Submitted by ruthseymour on Tue, 06\/08\/2010 – 5:56pm<\/p>\n
Session Convenor: <\/strong><\/p>\n Ruth Seymour, Assistant Professor<\/p>\n of Journalism, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan<\/p>\n Session Reporter: <\/strong><\/p>\n Ruth Seymour and Davar Ardalan<\/p>\n Discussion Participants:<\/strong> This summary is a compilation of participant comments on seven themes that emerged during our time together. All comments (with direct quotes in italics<\/em>) are attributed.<\/p>\n Great morsels for writing, thinking or renewing.<\/p>\n Fair warning: Topic #1, \u00a0“The Gifting Economy,” is as long as the next six topics, combined.<\/p>\n SUMMARY SECTIONS: <\/strong><\/p>\n Topic 1. \u201cThe Gifting Economy\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n How would a \u201cGifting Economy\u201d look in practice?<\/p>\n *Contrast with \u201cold system\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The \u201ctraditional mode\u201d of newsgathering is to extract information of value from the community and sell it. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhen, around them, everything is collapsing — it may not be new that people are giving\u2026\u201c<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Keith Woods<\/a>, Vice President for Diversity in News and Operations,\u00a0National Public Radio<\/p>\n *Reporting Practices <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n While reporting a piece on the rape of a cheerleader, Melissa created times in the process to help sources heal and survive. Example: Staying late at work to call and create private time with the convicted student\u2019s family. Working with prison to have him removed from the general population, for his own safety, when the story was to air.<\/p>\n \u201c(It is about) making what we do, a gift. Seeing it as a gift\u2026\u00a0 Intentionally moving out of reporter\u2019s role as someone objective\/removed from the story.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Melissa Cornick, Executive Director, OneifByLand Productions, Bucks County, Penn.<\/em><\/p>\n *<\/em>Organizational Structures (Newsroom\/News Sites) in a Gifting Economy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cClick\u201d to Donate.<\/strong> Question the idea that money made is only for the journalists and techies. The organization can make a direct payoff to the community in return for information given\u2013 something more tangible than just \u201cobjective coverage.\u201d\u00a0 And it doesn\u2019t have to be out-of-pocket. Example: On a news site, when covering an issue (especially in underserved communities) create a path for reader $$ donations.\u00a0 Like a \u201cClick to Donate\u201d button for community libraries or schools.\u00a0 Websites already link readers (as potential consumers) to sites that sell items described in news coverage (e.g. to an Amazon page, as part of a published book review).<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not display widgets to support organizations that help?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Davar Iran Ardalan, Independent journalist, Severna Park, Maryland<\/p>\n Foundation Support.<\/strong> Money from foundations can be channeled to help communities start their own storytelling (define it, tell it, use content).\u00a0 The journalist-facilitator, ultimately, can learn to channel the funds to a group and then just step back.\u00a0 Example: In Chicago, three Latino groups produced radio content (radioarte)<\/em>; a network (Latinos progresando)<\/em>; a Mexican Museum of Fine Arts; and an opportunity for Latino kids to produce telenovelas<\/em> in Spanish, English and Spanglish.\u00a0 Interesting cross-access evolved since many people who spoke either<\/em> English or Spanish found they could understand the Spanglish versions.<\/p>\n Beth Mastin, New Routes to Community Health, Madison, Wisconsin<\/p>\n Hot Mash and Splash Pages <\/strong>exist explicitly to openly <\/strong>share software with other people.\u00a0\u201cBetween \u201copen software\u201d and (private) software development, guess which is doing better?\u201d (Open.)<\/em><\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/p>\n Crowd Sourcing\/Funding. Community identifies and helps to investigate problem (e.g. a contaminated well). <\/strong><\/p>\n Davar Iran Ardalan, Independent journalist, Severna Park, Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n Potential challenge:<\/em> What if the community ultimately doesn\u2019t like the information\/report produced?<\/p>\n Sue Ellen Christian, Associate Professor of Journalism, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan<\/p>\n *Societal Changes (in a Gifting Economy)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Public Wireless. <\/strong> Why should every resident of an apartment building be forced to pay $60\/month for wireless access once one resident owns a router? Ryan opens his wireless access for public use. <\/strong><\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/strong><\/p>\n Wikipedia (!)