Method

Link TV's ViewChange.org is dedicated to providing free, comprehensive tools to users around the globe to research and influence global development issues. Launched in November 2010, ViewChange.org is the latest extension of Link Media's mission to engage, inform and inspire viewers to become involved in the world.

Actor and humanitarian Danny Glover announced the new initiative via Twitter and in a web video posted on the Link TV website. Explaining the idea behind the initiative, Glover said, "ViewChange.org is built on the premise that stories are powerful - especially those told through images and sound. They have the power to influence how we think and act. Unfortunately, when it comes to stories about foreign aid or global development, far too often the wrong moral is being communicated: dependency, corruption and crisis."

Designed by Method and funded by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ViewChange.org combines Link Media's vast library of documentaries and film shorts with rich semantic tools that identify key topics and automatically draw in the web's best related articles, actions, and content. An open API will allow third-party sites and developers to create applications and pages fueled by Link content.

The interface encourages discovery through a fluid model that highlights the relationships among topics. Concentric circles and related information combine to surface related issues, regions, and media. "Take action" links at every step ensure a personal relationship with the data, connecting global issues to individual action. For example, one piece titled "12 actions I can take to fight world hunger" presents simple steps that each of us can take to make a difference. Link TV's long-term development partners, Definition Studios, are responsible for building the platform and will utilize technologies from Freebase, Zemanta and OpenCalais to provide a cutting-edge, customizable user experience.

With access to a rapidly evolving database of structured content, visitors will be able to more effectively engage with policymakers working to eradicate hunger, poverty and disease in the developing world. Glover, a board member for Link TV, explained, "We want to create a hub where global development NGOs and citizen activists can harness the power of storytelling to become game-changers in the debate about eradicating poverty, hunger and disease in developing nations."