News and media organizations have always played an essential role in free and democratic societies by connecting individuals to vital information about events and decisions that shape their worlds. These organizations are quickly losing relevance in an increasingly interconnected society where almost anyone can access and create free news. Through news based social networking Pau is providing an alternative media model that empowers citizens to become full participants in creating and sharing news. By engaging professional journalists as editors and coaches to the site’s users, Pau’s model also provides the quality control characteristic of traditional news institutions, but which open-source initiatives often lack.
