Journalism in the new economy productive citizens and journalism Barry Saunders KCB101 [email_address] http://investigativeblog.net http://qlddecides.com

Me QUT CI PhD student, ARC Linkage Citizen Journalism project - http://youdecide2007.org http://qlddecides.com Founding member Brisbane Indymedia (now defunct) Project Director Convergent Community Newsroom – http://ccnonline.org.au Background in activism and media production: http://vibewire.net , http://newstandardnews.net ,

QUT CI PhD student, ARC Linkage Citizen Journalism project - http://youdecide2007.org

http://qlddecides.com

Founding member Brisbane Indymedia (now defunct)

Project Director Convergent Community Newsroom – http://ccnonline.org.au

Background in activism and media production: http://vibewire.net , http://newstandardnews.net ,

Video links Please be aware these links will begin playing the video - I advise you watch these at home to avoid wiping out your QUT download limit!

Please be aware these links will begin playing the video - I advise you watch these at home to avoid wiping out your QUT download limit!

Common narratives about journalism The kids don’t watch the news Online classifieds are destroying the newspaper business Quality journalism no longer exists Company mergers are putting journalists under pressure Bloggers are parasites who feed off hard working journalists

The kids don’t watch the news

Online classifieds are destroying the newspaper business

Quality journalism no longer exists

Company mergers are putting journalists under pressure

Bloggers are parasites who feed off hard working journalists

The kids don’t watch the news They may not watch the network news, but consume news via: Websites / blogs / comedy programs / mobile media / free papers / web portals / podcasts Ubiquitous media People who watch Jon Stewart and read news online are more informed than those who watch Fox News and network news People today are as informed as in the 80s

They may not watch the network news, but consume news via:

Websites / blogs / comedy programs / mobile media / free papers / web portals / podcasts

Ubiquitous media

People who watch Jon Stewart and read news online are more informed than those who watch Fox News and network news

People today are as informed as in the 80s

The Chaser Vs Fox News http://youtube.com/watch?v=NPr5IPRhiZ4

Classifieds Craigslist has affected newspapers However newspapers as a business are still strong financially - the concern is that investors can’t see a way forward even though they are still making massive profits Should newspapers be publicly traded?

Craigslist has affected newspapers

However newspapers as a business are still strong financially - the concern is that investors can’t see a way forward even though they are still making massive profits

Should newspapers be publicly traded?

Newspaper revenues http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail/2008/03/of-fly-eyes-and.html

PBS - News War http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newswar/ Worth a watch if you’re interested, part 3 is probably the most relevant for this lecture.

Quality journalism no longer exists Depends what you mean by quality This is often an aesthetic complaint made by older journalists who don’t think personal ‘feminized’ journalism is journalism Even so - in the last few years we have seen journalism that exposed: GW Bush’s drug history Rape in the armed services The illegality of the war in Iraq The complicity of AT&T in wide ranging spying on American citizens The use of spurious charges brought against critics of the Bush government Numerous cases of corruption

Depends what you mean by quality

This is often an aesthetic complaint made by older journalists who don’t think personal ‘feminized’ journalism is journalism

Even so - in the last few years we have seen journalism that exposed:

GW Bush’s drug history

Rape in the armed services

The illegality of the war in Iraq

The complicity of AT&T in wide ranging spying on American citizens

The use of spurious charges brought against critics of the Bush government

Numerous cases of corruption

The power of the press The Watergate story, while important, pales in significance against some of these. The difference is governments now understand that public opinion has little to no power except during an election cycle- just look at the response to the massive anti-Iraq war protests. This is a change in how politicians respond to journalism, not journalism itself. Business journalism, by contrast, remains very powerful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate

The Watergate story, while important, pales in significance against some of these. The difference is governments now understand that public opinion has little to no power except during an election cycle- just look at the response to the massive anti-Iraq war protests. This is a change in how politicians respond to journalism, not journalism itself.

