HumorFeed
Encyclopedia
HumorFeed is a satire and humor news aggregator website founded in 2003 by Bill Doty
and Uncle Sharky, who brought together a group of around 20 news satire
webmasters. It displays headlines submitted by its members in a list generated daily in an RSS feed
which many members also include on their own sites. At present it includes approximately 60 members.
process designed to ensure that member sites are able to meet standards of talent and professionalism consistent with the existing members. Approximately a quarter of all HumorFeed applicants reviewed are accepted. The feed is also moderated daily and screened for inappropriate (NSFW
) material. At present it averages 10 to 12 headlines a day.
run by HumorFeed members which tracks issues of interest to satire webmasters in the news, "The Bitter Cup". In December 2007, HumorFeed began listing original videos submitted by its members as well.
of the New York Times, Robert Zelnick
of Boston University
, Eric Weiner
of National Public Radio, and Madeleine Begun Kane
of "Mad Kane's Humor & Satire". For the third and fourth competitions, Fox TV reporter Dave Kartunen replaced Markoff.
Winners, best stories of 2005:
Winners, best stories of 2006:
Winners, best stories of 2007
Winners, best stories of 2008
Winners, best stories of 2009
, did the initial site design and coordinated the community of sites that began HumorFeed (with later design assistance from Joe Peacock
of Mentally Incontinent). Sharky managed the day to day operations of the site from 2003 until August 2005, when he appointed Watley Review
webmaster E.F. Watley as the new HumorFeed webmaster. Sharky remains active as the HumorFeed business manager.
On January 18, 2006 the Sacramento Bee included HumorFeed in a timeline of notable satire publications and shows ranging from the founding of Mad Magazine in 1952 to the debut of the Colbert Report. In July 2007 the Al-Jazeera English news analysis show Listening Post interviewed several members of HumorFeed in a feature on news satire and its relationship to mainstream media. On April 20, 2008 HumorFeed was listed as a recommended site in a NY Times Magazine column, "Broadcast Spoofs".
Broken Newz
Broken Newz is a news satire website launched in 2001 by Bill Doty. Its real news look has often fooled readers into believing the validity of the site's content. An example of this was a story regarding William Hung overdosing on Heroin, which was reported by the China Press as fact.The site...
and Uncle Sharky, who brought together a group of around 20 news satire
News satire
thumb|right|220px|[[The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]] is a news satire program.News satire, also called fake news , is a type of parody presented in a format typical of mainstream journalism, and called a satire because of its content...
webmasters. It displays headlines submitted by its members in a list generated daily in an RSS feed
RSS (file format)
RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format...
which many members also include on their own sites. At present it includes approximately 60 members.
Background
The idea behind HumorFeed was to create a fair and equitable system that would enable members to effectively cross-link with one another's content. Each member is allowed to submit one headline per day; the headlines are randomly sorted when the feed is generated at midnight EST. This is to help ensure that all contributors receive equal exposure on the feed. In addition, HumorFeed is a selective organization, screening applicants via an anonymous peer reviewPeer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
process designed to ensure that member sites are able to meet standards of talent and professionalism consistent with the existing members. Approximately a quarter of all HumorFeed applicants reviewed are accepted. The feed is also moderated daily and screened for inappropriate (NSFW
NSFW
Not suitable/safe for work , not work-suitable/safe , or not school-suitable is Internet slang or shorthand...
) material. At present it averages 10 to 12 headlines a day.
Features
In addition to listing headlines in the actual RSS feed, HumorFeed promotes its members via features such as the "Soup of the Day" link (a periodic link to interesting sites), a store where member publications are listed, and other features. It also produces "Check Please!", an ezine which publishes serious articles on satire news and journalism. There is also a blogBlog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
run by HumorFeed members which tracks issues of interest to satire webmasters in the news, "The Bitter Cup". In December 2007, HumorFeed began listing original videos submitted by its members as well.
