Tell them what the real cost of the bail out is so far (up front cash, guarantees, loans, subsidies etc.etc. and that it works out to about $25,000 per American) Maybe what we need is a new French style revolution. They say that the last rebate didn’t do any good of course not would $300.00 do you any good?

[StuartH]

I have been involved with campaigning and organizing at the community level, as well as in journalism going back around 25 years or so. I also did a stint as a political consultant.

Frankly, I was very frustrated by the way the consultant culture had become vested as a high priesthood and the grassroots mechanisms at the local level that had made American politics what it had been at the same time atrophied.

George Bush and Karl Rove were the apotheosis of that top-down, consultant-centric culture. I designed a website for a local city council candidate in 1993. I saw the potential even though at the time there was a pretty small cohort of people online. I suffered through each election cycle as the potential to match grassroots, precinct level organizing with internet-based technology was not grasped and the consultant-ocracy seemed to only gain more power.

Finally, with the election cycle of 2006 and 2008 we see the potential emerge - because a community organizer with the snap to see it had the amazing insight that it was time to run for President. But what he saw, Arianna Huffington had seen and Markos Moulitos and numerous people who would no longer be denied and wanted to see the America that lives in our best hopes.

Thanks to everyone who has made this possible and I for one, am looking forward to seeing the future unfold. I am more optimistic than I have been in a while.

[desertmouse]

Governor Bill Richardson will bring experience, knowledge, and skills to the Secretary of State office that leave HRC in the dust. He has a long record of public service both nationally and international. He is capable of bringing people together at the table. Look to his record.

As a New Mexican I will miss him as Governor, but as a US citizen the sacrifice will be worth it. Knowing he is our interface with the world would make us proud as a nation. Please Mr. Obama consider him very seriously.

[shanefish]

Thank YOU Arianna! I personally feel that you and your organization has helped our nation tremendously! Barack Obama didn't win the election, the American people (and the world for that matter) won the election. It feels good to be an American again and I am loving it!

[Oldbuck]

Arianna I want to thank the Huffington Post for the format that gives the blogger a place to make our feelings known. I thought your filling in on the Maddow show last night was super. I was most impressed with Cory Booker the Mayor of Newark this young man has a fresh out look on governing that is truly inspiring. This young man is what I call Presidential material and should be remembered by the voters.

[SallyStraight]

Ditto about Marion Robinson. I always watch Rachel Maddow and think you did a great job. One of the points that was made is that parents now seem to be looking for someone or something to shape their kids, when they are the place it should start. Kids aren't born with operating manuals and they will push just as far as they can go before they are stopped. Some are never stopped and wind up as delinquents.

One of the things I appreciated in the Obama campaign was the call for parents to be parents again.

SALLY STRAIGHT ---MyComments2 http://www.myspace.com/sallystraight

[twerp55]

i think your great arianna. you should have your own primetime show. i became a fan of the post 7 months ago. i am hooked. keep up the good work off the bus.

[benalbanach]

FYI America "You're.".......As in "You're in trouble"
Not "Your in trouble ".......Get it?
Good !

[swkidder]

We all make typos ... one of my challenges when working outside of "Word," is the absence of the spell checker ... Huff Post readers often type faster than their brains spell check ... be kind?

[Ourrias]

Arianna - you did a great job guest hosting for Rachel Maddow last evening. And I particularly appreciated your closing comments about having Marion Robinson move into the White House as First Granny! I agree - we should get up a petition so that all of us who think this is a terrific idea can have our voices heard.

Once again, fabulous job on the guest hosting!!

[Joan2Madison]

I agree completely. Hope you come back!

[care4mypeeps]

Ariana you were awesome last night and I paticularly appreciated your closing comments about your yah yah. The thought of Mrs. Robinson moving into the white house to lend the village effect to her precious grand daughters is wonderful.

Barack and Michelle Obama are setting the example for family stablity as they remain in the publics eye.

Ariana I am hopeful that your new show on MSNBC are in the works, we need your voice front and center.

[Jodi Lampert - Huffpost Blogger]

What a privilege! After my first pieces were posted, to see that I was a 'Huffington Post blogger,' with all that entitled. What a grand experiment. I have to say that I've been so respectful of the work of someone like Mayhill Fowler -- whose political affiliation I was never certain of, until recently. I think that's what this site did so well. And I am so pleased it will continue!

To be honest, I don't want to hold Barack Obama's feet to the fire. Not yet! (My real, true middle name is "Hope"). Though I was not pleased to read here the other day that he doesn't plan to prosecute the Bush's. (Perhaps I need to back away from the computer and bask in the "hope"). Still...

And just to say, if I wasn't so pleased with the election of Obama, I'd be campaigning for Amanda Michel, just as intensely. I started on Roadkill (the humor column), and there was no difference in her availability with 10 people or 10,000 (is that possible)?

This is what is the new 'citizen participation', at it's finest!

Jodi Lampert

[monicaangela]

Excellent job last night on the Rachel Maddow show Ms. Huffington, I could see you having a show like that of your own. I love the off the bus articles and am happy to hear you plan to continue with it. Good luck in all you do in the future, looking forward to seeing what you do next.

[tedbear]

Arianna,

You were GREAT last night sitting in for Rachel!!! You are truly a wonder!!

[ReElectNoOne]

I would also like to invite interested people to join me in keeping Congress and the Obama administration working on the things we need. http://www.joethevoter.org

I was a campaign volunteer and was impressed with the enthusiasm and energy. I don't want to see that go away and decided to create a site to try to tap that energy to guide the writing of proposed legislation and guidelines. I am seeking some experts in various fields to volunteer to work with ordinary citizens in this project. I would love to see some of Huffington's experts come on board to help. There is nothing commercial about this idea...just us people staying involved with our new government.

Please drop by to visit us and help spread the word.

[monicaangela]

Easy to use website, good luck in your endeavor, I'll help spread the word.

[debb17055]

OK, you had me at Joe the voter! And then I had to look at your user name. As soon as I picked myself up off of the floor, I returned to this message. He-he...
I also volunteered on the phone bank and was equally impressed. It was quite a moving experience.
I live in the T section of Pennsylvania and from all of what I heard in this area from my social circle, I thought there was no way he could win.
I honestly think the Anti-Bradley effect came into play in this area. I for one wouldn't say a word about who I supported. To put it another way IWSSIIHAMF. Isn't that what POW's are taught??? Oh that's right, the election is over so we can finally put all of those annoying terms to rest “My Friends". I thank god, Allah, Buddha, whomever you do or do not believe in, that I won't have to hear those finger-nails on the chalkboard for four more years because then I truly would have felt like a POW.
I'll check out your site.
Thanks.

[monicaangela]

I hope you don't ever have to hear those fingernails on the chalkboard again. Praying for you.