Business journalism, by contrast, remains very powerful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate

Investigative journalism Now often undertaken by non-journalists http://Sourcewatch.org http://Publicintegrity.org http://Thememoryhole.org Note also: 4 Corners, Dateline, Rolling Stone

Now often undertaken by non-journalists

http://Sourcewatch.org

http://Publicintegrity.org

http://Thememoryhole.org

Note also: 4 Corners, Dateline, Rolling Stone

Company mergers are putting journalists under pressure This is true, as with any business Downside of the portfolio career Newspaper journalists at smaller papers often have to write up to 13 stories a day Broadcast journalists now have to do video, radio and print in some organisations New skillsets are important - ABC now employs ‘user-generated content producers’ Journalists may have to follow the example of programmers

This is true, as with any business

Downside of the portfolio career

Newspaper journalists at smaller papers often have to write up to 13 stories a day

Broadcast journalists now have to do video, radio and print in some organisations

New skillsets are important - ABC now employs ‘user-generated content producers’

Journalists may have to follow the example of programmers

Bloggers are parasites who feed off hard working journalists It’s a two way street Journalists may use blogs to find sources, leads, story ideas, instead of doing a beat Fox News has programs based on what the blogs are saying Often stories are stolen wholesale Blogs often do the hard work of correcting and contextualising stories for free Blogs add to the conversation - expand coverage beyond talking heads Professional jealousy, fear, moral panics, incompetence Death of the punditocracy “ We understand Newspoll because we own it” http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/27/2045115.htm http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/09/2086436.htm

It’s a two way street

Journalists may use blogs to find sources, leads, story ideas, instead of doing a beat

Fox News has programs based on what the blogs are saying

Often stories are stolen wholesale

Blogs often do the hard work of correcting and contextualising stories for free

Blogs add to the conversation - expand coverage beyond talking heads

Professional jealousy, fear, moral panics, incompetence

Death of the punditocracy

“ We understand Newspoll because we own it”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/27/2045115.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/09/2086436.htm

John Stewart vs Crossfire Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE Transcript: http://mediamatters.org/items/200410160003

Blogs and the news Blogs played key roles in the U.S. Presidential primaries (even if the world’ s first mainstream blogger-candidate Howard Dean crashed back to earth when the broadcast media joined the party); bloggers were invited to cover the national conventions of both Democrats and Republicans; and blogs also played a significant role in reporting unfolding world events from the London underground to the streets of Iraq, to the shores of Indonesia and Thailand. CNN, BBC, newspapers and other mainstream media now regularly turn to the blogosphere to gauge public opinion on controversial issues, and this coverage of w hat the bloggers are saying has begun to replace the traditional vox-pop interview with the person in the street. (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006) Blogs provide a way for young people to enter into public debate and the newsmaking process that is no longer offered by mainstream journalism

Blogs played key roles in the U.S. Presidential primaries (even if the world’ s first mainstream blogger-candidate Howard Dean crashed back to earth when the broadcast media joined the party); bloggers were invited to cover the national conventions of both Democrats and Republicans; and blogs also played a significant role in reporting unfolding world events from the London underground to the streets of Iraq, to the shores of Indonesia and Thailand. CNN, BBC, newspapers and other mainstream media now regularly turn to the blogosphere to gauge public opinion on controversial issues, and this coverage of w hat the bloggers are saying has begun to replace the traditional vox-pop interview with the person in the street. (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006)

Blogs provide a way for young people to enter into public debate and the newsmaking process that is no longer offered by mainstream journalism

News blogging Participatory form of journalism Expands the coverage of news Allows non-experts to take depart in discourse Also allows experts to explain issues in detail - economists, scientists, doctors, etc a scarcity of quality economic analysis and a conservative political climate in the US has restricted the economic coverage of major media to supply-side ‘voodoo economics’. This has led numerous economists to publish their work online. (Quiggin, 2006) Mainstream news doesn’t deal with youth issues well either - youth need their own voice

Participatory form of journalism

Expands the coverage of news

Allows non-experts to take depart in discourse

Also allows experts to explain issues in detail - economists, scientists, doctors, etc

a scarcity of quality economic analysis and a conservative political climate in the US has restricted the economic coverage of major media to supply-side ‘voodoo economics’. This has led numerous economists to publish their work online. (Quiggin, 2006)

Mainstream news doesn’t deal with youth issues well either - youth need their own voice

Fox and Friends fight over soundbite culture and fact distortion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiIK8jh3ZCE

News consumption Industry recognition of move to online/incidental/ubiquitous consumption Remember - media companies don’t sell content to readers, they sell readers to advertisers Murdoch - Myspace purchase, Microsoft - Facebook.com Brisbanetimes.com.au - first completely online mainstream newspaper in Australia Fairfax and News Corp putting blogs on their websites Conflict between newspaper editors and journalists and company owners Search for business model - high rate of failure in startups. Youtube/Myspace/mobile content - difficulty finding profit More accurate metrics for online advertising - Tivo effect Cheap outrage easier to produce than investigative journalism

