Abstract: According to one example embodiment, a computer-based system is provided for collecting, assimilating, and processing large amounts of data to allow journalists to harness wide networks of public sources. The system includes an interactive communication tool, a data-collection analyzer, a public-source database and processor, and a media publication center. The interactive communication tool includes public-directed queries and an input device to collect data provided from the public in response to the public-directed queries, and the collected data is analyzed by the data-collection analyzer. The public-source database and processor stores and retrieves qualified information in response to the interactive communication tool and the data-collection analyzer. The media publication center includes a publicly-accessible interface to disseminate the journalistic pieces that were developed based on the analyzed data.