Frequently Asked Questions
What is Journalism That Matters?
What is Open Space Technology?
What is Create or Die 2?
Why North Carolina? Why Now?
What Can You Do?
What is Journalism That Matters?
Journalism That Matters inspires, convenes and connects the diverse people molding the media of tomorrow. Our events and initiatives foster innovation and build bridges between the evolving journalism community and civic leaders and activists. JTM members help shape the emerging news and information ecosystem, creating journalism that both matters and supports a free democracy. For more information, visit www.journalismthatmatters.org.
What is Open Space Technology?
Open Space Technology is the organizing process at the heart of Journalism That Matters unconferences. It enables diverse, even conflicted groups of people to create inspired meetings and events. In Open Space meetings, participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme of strategic importance, such as: How do we nurture the innovators and serve the diverse communities of the new news and information landscape?
With groups of 5 to 2000+ people — working in one-day workshops, three-day conferences, or the regular weekly staff meeting — the common result is a powerful, effective connecting and strengthening of what’s already happening in the organization: planning and action, learning and doing, passion and responsibility, participation and performance.
What is “Create or Die 2”?
Create or Die 2 is a mashup of journalists, technologists, educators, funders, programmers and others interested in journalism entrepreneurship by and for people of color. Our three-day gathering brings together talented, passionate innovators to design, build and pitch their ideas for a journalism innovation — be it technology, content, platform, delivery, audience or other arena.
Our first gathering was held in June 2010 in Detroit. Create or Die 2 builds on that event by highlighting the work of projects initiated in Detroit and looks at structures and policies that can help foster innovation by diverse people for diverse audiences.
Why North Carolina? Why now?
Like many regions of the country, the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina is reinventing itself from a predominantly textile to a creative economy. And with its diverse population, we feel the region is ripe for journalism experimentation.
The area is home to more than eight higher education institutions and high-tech corporations, fertile ground for new ideas to flourish.
In addition, several high-profile tech and media startups are under scrutiny for the lack of minority representation in their staffs and leadership. We want to draw attention to the organizations, systems, policies and structures that are supporting diverse voices with education, funding, mentorship and other support.
What can you do?
We don’t just want participants, we want those invested in reinventing journalism and the new media landscape. Bring your passion, your ideas and your “A game”. We’ll promise you leave energized and in action around what’s important to you.
