Indiana Paper Lauds JMG Reader

The Indianapolis Star today published a profile of JMG reader Mike, noting his cybersleuthing in finding the local church where a four year-old boy sang “Ain’t No Homos” to the wild applause of the congregation.

How Mike was able to push an obscure video into the public consciousness reveals something about the changing face of citizen sleuthing. While some citizen journalists develop government sources or mine documents buried in databases, others expose another kind of secret: those hidden in plain sight. There is so much information available today that the ability of anyone to raise a story’s profile online is unprecedented, said Robert Rosenthal, executive director of the Center for Investigative Reporting. “An individual can create a national or global story,” he said, “if it’s the right story.”

Well done, Mike!