From: Cynthia
Typaldos [mailto:cynthia@typaldos.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 2:39
PM
To: VP at Knight Ridder Digital
Subject: "Merc Sleuths"
Another idea that came from my experience of having Peter D. write about the state gov. jobs site based on input from me
Peter wrote me a nice note thanking me for the scoop. I forwarded his note, along with the article, to lots of people. Not only was I concerned about the topic (which is why I wrote to him the first place), but I wanted my friends and colleagues to know that a key Merc columnist wrote a column where I gave him the idea! I was proud of being listened to, finding something of interest that the Merc wrote about it, and thought it would increase my status with friends and colleagues. While all of this was subtle, I wasn't explicitly thinking of these 3 points, in retrospect, that's why I forwarded not just the article, but Peter's note to me. I was even a little disappointed that my name wasn't mentioned in the article, although from a rationale point of view it wouldn't have made any sense, and my contribution was very small, I just pointed out the job site of the state gov. to a Merc columnist.
But, there is a way to leverage the knowledge of the readership, encourage even more tips to be provided to the reporters/columnists, AND build loyalty amongst the readership.
Call this idea the Merc Sleuths.
The basic concept is that readers who provide valuable tips and info to the Merc can build a reputation. This reputation is then something which they can show to relatives, friends, colleagues, possibly put on their resume, and link in their email signature and/or web site.
But, why would someone want to build a reputation as a Merc Sleuth?
People love recognition. It's part of human nature.
A web reputation can be distributed and seen by a very wide range of people, not just one's immediate friends/relatives. The web is a terrific tool for reputation distribution.
The Merc's creation and management of this reputation makes it more valuable -- a third trusted party has bestowed this reputation. It's not just the individual boasting and perhaps exaggerating.
Depending on the topic, a Merc endorsed and developed reputation could enhance a person's job, career, community, political or personal life. For instance, developing a reputation as someone who has provided valuable input to articles about gardening could be beneficial for a plant nursery owner. Developing a reputation as someone who has provided input to articles about corporate finance could benefit a person with a finance career. Developing a reputation as someone who has contributed information to article about the environment gives credibility and satisfaction to a person who feel strongly about the environment.
How would this work?
Well, I'm not going to try to figure out every detail but here is a simple outline of a possible implementation.
Articles/columns where Merc Sleuths have contributed will have a paragraph in the web site version that names these individuals provided tips and scoops (and includes a symbol for their reputation as a Merc Sleuth), what their input was, and then links to each person's individual "Merc Sleuth" page on the Merc web site. (Note how effectively Dave Barry rewards tipsters in his column, although he actually uses up valuable column space to thank these people, and they cannot develop an ongoing reputation as there is no way to keep track of multiple contributions.)
To participate in the Merc Sleuth program, an individual must first sign up and choose an identity. This could be his/her name or a pseudonym. An individual could have more than one identity. Then, when the Merc Sleuth has a suggestion, tip, scoop for a columnist or reporter, he she uses a Merc Sleuth "send a tip" page to contact the appropriate columnist. This tip is then logged in a data base.
Assume that the reporter sees the tip and decides to use it as the basis for a column/article or part of one. After writing the column, the reporter awards one of three values to the tip - gold star, silver star, bronze star. That star rating is then attached to the Merc Sleuth's identity, linked to the article, and averaged with other stars received to give the Merc Sleuth an overall rating. The stars are also categorized in a very broad way, in a similar way to the structure of the newspaper itself (local, national, international, entertainment, home and garden, pet, etc.) Thus when visiting a Merc Sleuth's web page, the observer can see the overall number of stars not only in sum, but by category.
The Merc Sleuths can be ranked in many different ways by visitors to the Merc Sleuth part of site (think how Amazon does this). By overall ranking, last 6 months, category of "home and garden", etc. All rankings, from top to bottom, are shown. The home page for the Merc Sleuths show the top 10 in each category and the top 10 overall (say for the last 6 months).
The Merc Sleuths themselves have an interface to their web page, and can modify their name, email address and other information and of course, keep this basic information updated. Everything but the Merc Sleuth identity is optional and can be changed.
