Here's the Kicker: New Startup Modifies News Reporting to Empower Youth
Posted: Wednesday Dec 19, 2012

As a society, we want to see our students reading and engaged with the news. However, teenagers and young adults maintain a complicated relationship with current events—one that is alienating in which they feel overwhelmed, “dumb,” bored, and even helpless when reading the news. In response to this increasing social problem, Holly Epstein Ojalvo, former editor at The New York Times, launched Kicker to appeal to those turned off by the traditional method of fast-paced news reporting in which stories feature little background information and lack opportunity for real action. Ojalvo’s new media startup seeks to empower high school and college students by “slowing down” the news and making it accessible, engaging, honest, and actionable.


So what does Kicker do? Each day Kicker features one or two of the most important news stories and provides highlights and information using a variety of media such as graphics, tweets, video clips, maps, and quotes to avoid text-heavy reporting. Perhaps most significant, however, is the unique interactivity of the stories in which actionable steps are listed in varying degrees (small, medium, and large) so that readers can walk away from the story empowered rather than helpless and hopeless. That’s the kicker. Ojalvo explains, “the kicker to any story we tell you is that you can start taking action. Right now. And we’ll point you in the right direction”


Kicker is a great news resource for people of any age. Share with your family and friends as a way to get people interested and up-to-date with current events. 


 

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