Concepts » NMC

Fractor

Fractor is a simple but groundbreaking web application that aggregates news and nonprofit needs side by side. Combining 'Facts' (daily news stories) and 'Acts' (news related needs of non-profit/humanitarian organizations) on a single, intuitive page, Fractor will provide users with a new level of news interactivity. As they follow their favorite news stories and issues, users will clearly see how they can make a positive impact in their local communities and across the globe. In the Fractor interface, every news story is linked to real-world actions that a user can take. Search results on an unfolding news story about a natural disaster, for example, might be paired with humanitarian ’ÄòActs’Äô such as sending blankets, canned food and medical volunteers to the disaster zone. Similarly, stories about the crisis in Darfur might be paired with 'Acts' highlighting political action, educational opportunities and fundraising needs.

Fractor's goal is to establish itself as 'the' daily news source for news consumers interested in effecting positive change on a local and global level. Fractor will place its innovative non-profit marketplace alongside advanced news aggregation and social networking capabilities, to build an interactive experience that augments the simplicity of its core idea. User homepages will be customizable according to their news interests and 'Act' history. Users will be encouraged to network with others who share similar interests or live close enough to allow physical action communities to develop in parallel with the site.

While mainstream news organizations have recognized the value of socially responsible news consumption (for example, Time Warner recently launched CNN Impact), Fractor’Äôs virtual marketplace for socially responsible actions will represent a next-generation development in this field. Non-profit organizations will be able to fill out and post 'Acts' through the Fractor interface. The non-profit will then choose which news keywords to associate with that 'Act'. For example, a Huston-based immigrant rights clinic might choose 'Texas', 'Immigration' and 'Law' as keywords to associate with an 'Act' requesting legal volunteers in field offices across the state. Once Fractor has reached a critical mass of contributing non-profits, the marketplace for grabbing user's attention should become a vibrant one.

A central aspect of Fractor's mission is to redefine how we understand 'news' within a media-saturated and entertainment-orientated culture. Fractor is not creating news content; there are numerous media organizations, both big and small, that specialize in this field. What we are doing is repackaging and re-interpreting how that content can be understood and applied. Fractor will give the news a 'game-like' quality; each action will become a quest that can be fulfilled, engaging young, energetic audiences and encouraging collaboration. And as an educational tool, Fractor will offer teachers and students a tool for exploring the world and understanding how small individual actions can contribute directly to the greater good, both on a local and global level.