<\/strong><\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/p>\n A government role?\u00a0There is such push against \u201ctaxes\u201d in American politics, but some funding would make \u201cpublic internet\u201d possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sue Ellen Christian, Associate Professor of Journalism, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan<\/p>\n Native American models. \u00a0If there is a shortage of kerosene, and someone gets hold of a gallon, everyone shares it. It is expected.<\/strong><\/p>\n Melissa Cornick, Executive Director, OneifByLand Productions, Bucks County, Penn.<\/p>\n Topic 2.\u00a0 Evolution of the Web: Individual Freedom of Expression or Rampant Egocentrism?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Are\u00a0we promoting an egocentric mass media?\u00a0Do all of the tweets and solo blogs contribute anything to the greater good?<\/p>\n Keith Woods<\/a>, Vice President for Diversity in News and Operations,\u00a0National Public Radio<\/p>\n The current era of people reporting on their daily lives and giving it to everyone doesn\u2019t have to be seen as \u201cegocentric.\u201d\u00a0 Yes, everything gets cluttered. Yes, bloggers talk about themselves a lot.\u00a0 But it is still contact-generation.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see it as a less-generous mode.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n Matthew Renner, editor and Washington, D.C. reporter for TruthOut.org, Brooklyn, New York<\/p>\n Topic 3.\u00a0 Our Choice: Perceive \u201cScarcity\u201d or \u201cAbundance\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Journalism institutions (newsrooms) are experiencing an economy of scarcity. But in that same moment, we live in a time where we have more abundant access to news and information, as well as more voices, than ever before. There are many more avenues, of all sorts, for getting information that you need. Example: Googling, rather than simply accepting what a doctor tells you.<\/p>\n Kat Aaron,\u00a0 Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Ruth Seymour, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve accessed so much information via blogs and Internet that I would have never had access to, before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/p>\n Topic 4. News as Social Capital<\/strong><\/p>\n The community replaces advertisers for cash flow.<\/p>\n Kat Aaron,\u00a0 Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n The NPR model \u2013 attracting subscribers \/pledgers — is good example of social capital value.<\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusett<\/p>\n NPR 2010: Donations declined in recent years — but audience is growing. So the donations dip seems to be a function of a weak national economy rather than a weak national appetite for news. And the small stations are doing well in their fundraising drives.<\/p>\n \u201cOne real truth of the model is that a lot of people are riding on the backs of a very few (those who pledge donations). And so we have to ask, are they just freeloaders? Or is it a case of, \u2018OK, I\u2019ll donate money somewhere else since you have already donated here\u00a0 (to public radio)?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Keith Woods<\/a>, Vice President for Diversity in News and Operations, National Public Radio<\/p>\n \u201cPeople say (of online news), \u2018I\u2019m not paying for that.\u2019 \u00a0So we have to find a way that they don\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Melissa Cornick, executive director, OneifByLand Productions, Bucks County, Penn.<\/p>\n We (consumers) make selfish choices. I listen to NPR because it\u2019s a better product; I don\u2019t read a local paper, because it\u2019s crap. We (news organizations) hurt ourselves by shrinking staffs and doing fluff. Content creates value.<\/p>\n \u201cI recently sent a student to cover a city council meeting, and she came back and told me that no one was there except for she and the city council. But that (the fact that even a student reporter was there) is valuable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Joe Grimm, Visiting Editor in Residence, School of Journalism, Michigan State University<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to let people be themselves. That means streaming video instead of soundbytes\u2026 You have to let people have their own voice. You are no longer in charge.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Melissa Cornick, executive director, OneifByLand Productions, Bucks County, Penn.<\/p>\n On a community oral history project incubated by NPR: The citizens got funding, and people went and recorded (memories from) their grandfathers, and uploaded them.<\/p>\n \u201cI was listening to sound quality; I\u2019ve got six minutes for this story. But they were wedded to the ikea of making sure that Joe–, an important community elder, had a prominent place in the broadcast.