Industry recognition of move to online/incidental/ubiquitous consumption

Remember - media companies don’t sell content to readers, they sell readers to advertisers

Murdoch - Myspace purchase, Microsoft - Facebook.com

Brisbanetimes.com.au - first completely online mainstream newspaper in Australia

Fairfax and News Corp putting blogs on their websites

Conflict between newspaper editors and journalists and company owners

Search for business model - high rate of failure in startups. Youtube/Myspace/mobile content - difficulty finding profit

More accurate metrics for online advertising - Tivo effect

Cheap outrage easier to produce than investigative journalism

CNNNN - A Chaser Affair http://youtube.com/watch?v=jHso1e6NY90

Citizen Journalism Definition - somewhat broad, contested What is a citizen? Used to refer to media produced by non-professionals, or in a non-professional capacity ‘ user generated content’ ‘user led production’ Media made by non-journalists Includes things like: blogs, podcasts, Youtube

Definition - somewhat broad, contested

What is a citizen?

Used to refer to media produced by non-professionals, or in a non-professional capacity

‘ user generated content’ ‘user led production’

Media made by non-journalists

Includes things like: blogs, podcasts, Youtube

Models of citizen journalism 1. Opening articles up to feedback 2. Citizen add-on reporter 3. Open-source or participatory reporting 4. The citizen bloghouse 5. Newsroom citizen 'transparency' blogs 6. The stand-alone citizen-journalism site: Edited version 7. The stand-alone citizen-journalism site: Unedited version 8. Add a print edition 9. pro-am hybrid 10. integrating citizen and professional journalism 11. wiki journalism, or readers as editors (Outing, 2005)

1. Opening articles up to feedback

2. Citizen add-on reporter

3. Open-source or participatory reporting

4. The citizen bloghouse

5. Newsroom citizen 'transparency' blogs

6. The stand-alone citizen-journalism site: Edited version

7. The stand-alone citizen-journalism site: Unedited version

8. Add a print edition

9. pro-am hybrid

10. integrating citizen and professional journalism

11. wiki journalism, or readers as editors

(Outing, 2005)

Criticisms of citizen journalism Is it journalism? (well, what is journalism?) Is journalism: about writing? About research? About doing interviews? Are bloggers journalists? Possibly a better question: does blogging contribute to the practice of journalism? Does journalism need help? Who determines what is news? Journalism? Does anyone care except journalists?

Is it journalism? (well, what is journalism?)

Is journalism: about writing? About research? About doing interviews?

Are bloggers journalists?

Possibly a better question: does blogging contribute to the practice of journalism?

Does journalism need help?

Who determines what is news? Journalism?

Does anyone care except journalists?

The computer wore menace shoes - the Simpsons Kent: A new Internet watchdog is creating a stir in Springfield. Mr. "X", if that is real name, has come up with a sensational scoop. Homer: [watching at home] Darn tooting! Kent: But we must never forget that the real news is on local TV, delivered by real officially licensed newsmen, like me, Kent Brockman. Coming up: how do they get those dogs to talk on the beer commercials? [a reporter in a big cowboy hat appears] Cowboy Steve will tell you!

Other terms Userled production: Production is driven by users: examples include Youtube, blogs, video game mods Hyperlocal read-write web Internet sites that allow readers to contribute, edit: examples include blogs, wikis produsers /produsage Combination of producers and users - used to describe the complex ways people interact with media online (Bruns, 2005)

Userled production:

Production is driven by users: examples include Youtube, blogs, video game mods

Hyperlocal

read-write web

Internet sites that allow readers to contribute, edit: examples include blogs, wikis

produsers /produsage

Combination of producers and users - used to describe the complex ways people interact with media online

(Bruns, 2005)

Gatewatching Differs from gatekeeping - Gatekeepers only publish what they think is relevant/important Gatewatchers point to all relevant information, with differing levels of emphasis - allows the reader more agency ABC/News Corp/Netscape now employing people to do this

Differs from gatekeeping -

Gatekeepers only publish what they think is relevant/important

Gatewatchers point to all relevant information, with differing levels of emphasis - allows the reader more agency

ABC/News Corp/Netscape now employing people to do this

The Mullet strategy Combination of user generated content and editor control E.g.: http: //digg .com http: //myspace .com “ Business up the front, party out the back” Pro-am engagement - http: //OhMyNews .com http: //Newassignment .net

