Ever wonder where newspapers and blogs get some of their tantalizing tidbits?
The online document-sharing service Scribd Inc. is trying to make it easier to find out by giving away a piece of its technology to major newspapers such as The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
The tool is designed to supplement news coverage by making it easy to display court documents, corporate memos and other written material that reporters mine for vital information and the occasional bombshell.
Scribd, pronounced "scribbed," believes its gesture will improve online journalism by making the news more transparent and engaging.
"Scribd is giving news organizations a way to present their source material as an important part of the story, both on and off their Web sites," said Trip Adler, Scribd's chief executive.
As a 2-year-old startup, Scribd also wants to draw more attention to its services, which also include an electronic book store.
Besides the New York and Los Angeles newspapers, others planning to take advantage of Scribd's offer include the Chicago Tribune and three popular blogs — The Huffington Post, TechCrunch and Mediabistro.
