A community cannot thrive without access to information and conduits to communicate. That is why The Rural News Network, a project of the University of Montana School of Journalism, was formed in 2006. RNN helps small communities create local online hubs for news and information while teaching journalism students about the culture, economy and issues of rural America. Since RNN was launched in 2006, funded first by a New Voices grant from J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism, two community sites have launched, in Dutton and in Crow Agency.

CrowNews.Net

Dutton Country Courier

We've learned a lot in the past three years about citizen journalism, rural journalism and how the Web can be used to enhance and foster both. After talking to rural editors and publishers and researching best practices for online community particpation across the country, in Spring of 2009, RNN students devised an online "tool box" -- filled with interactive tutorials for rural editors and publishers.

Click here for the Rural News Tool Box.

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