Combination of user generated content and editor control

E.g.: http: //digg .com http: //myspace .com

“ Business up the front, party out the back”

Pro-am engagement -

http: //OhMyNews .com

http: //Newassignment .net

Redactive journalism, or cut ‘n paste ‘n comment Redactive journalism - journalism that is made of editing - making sense of information that is publicly available We now live in a world where we have too much info rather than not enough - simply adding more information to public discourse is no longer the most important function of journalism Problem with the Narrative of Decline - assumes a perfect form of journalism, without recognizing that journalism changes as society changes … the continuing trend in journalism away from investigative reporting and toward pundit commentary also makes blog-based commentary on the news highly compatible with mainstream news content. (Bruns, 2006)

Redactive journalism - journalism that is made of editing - making sense of information that is publicly available

We now live in a world where we have too much info rather than not enough - simply adding more information to public discourse is no longer the most important function of journalism

Problem with the Narrative of Decline - assumes a perfect form of journalism, without recognizing that journalism changes as society changes

… the continuing trend in journalism away from investigative reporting and toward pundit commentary also makes blog-based commentary on the news highly compatible with mainstream news content.

(Bruns, 2006)

Redactive journalism PZ Myers blog: http: //scienceblogs . com/pharyngula Tim Lambert http: //scienceblogs .com/deltoid/ Do exemplary redactive journalism that exposes scientific fraud simply by examining publicly available documents IF Stone did the same thing during the Vietnam War

PZ Myers blog: http: //scienceblogs . com/pharyngula

Tim Lambert

http: //scienceblogs .com/deltoid/

Do exemplary redactive journalism that exposes scientific fraud simply by examining publicly available documents

IF Stone did the same thing during the Vietnam War

Daily Show - America to the Rescue Video: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/08/23/daily-show-three-generations-of-america-to-the-rescue/

Hyperlocal journalism Coverage of local issues that are not profitable Political issues are often rooted in a local context http://youdecide2007.org http: //qlddecides .com

Coverage of local issues that are not profitable

Political issues are often rooted in a local context

http://youdecide2007.org

http: //qlddecides .com

New forms of journalism and engagement All of the information necessary to understand the massive fraud at Enron was publicly available Changing forms of journalism - Wired magazine database mashup of Myspace and public sex offender registries Recognition that journalism needs skill sets not ordinarily associated with journalists E.g.: US scholarships for journalists to learn programming Bloggers may not do interviews - but an entry about medical quackery may have 200 commenters offering their perspective - many of whom are doctors, biologists, scientists, etc Coverage of under-served areas

All of the information necessary to understand the massive fraud at Enron was publicly available

Changing forms of journalism - Wired magazine database mashup of Myspace and public sex offender registries

Recognition that journalism needs skill sets not ordinarily associated with journalists

E.g.: US scholarships for journalists to learn programming

Bloggers may not do interviews - but an entry about medical quackery may have 200 commenters offering their perspective - many of whom are doctors, biologists, scientists, etc

Coverage of under-served areas

Major source of news and media Voices not otherwise heard in mainstream media Pushing the boundaries of debate (both left and right) Allows misquoted/misrepresented people to have their say Coverage of important stories outside of media’s coverage Random acts of journalism: Little Green Footballs: fake documents, Dan Rather Left blogs, Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond Often involves amplification, follow up reporting and analysis. Dedicated reportage: Indymedia: police violence, corruption TPM Muckraker: firing of US attorneys TheMemoryhole.org: classified documents, photos of returning American coffins

Voices not otherwise heard in mainstream media

Pushing the boundaries of debate (both left and right)

Allows misquoted/misrepresented people to have their say

Coverage of important stories outside of media’s coverage

Random acts of journalism:

Little Green Footballs: fake documents, Dan Rather

Left blogs, Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond

Often involves amplification, follow up reporting and analysis.

