Digging into Lake Tahoe's economy

Interactive journalism is allowing graduate students at the Reynolds School of Journalism to dig deeper into cultural, economic and social issues.
The site, www.OurTahoe.org, gives students a chance to develop, deliver and participate in innovative journalism while encouraging users to think critically about the future of a precious resource, Lake Tahoe.
In 2006, the degree program’s students worked with faculty to design the site and develop experimental journalism projects on issues of fire, community networks and interactivity.
“It has astounded me that no one wants to talk about poverty at Tahoe. I know the word ‘poor’ and poverty can cause shame, but keeping the poor invisible doesn’t help their cause,” said Liz Margerum, a Reno Gazette-Journal photojournalist and University journalism graduate student. “My aim [with my project on the Web site] is to tell a story of the ups and downs of being poor in a place where the wealthy come to play and live. The economy depends on the working class. What would happen if they left?”