Annual Satire News Competition
In January 2006 HumorFeed initiated an annual competition for its members using a panel of independent judges. The awards panel for the first two years included a range of noted humorists and journalists including Andrew Marlatt of SatireWire, John MarkoffJohn Markoff
John Markoff is a journalist best known for his work at The New York Times, and a book and series of articles about the 1990s pursuit and capture of hacker Kevin Mitnick.- Biography :...
of the New York Times, Robert Zelnick
Robert Zelnick
Robert Zelnick is an American journalist, author and professor of journalism at the Boston University College of Communication. Zelnick was a correspondent for ABC News for more than twenty years. His assignments included national political and congressional affairs , The Pentagon , Israel and...
of Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Eric Weiner
Eric Weiner
Eric Weiner is a longtime correspondent for National Public Radio. He spent a decade overseas for NPR, based in New Delhi, Jerusalem and Tokyo. Weiner is also the author of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World...
of National Public Radio, and Madeleine Begun Kane
Madeleine Begun Kane
Humorist and political satirist Madeleine Begun Kane won the 2008 and is a National Society of Newspaper Columnists award winner...
of "Mad Kane's Humor & Satire". For the third and fourth competitions, Fox TV reporter Dave Kartunen replaced Markoff.
Winners, best stories of 2005:
- 1st: BSNews.org, "Bush Sells Louisiana Back to the French"
- 2nd: Confusion Road, "Terry Schiavo Dies: Congress Orders Feeding Tube Reinserted"
- 3rd: BBspotBBspotBBspot is a geek satire and humour web site founded in 2000. In 2003, the site was successful enough that webmaster Brian Briggs "quit his day job" and made the site his full-time vocation...
, "Microsoft's AntiSpyware Tool Removes Internet Explorer"
Winners, best stories of 2006:
- 1st: Confusion Road, "Time Magazine Names Air 'Gas of the Year'"
- 2nd: All Day Coffee, "Iraq Study Group Caught Cheating"
- 3rd: BBspotBBspotBBspot is a geek satire and humour web site founded in 2000. In 2003, the site was successful enough that webmaster Brian Briggs "quit his day job" and made the site his full-time vocation...
, "Teen Using Myspace To Lure Bands to Los Angeles"
Winners, best stories of 2007
- 1st: Enduring Vision, "Ford to Market Car Bombs in Iraq"
- 2nd: Sports Pickle, "Homeschool Phenom Scores 118 Points Against His Mom "
- 3rd: The Gay Black Jew, "Bush Down to 8 Friends on Myspace"
Winners, best stories of 2008
- 1st: All Day Coffee, "Baristas Claim Obama's Coffee Not Black Enough"
- 2nd: The Specious Report, "Atheist Sees Image of Big Bang in Piece of Toast"
- 3rd: Avant News, "In Quest for Conservative Credentials, McCain Burns Witch"
Winners, best stories of 2009
- 1st: Satirical Political Report, "A Real War on Xmas: Outrage Grows Over Excessive Bonuses to Santa's Elves"
- 2nd: TheSkunk.org, "Jews Demote Madoff to Arab"
- 3rd: Confusion Road, "World Leaders Agree: Earth Has a Climate"
History
HumorFeed was founded in 2003. Uncle Sharky, the webmaster for U.S. Press News, and Bill Doty, the webmaster of Broken NewzBroken Newz
Broken Newz is a news satire website launched in 2001 by Bill Doty. Its real news look has often fooled readers into believing the validity of the site's content. An example of this was a story regarding William Hung overdosing on Heroin, which was reported by the China Press as fact.The site...
, did the initial site design and coordinated the community of sites that began HumorFeed (with later design assistance from Joe Peacock
Joe Peacock
John "Joe" Peacock was an English international footballer, who played as a wing half.-Career:Born in Wigan, Peacock played professionally for Middlesbrough, and earned three caps for England in 1929....
of Mentally Incontinent). Sharky managed the day to day operations of the site from 2003 until August 2005, when he appointed Watley Review
The Watley Review
The Watley Review is a satirical website designed as a parody of a 19th century newspaper.-History:The Watley Review began publication in May 2003. It is supposedly named after Ezekiel Watley, the editor, an elderly and extremely old-fashioned gentleman...
webmaster E.F. Watley as the new HumorFeed webmaster. Sharky remains active as the HumorFeed business manager.
On January 18, 2006 the Sacramento Bee included HumorFeed in a timeline of notable satire publications and shows ranging from the founding of Mad Magazine in 1952 to the debut of the Colbert Report. In July 2007 the Al-Jazeera English news analysis show Listening Post interviewed several members of HumorFeed in a feature on news satire and its relationship to mainstream media. On April 20, 2008 HumorFeed was listed as a recommended site in a NY Times Magazine column, "Broadcast Spoofs".