Dedicated reportage:

Indymedia: police violence, corruption

TPM Muckraker: firing of US attorneys

TheMemoryhole.org: classified documents, photos of returning American coffins

Forms of citizen journalism Blogs /journals: Boingboing / LP / Troppo collaborative news sites: Slashdot / digg Vlogs/citizen video: Youtube / Podcasts: Rocketboom / NYUB More traditional portal style: Vibewire Corporations also using these formats: SBS / ABC / QUT Brisbane Times / News Corp

Blogs /journals: Boingboing / LP / Troppo

collaborative news sites: Slashdot / digg

Vlogs/citizen video: Youtube /

Podcasts: Rocketboom / NYUB

More traditional portal style: Vibewire

Corporations also using these formats:

SBS / ABC / QUT

Brisbane Times / News Corp

Social media Includes citizen media, blogs Also includes social networks http: //myspace .com / http: //linkedin .com ‘ folksonomies’ Social linking http://del. icio .us / http: //digg .com

Includes citizen media, blogs

Also includes social networks

http: //myspace .com / http: //linkedin .com

‘ folksonomies’

Social linking

http://del. icio .us / http: //digg .com

Web 2.0 The read-write web The next generation of web-based services Term coined by O’Reilly Media as name for a series of conferences Somewhat misleading as implies discrete generations of the web - Web 2.0 video from Youtube

The read-write web

The next generation of web-based services

Term coined by O’Reilly Media as name for a series of conferences

Somewhat misleading as implies discrete generations of the web

- Web 2.0 video from Youtube

Web 2.0 - technical A move from web made up of linked pages to a web made up of linked data sources This means - formatting is not fixed Also means - data sources are not necessarily text - eg: http: //frappr .com / http://pipes.yahoo.com Uses AJAX (asynchronous java and xml) RSS (real simple syndication) CSS (cascading style sheets)

A move from web made up of linked pages to a web made up of linked data sources

This means - formatting is not fixed

Also means - data sources are not necessarily text - eg: http: //frappr .com / http://pipes.yahoo.com

Uses AJAX (asynchronous java and xml)

RSS (real simple syndication)

CSS (cascading style sheets)

The Machine is Us/ing Us http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=84 http://youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

Blogs Blog - shortened form of web - log Usage: I have a blog, I blog, I’m a blogger. Not: I wrote a blog today. (blog entry or blog post) Often: one author May be based on a single theme.

Blog - shortened form of web - log

Usage: I have a blog, I blog, I’m a blogger.

Not: I wrote a blog today. (blog entry or blog post)

Often: one author

May be based on a single theme.

blogs Numerous forms Personal blogs: http: //livejournal .com / http: //dooce .com Political blogs http: //timblair .net / http: //johnquiggin .com / http: //dneiwert . blogspot .com/ Corporate blogs http: //scobleizer .com/ / http://www. blogmaverick .com/ Science blogs http: //scienceblogs . com/pharyngula/ / http: //badscience .net

Numerous forms

Personal blogs:

http: //livejournal .com / http: //dooce .com

Political blogs

http: //timblair .net / http: //johnquiggin .com / http: //dneiwert . blogspot .com/

Corporate blogs

http: //scobleizer .com/ / http://www. blogmaverick .com/

Science blogs

http: //scienceblogs . com/pharyngula/ / http: //badscience .net

More blogs Randomness http: //boingboing .net / http: //kottke .org Feminism http: //feministing .com / http: //pandagon .net Food http: //megnut .com / http: //glutenfreegirl . blogspot .com

Randomness

http: //boingboing .net / http: //kottke .org

Feminism

http: //feministing .com / http: //pandagon .net

Food

http: //megnut .com / http: //glutenfreegirl . blogspot .com

Even more blogs Gossip http: //thesuperficial .com / http: //perezhilton .com Tech http: //gizmodo .com / http: //engadget .com Video games http: //kotaku .com / http: //joystiq .com Education http: //whatswrongwiththejschool . blogspot .com/

Gossip

http: //thesuperficial .com / http: //perezhilton .com

Tech

http: //gizmodo .com / http: //engadget .com

Video games

http: //kotaku .com / http: //joystiq .com

Education

http: //whatswrongwiththejschool . blogspot .com/

Characteristics of blogs Personal tone Often short entries (notable exceptions) Use of quotes and links RSS Comments, trackback

Personal tone

Often short entries (notable exceptions)

Use of quotes and links

RSS

Comments, trackback

Popular blog services Livejournal Blogger Typepad Wordpress

Livejournal

Blogger

Typepad

Wordpress

Issues with blogging Privacy - youtube, facebook, livejournal Getting a job afterwards… Licensing - open source, Creative Commons, copyright Rampant use of quotes and copying of material Libel Storage and archiving

Privacy - youtube, facebook, livejournal

Getting a job afterwards…

Licensing - open source, Creative Commons, copyright

Rampant use of quotes and copying of material

Libel

Storage and archiving