Tavi Gevinson -- fashion blogger at 11, editor-in-chief at 15

This interview was recorded when fashion blogger Tavi was 15, and had founded Rookie. At age 16, she appeared on Colbert Report. By age 17, she was costarring in the Hollywood movie, "Enough Said." Last year, at age 18, she became a Broadway actress, starring opposite Michael Cera.

I visited a strange place that stripped me of 45 mins of my life (Upworthy)

Upworthy.com promotes social/political issues virally through clever headlines and visuals or video, like this animation on advertising/media impact on girls.

Winners of First Izzy Award: Glenn Greenwald & Amy Goodman

Soon after accepting their Izzy Awards in Ithaca in March 2009, Greenwald and Goodman spoke about independent media on public TV's Bill Moyers' Journal.

The Battle over WikiLeaks

In Dec. 2010, blogger Glenn Greenwald (a WikiLeaks supporter) explained independent journalism to a CNN correspondent. WikiLeaks website is here. This leaked video (with more than 15 million YouTube views) shows the killing of employees of the Reuters news agency and wounding of children by US attack helicopters in Iraq.

Photo above was taken in August 2012 when I visited the Ecuadoran embassy in London (WikiLeaks' founder had taken refuge inside); I was there days after the British government threatened to invade the embassy . . . a serious breach of international law.

Following in WikiLeaks footsteps is a new U.S.-based group ExposeFacts.org (of which I'm an advisor).

Local Nonprofit Watchdog News Sites

As dailies have shrunk, local online nonprofit news sites have sprouted, such as the well-funded VoiceofSanDiego.org and the professionally-staffed MinnPost.com ("a thoughtful approach to news"). Across the country, local watchdog outlets are trying to figure out how to survive, reported Jodi Enda in a 2012 piece for American Journalism Review.

News 21: Student Journalism, Multimedia Presentation

News 21 is a foundation-funded student journalism outlet that has emphasized in-depth reporting and multimedia presentation. It originated with 8 journalism schools/departments at big campuses that each investigated and reported on a different area, for example: UC Berkeley/food safety.

DrudgeReport.com Remains Powerful

Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report, conservative with tabloid sensibilities exerts major Internet influence as a newswire and referral service.