Ecosystem Map of Central PA

The Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement and Press Forward Central PA are proud to present the region’s first information ecosystem map.

We present this as a living document operating with an open invitation for
collaboration. The data presented is incomplete, and we need your help to expand it with community-sourced content to help tell a more complete story. Explore the map below, and scroll down to see specific definitions for the map.

We need your help to keep our map up to date! Don’t see a source you use?

An open invitation

Though we did our best to document as many sources as possible, we know that there are plenty of sources, both new and established, that have not yet been listed in this map. We encourage anyone who has a source in identified to submit it to us for review and inclusion in the map!

Terms and definitions

Finding clear definitions of the ways our communities get and share information is becoming increasingly difficult. Currently, there is no universally utilized lexicon in this space.

For the purposes of this report, we have created working definitions to classify the forms of local news and information serving this region and are inviting a discussion with the community to refine and improve those definitions. As more universally utilized terminology is embraced by other funders and journalism support organizations, we will adjust accordingly.

Traditional sources: sources of news and information that own their platform,
publish a masthead with contact information, produce original content and
predominantly adhere to professional journalistic standards.

Academic sources: institution-based publications, digital or print, that are
produced by high school or post-secondary school students serving that student body.

Informal Sources: outlets that primarily utilize social media platforms, do not
publish a masthead or share contact information, do not produce original
content or may not adhere to professional journalistic standards.
As well, the lines between “news” and “information” are not always clear. We
generally refer to reporting on current events, issues and people as “news,”
and less time-sensitive and more broadly focused human interest content as
“information.

Questions, thoughts or ideas?