Michael Skoler

Michael Skoler joined Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media in 2003 as managing director of news. He and his team created a new model for journalism at Minnesota Public Radio –- one that systematically taps the insights and expertise of the public to both broaden and strengthen news coverage. In 2006, Skoler became the founding executive director of the Center for Innovation in Journalism at American Public Media. The Public Insight Journalism (PIJ) model features online games, simulations and collaborative tools, a public source network of more than 50,000 people, a contact database that tracks expertise and interactions, and knowledge management software. Minnesota Public Radio News and American Public Media national shows, such as Marketplace, Speaking of Faith, American RadioWorks and Weekend America, use PIJ to identify emerging stories, define major news projects, gather information on deadline and communicate daily with diverse citizen sources to help set the coverage agenda. The Center for Innovation in Journalism is training and supporting newsrooms around the country to use PIJ.