\u00a0 It turned out that the tape of him was of poor quality. We had to work all of that out.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Davar Iran Ardalan, Independent journalist, Severna Park, Maryland<\/p>\n Topic 5. Survival of Democracy<\/strong><\/p>\n Many journalism students make no connection between \u201cjournalism\u201d and \u201cdemocracy.\u201d We always blame this on the students; but, apparently: \u201cOld news media\u201d must not have done its job. <\/em><\/p>\n Peggy Holman, Journalism that Matters, Bellevue, Washington<\/p>\n \u201cPublic access to internet is also a democratic value, and no one states it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Keith Woods<\/a>, Vice President for Diversity in News and Operations, National Public Radio<\/p>\n \u201cIt is difficult for journalists to engage in conversations about their own needs for infrastructure in publishing. They are reluctant to get involved in advocacy, even if it is for tools we need.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Kat Aaron,\u00a0 Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Topic 6. Community feedback joins the news cycle<\/strong><\/p>\n Q: So, with all of these openings for online reader analysis and reaction, is there a tighter relationship between newsrooms and their audience?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/p>\n Is reader feedback a relationship? No, just more eyeballs. The bloggers who \u201cmake it\u201d are not \u201cthe best.\u201d (They are just the ones who get the most hits.) So, the paradigm hasn\u2019t changed.<\/p>\n Linda Jue, Director\/Exec. Editor, G.W. Williams Center for Independent Journalism\/Northern California Society of Professional Journalists, San Francisco<\/p>\n Readers used to be able to phone reporter, or phone the newspaper ombudsmen. You can\u2019t get through to them now.<\/p>\n \u201cThe news model of \u201crelating to community\u201d has been broken for a long time. Today, you essentially have professionals writing for professionals<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe Grimm, Visiting Editor in Residence, School of Journalism, Michigan State University<\/p>\n Topic 7. \u201cTransparency\u201d vs. \u201cNeutrality\u201d (formerly \u201cObjectivity\u201d)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cToday, there is enormous content around political thought that is not produced by\u00a0 journalists but is consumed by people who think it is (e.g. talking-head news discussions).\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Beth Mastin, New Routes to Community Health, Madison, Wisconsin<\/p>\n \u201cWe are creating a landscape of \u2018opinion journalism.\u2019 Hence, we are not just talking here about \u2018saving our (newsroom) jobs.\u2019\u00a0 We are talking about saving democracy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Linda Jue, Director\/Exec. Editor, G.W. Williams Center for Independent Journalism\/Northern California Society of Professional Journalists, San Francisco<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI also do work in immigration issues. There are sites, places to go to, that have <\/em>no journalistic vetting, that are misrepresenting themselves. Like one anti-immigration site called FAIR.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Beth Mastin, New Routes to Community Health, Madison, Wisconsin<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u00a0 (as a news consumer), I believe you because you believe as I do, not because you are objective.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Joe Grimm, Visiting Editor in Residence, School of Journalism, Michigan State University<\/p>\n The zeitgeist<\/em> around \u201chow journalism is defined\u201d these days is ironic.\u00a0 Journalists have been mouthpieces for the status quo for decades.<\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Toole, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/p>\n \u201cWe are all referring more to \u2018transparency\u2019 these days \u2013 even Barack Obama. Maybe we should be calling\u00a0 for heightened \u2018transparency\u2019 by those handling news, rather than trying to enforce \u00a0standards of neutrality or \u201cobjectivity.\u201d<\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n Ruth Seymour, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Submitted by ruthseymour on Tue, 06\/08\/2010 – 5:56pm Session Convenor: Ruth Seymour, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan Session Reporter: Ruth Seymour and Davar Ardalan Discussion Participants: Kat Aaron, Davar Iran Ardalan, Sonya Bernard-Hollins, Sue Ellen Christian, Ryan … Continue reading
\nKat Aaron, Davar Iran Ardalan, Sonya Bernard-Hollins, Sue Ellen Christian,
\nRyan O\u2019Toole, Matthew Renner, Joe Grimm, Peggy Holman, Melissa Cornick, Linda Jue, Beth Mastin, Marin Heinritz, Keith Woods<\/p>\n\n