The new feature, called MuckReads, highlights investigative stories from around the Web and is an evolution of the feature previously called Investigations Elsewhere.
Following the pattern of Mark Armstrong’s Longreads, a curating site for long-form journalism, MuckReads relies primarily on Twitter to get the word out. “Since Longreads launched, we have actively contributed to its stockpile of stories, tweeting our favorite long-form journalism with the hashtag #longreads. Our experience participating in Longreads led us to rethink our ‘Investigations Elsewhere’ feature,” said Amanda Michel, ProPublica’s director of online engagement, in a blog post.
To add a worthy investigative piece to the MuckReads stream, users simply include the hashtag #MuckReads when tweeting a link to a relevant article. After ProPublica’s approval, stories, graphics, and even videos are added to the page at ProPublica.org/MuckReads. Another option is to email the material to muckreads@propublica.org.
“The Web is basically one big conversation and collaboration. MuckReads is meant to be very much a part of both. And in the process, we want to bring attention to the great, hard-hitting journalism still being done nowadays across the board,” ProPublica senior editor Eric Umansky said in a release.
“Readers’ participation is key to making #MuckReads a success,” Michel said in the same release. News editors, writers, and producers in all media formats are invited to participate and provide feedback, as well as bloggers, news consumers, and the general public. ProPublica envisions the site as a place where newsrooms of every size and scope can showcase their investigative pieces.