Journalists Network

Media on the lookout for urban solutions

Citiscope's focus in on an urban world that's beset by massive challenges — yet with its burgeoning billions of people, represents the chief arena of the human story in this century.

We enlist journalists in cities around the world to check out, verify and write stories on specific experiments, potentially significant breakthroughs, in real places, with real people, where there's a real chance there can be significant local payoff. The stories will often present models for other cities to adapt, where they see a fit, to their own circumstances.

Our lens is on stories that include any of these elements:

• Innovation - Some new, not yet commonplace approach to dealing with a tough challenge and/or improving a city's life
• People - Personalities leading the campaign or effort for a new experiment or breakthrough
• Process - Especially interesting and/or unusual partnerships, politics or organizing strategies

We also are on the lookout for broad trends that may spell challenges but also new possibilities for world cities — from carbon reduction to immigrant assimilation, slum upgrading to accessible transit.

We plan to publish two stories a week, each written in engaging style, related to worldwide trends, and carefully fact-checked. Stories should include new media elements garnered in the field — photos, video clips, etc.

Our audience? City officials including mayors out to innovate along with cities' business, civic, arts, planning, economic development, neighborhood associations — people and groups looking for fresh ideas to push in their own cities.

We will welcome world media -- print, broadcast, Internet — to spread the word still further, picking up and developing our stories for their own audiences. (See Reprints regarding permissions). In addition to individual journalists, we look forward to working collaboratively with professional media organizations.

Let us know if you currently have a story idea that fits this "scope." Or if you'd just like to be considered as a writer for stories we come up with in your city/region. Our goal is to build a professional writer network focused on urban concerns. Feel free to email pieces of your writing to show style and approach, or content that might of special Citiscope interest. Every story proposal will be considered carefully, and you'll receive a response. Professional fees will be paid for accepted Citiscope stories. Fill out the form below to contact us.