Issues:
There are no negative points for providing unused tips or inaccurate tips. The Merc Sleuth either provided valuable info or didn't. The Merc reporter solely determines what was a valuable tip and what wasn't. A notice stated up front should remove any legal issues ("I told her first, no I did!"). The database of tips helps the reporter (probably the fact checker) do his/her best in giving proper credit). Note also that this project does NOT rate a Merc Sleuth's credibility...it only says that a particular identity (of a Merc Sleuth) provided a tip that was useful to the reporter in writing an article.
What about reporters not wanting to share sources? That's a tricky issue. On the other hand, if this scheme delivers more tips the trade-off may be worth it. Interesting that the Merc Sleuths could in fact then be wooed by other newspapers (don't send your tips to the Merc, send them to us, the NYTimes!).
Benefit to Mercury News?
Let me know what you think.
Thanks. Cynthia
From: Cynthia Typaldos
[mailto:cynthia@typaldos.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 6:57
AM
To: Delevett, Peter
Cc: VP at Knight Ridder Digital
Subject: today's article use of SSS
in job search on CA gov site
Peter,
Great article. I just read it in the newspaper. I had to go outside and get the actual paper because I cannot find it on the web site. However, I'm disappointed that it is still not posted on the Merc web site! It's 6:30am Wednesday. The web areas for "The Valley" and your page as a columnist in BayArea.com do not have this latest article.
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/columnists/peter_delevett/
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/news/columnists/peter_delevett/
I wanted to alert the thousands of people I know interested in this particular topic to your column (I'm not kidding, I'm on a list of over a thousand people who have discussed this very issue). But I can't do this until I can link to the article, and I have no idea when it will appear on the web site.
In addition, it's extremely confusing why there are TWO different pages about your articles. The first is under SiliconValley.com logo, the second under BayArea.com logo. The first has a more extensive archive, but neither has today's article. And nowhere is the article where I would really expect it, in the Merc Newspaper area.
Cynthia
-----Original Message-----
From: Delevett, Peter
[mailto:PDelevett@sjmercury.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 7:36 PM
To: 'cynthia@typaldos.com'
Subject: RE: use of SSS in job
search on CA gov site
I wanted to thank you again for this heads up. Be sure to watch for tomorrow's column.
Peter
Peter
Delevett
Columnist
San Jose Mercury News
(408) 271 3638
www.peterdelevett.com
-----Original Message-----
From:
Cynthia Typaldos
[SMTP:cynthia@typaldos.com]
Sent:
Friday, June 07, 2002
8:57 AM
To:
Peter Delevett
Subject: use of SSS in job search on
CA gov site
Peter,
I was looking at the CA site for
jobs, and was shocked to discover that in order to enter the site, the job
poster and the job seeker must use their Social Security Numbers as their IDs!
<http://www.caljobs.ca.gov/>
I know the government has rights
that the rest of us don't have, but this is outrageous.
I found the info on a privacy site
<http://www.epic.org/> Electronic Privacy Info Center),
and here is the text of the Privacy Act which covers the use of SSS#s
<http://www.epic.org/privacy/laws/privacy_act.html> (it's so dense I didn't read it).
Social Security Numbers
If the government requires your social
security number (for example, it is required for tax records), then your
employer must provide a Privacy Act <http://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/privacy/ssn/privacy_act_1974.txt> notice. Disclose your social security
number only after you have been given an offer, rather than during the
interview, when it is unnecessary and can be used to find information about you
that you might not want divulged.
On a Deed of Trust
The National Mortgage Association
reportedly requires your social security number. However, you may have it left
off the deed of trust, since it will be on other forms that are not public
records.
Medical providers
Your social security number is not
required on your medical records, although many places will use it as a key. It
may be required if your employer uses it to identify a group plan.
Driver's License applications
You may ask for another number if your state DMV uses social
security numbers as identifiers. There must be a Privacy Act <ftp://cpsr.org/ftp/cpsr/privacy/ssn/privacy_act_1974.txt>
statement on the form.
Cynthia
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