Participatory Journalism: USA

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Participatory Journalism USA

• By Jan Schaffer, J-Lab Director
• International Online Journalism Seminar
• Vilanova i la Geltrú, Nov. 20, 2007

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Architecture of Participation

• For a Culture of Contribution

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Participatory journalism today

• More than uploading photos and videos
• More than individual bloggers

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BlogHer.com-10,500 blogs
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Curate, Translate Conversations
GlobalVoicesOnline.org
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Allows diverse participants to commit acts of
journalism

• News and information
• Conversation
• Expertise
• Activism
• Aggregation

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Participatory Opportunities

• Individual bloggers
• Aggregation
• Niche sites
• Games, Exercises
• Hyperlocal citmedia sites
• Watchdog venues
• Think tanks
• Advocacy Groups

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Participants

• Mainstream Media
• Individual bloggers
• Hyperlocal news sites
• Pro-Am ventures
• Non-profits
• Venture capitalists
• Think tanks
• Advocacy Groups

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Participatory Trends

• Breaking News
• Watchdogging News
• Reporting Micro-local News

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Participation Opportunities

• Crowdsourcing/ Citizen Watchdog
• Video
• Mashups
• Group Blogs/ Niche Blogs
• High School Sports
• Games
• Audience Collaborations
• User Generated Content

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Fort Myers Crowdsourcing
1. Help Us Investigate
2. Team Watchdog
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Fort Myers - Help investigate
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Florida TodayBrevard Watchlist
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Asbury Park Press DataUniverse.com
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Interactive Databases chicagocrime.org
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Google Mash-ups
Pothole Map
Nightlife Map
Local Quirks
Local Gangs
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Sell Mash-up Listings
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Video Obits
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Audio Obits
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N.Y.Times Being a Black Man
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Victim Videos

• Newsday.com - The Deadly Gap

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Washingtonpost.com - onBeing
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Wikis

• www.GreatLakesWiki.org
• www.LearningtoFinish.org

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Aggregators BlogHer.com -10,500 blogs
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www.PhillyFuture.org
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Niche Blogs IndyMoms.com
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High School Sports

• OrlandoSentinel.com -
• MyTeam Varsity High School Sports

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Clickable Maps

• Everett (WA) Herald Waterfront Renaissance

www.j-lab.org
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MPRs Budget Balancer
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MPR Fantasy Legislature Game

• Bet on how what bills state reps will submit,
• vote on and pass.

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MPRS In The LoopProgram Collaboration
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Fun Stuff

• AZCentrals
• Celebrity Look Alikes
• Modesto Bees
• Young Idol Contest

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MSM CitMedia Sites

• BlufftonToday.com - S.C.
• YourHub.com - Denver

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Former Journalist Sites

• NewHavenIndependent.com
• Baristanet.com

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Think tanks, Advocacy groups

• Knight-Batten Winners
• TechPresident.com
• CFR.org- Crisis Guides

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30 New Voices Start-ups
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CitMedia Research
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Key Findings

• Bridge media
• News civic participation
• Fusion of news schmooze
• Metrics community impact
• Dont need to make
• Expect to continue

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Key Findings

• Bridge media
• News civic participation
• Fusion of news schmooze
• Metrics community impact
• Dont need to make
• Expect to continue

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Shoestring Operations

• Founders supply start-up funds.
• Dont need to continue
• Wish to pay token to contributors

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Little Accountability

• 60 dont require real names
• 70 dont require valid e-mail
• 67 remove bad content after posting
• Minimal problems

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CitMedia Claims success
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Reported Impact
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Plan to Stick Around
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Citizen news

• PEJ study MSM vs. user-driven
• More diverse
• Less focused on MSM news choices
• More fragmented

• New Voices
• Less conflict
• Fewer Stereotypes
• No parroting of experts/quotes
• No false equilibrium
• No scorecard
• journalism

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www.j-lab.org www.kcnn.org www.j-newvoices.org w
ww.j-learning.org