What Do You Think?
We Media: Participatory Journalism, News and Information in a Web World
New institutions and new ways of dealing with old problems are mandated as news and information become everyone's business.
We Media
How audiences are shaping the future of news and information "We are at the beginning of a golden age of journalism - but it is not journalism as we have known it. Media futurists have predicted that by 2021, "citizens will produce 50 percent of the news peer-to-peer." Mainstream news media , however, have yet to meaningfully adopt or experiment with these new forms. Historically, journalists have been charged with informing democracy. But their future will depend not only on how well they inform but how well they encourage and enable conversations with citizens. That is the challenge. This report details the important considerations when exploring a collaborative effort between audience and traditional media organizations. Written by Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis Edited by J.D. Lasica, Senior Editor, Online Journalism Review Introduction By Dale Peskin, Co-Director, The Media Center Introduction by Dale Peskin There are three ways to look at how society is informed. The first is that people are gullible and will read, listen to, or watch just about anything. The second is that most people require an informed intermediary to tell them what is good, important or meaningful. The third is that people are pretty smart; given the means, they can sort things out for themselves, find their own version of the truth. The means have arrived. The truth is out there. Throughout history, access to news and information has been a privilege accorded to powerful institutions with the authority or wealth to dominate distribution. For the past two centuries, an independent press has served as advocate for society and its right to know - an essential role during an era of democratic enlightenment. It feels like a new era has been thrust upon us - an era of enlightened anxiety. We now know more than ever before, but our knowledge creates anxiety over harsh truths and puzzling paradoxes. What is the role of the storyteller in this epoch? How will an informed, connected society help shape it? How does the world look when news and information are part of a shared experience? For more than 15 years, NDN and The Media Center have provided prescient insights about the changes confronting news, information and media. We commissioned We Media as a way to begin to understand how ordinary citizens, empowered by digital technologies that connect knowledge throughout the globe, are contributing to and participating in their own truths, their own kind of news. We asked seasoned, visionary journalists - innovators like Dan Gillmor, technology columnist for The San Jose Mercury News, and news media editor-author J.D. Lasica - to help frame a conversation about the promise and pitfalls of citizen-based, digital media in an open society. The conversation is just beginning. I have always believed that a good story gets around. At some level, We Media will reveal something about society and the way people learn from each other. Foreword By Dan Gillmor, The San Jose Mercury News 1. Introduction to participatory journalism Armed with easy-to-use Web publishing tools, always-on connections and increasingly powerful mobile devices, the online audience has the means to become an active participant in the creation and dissemination of news and information. 2. Cultural context: Behind the explosion of participatory media The Internet has caused significant changes to journalism. It remains to be see exactly how those changes will manifest themselves and how much of a change we will see. The creation of the Internet as we know it helped create media-centric lives. It has changed the dynamic of news and turned the customer into a contributor. 3. How participatory journalism is taking form Participatory journalism uses a "publish, then filter" model instead of the traditional "filter, then publish" model. We examine the self correcting process, strengths and weaknesses of each of the major participatory journalism systems or formats. These include: discussion groups, user generated content, weblogs (blogs), collaborative publishing, peer-to-peer systems and XML syndication. The various functions the audience can serve are examined and the type of participatory journalism formats these functions thrive in are also provided. 4. The rules of participation What motivates the audience to take part in participatory journalism? Social needs and how participatory journalism meets those needs are detailed. Like any social system, participatory media have developed their own rules. These rules and how they work are discussed. 5. Implications for media and journalism Key trends shaping the future of media and journalism and impact on the Internet include: the democratization of media due to low barriers to entry; challenges to media's hegemony; a redefinition of credibility - who has it and what it takes to create it; the rise of new experts and watchdogs; changes to the economic models for media companies; and the new expectations and demands of the consumer in the journalistic process. 6. Potential benefits of We Media Potential benefits to media companies and businesses that adopt participatory journalism in a meaningful way may include: increased trust, shared responsibility in informing democracy, creation of memorable experiences, attracting younger audiences and creating a stronger relationship with the community at large. 7. How media might respond Ways for media companies to integrate participatory journalism into existing operations include: understand and build on the concept that connections equal value; make newsrooms responsive to change; give staff some level of autonomy; embrace the audience as a valued partner; embrace the customer as an innovator; and share the story, don't own it. Appendix: Resources for We Media Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Directions Copyright © 2004 The Media Center at API |