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August 7th, 2013
02:06 PM ET

Wikipedia's next frontier

10 years ago, I filed my first report on Wikipedia.

The topic of that report, Hong Kong's Wikipedia outreach and community, will be revisited at Wikimania 2013 - taking place here in the territory this year, from August 7 to August 11.

It was Andrew Lih, now an associate professor at American University, who first introduced me to Wikipedia.

Now back in Hong Kong for the conference, he tells me the core challenges ahead for Wikipedia are introducing more video and interactive features to the site, and broadening its base of contributors.

Shockingly, Lih says some 90% of Wikipedia's contributor population is male. How does Wikipedia plan to bridge the gender gap?

Watch the video above to find out.

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Filed under: Technology
soundoff (2 Responses)
  1. thekohser2

    Before you get fooled that the Wikimedia Foundation needs lots of money to host video, please review any of their last three or four federal Form 990's. Over the past few years, on average, they've spent on program services only about 40% of their available revenues. The Foundation is awash in money, and it won't need any substantial increase in donations to make up for video hosting. This is a sneaky PR meme that the Foundation is probably spreading, "We need more, more, more money, so that we can post videos for you!" Don't buy it.

    Meanwhile, check out this Wikipedia edit from 2011: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kristie_Lu_Stout&diff=415895001&oldid=410361828

    August 7, 2013 at 7:09 pm | Reply
  2. thekohser2

    Please, before you believe that the Wikimedia Foundation will need more money for server space to host video files, look at the past three or four of their federal Form 990 documents. Historically, they spend on program services only about 40% of their revenue received. The Foundation is figuratively awash in cash, and they don't need more donations - certainly not to host video. This is a sneaky little PR ploy, to drum up support for Wikipedia's next fundraiser, nothing more.

    Here's an interesting use of Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kristie_Lu_Stout&diff=415895001&oldid=410361828

    August 7, 2013 at 7:12 pm | Reply

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