During the end of our Independent Media class at Ithaca College, we were instructed to devise our own independent media outlet - whatever kind of media we prefer - and propose our own business plan. The students, at first, were naturally daunted by this seemingly simple task. Devising a budget and a solid business plan however, is precisely why many of the journalism majors chose this major in the first place: no math classes. The students pressed on, however, and devised some pretty ingenious plans for independent media outlets of all varieties.
There were two, however, that truly stood out in my opinion. Inside the Ballot Box by Evan Popp was a simply marvelous idea. He devised a website that would cater those all American citizens who want to vote, but don't know how. His website would provide easy to follow directions and links to resources that help people learn and apply to be a part of the voting process. As a new voter, I was recently prevented from voting in the primary due to my lack of knowledge about the process. I definitely see the need for a website like this, as there are wide gaps of knowledge about this issue and it would be able to help a lot of different people.
The other proposal that stuck out to me was The Travel Journal by Faith Meckley. Although I am not too crazy about the name, the idea of a website dedicated to adventure and those that take the world by storm makes me excited. There are so many beautiful places in the world, and a website that goes in depth about those places and gives information about how to get there really appeals to my demographic. I think it's a great idea and I would love to see the result.
Both of these proposals were inspiring and very fundable. I am excited to see what becomes of these ideas in the future.
