Blogging, citizen journalism and web 2.0 Barry Saunders KCB102 [email_address] http://investigativeblog.net http://youdecide2007.org 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 , http://studentmedia.org.au

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 , http://studentmedia.org.au

Current affairs Of little interest to younger audience Often demonises ‘da youf’ Repetitive format http://youtube.com/watch?v=jHso1e6NY90

Of little interest to younger audience

Often demonises ‘da youf’

Repetitive format

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jHso1e6NY90

Citizen Journalism Notion of citizenship more in line with DIY citizenship than the traditional legal notion (it’s what you do, not where you were born) Used to refer to media produced by non-professionals, or in a non-professional capacity: media made by non-journalists Includes things like: blogs, podcasts, Youtube

Notion of citizenship more in line with DIY citizenship than the traditional legal notion

(it’s what you do, not where you were born)

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

Includes things like: blogs, podcasts, Youtube

Other terms Userled production: Production is driven by users: examples include Youtube, blogs, video game mods read-write web / web2.0 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) Hyperlocal

Userled production:

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

read-write web / web2.0

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)

Hyperlocal

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 it contribute to the practice of journalism? Does journalism need help? Who determines what is news? 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 it contribute to the practice of journalism?

Does journalism need help?

Who determines what is news? Journalism?

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

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

Opening articles up to feedback ABC news / Fairfax / News Corp Need for new workers - ‘user generated content producer’ - comments moderator Question of how much moderation is appropriate Limited form of interaction, can still be worthwhile

ABC news / Fairfax / News Corp

Need for new workers - ‘user generated content producer’ - comments moderator

Question of how much moderation is appropriate

Limited form of interaction, can still be worthwhile

Open-source or participatory journalism Wikinews Indymedia

Wikinews

Indymedia

indymedia Politically focused Completely open access Problems with quality control and access One of the first fully open news sites http://ithefilm.com/home

Politically focused

Completely open access

Problems with quality control and access

One of the first fully open news sites

http://ithefilm.com/home

The citizen bloghouse http://Huffingtonpost.com

http://Huffingtonpost.com

Standalone citizen reporter http://Talkingpointsmemo.com

http://Talkingpointsmemo.com

Jimmy Justice http: //youtube .com/user/JimmyJustice4753 Confrontational style Doesn’t conform to traditional news presentation, gonzo style Still newsworthy

http: //youtube .com/user/JimmyJustice4753

Confrontational style

Doesn’t conform to traditional news presentation, gonzo style

Still newsworthy

integrating citizen and professional journalism http://youdecide2007.org http: //qlddecides .com Professionals working alongside citizen journalists Professional articles drew eyeballs but citizen articles drew comments http: //ohmynews .com

http://youdecide2007.org

http: //qlddecides .com

Professionals working alongside citizen journalists

Professional articles drew eyeballs but citizen articles drew comments

http: //ohmynews .com

pro-am hybrid Pro-am, or pro-pro Increasingly working with professionals from outside of journalism Wired magazine Wikileaks Scienceblogs.com Pollbludger, Possum’s Pollytics

Pro-am, or pro-pro

Increasingly working with professionals from outside of journalism

Wired magazine

Wikileaks

Scienceblogs.com

Pollbludger, Possum’s Pollytics

Redactive journalism, or cut ‘n paste ‘n comment Redative 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)

Redative 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)

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 Science blogs that check pop-science publications and business against scientific findings - often more accurate than mainstream journalism Recognition that journalism needs skill sets not ordinarily associated with journalists 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

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

Science blogs that check pop-science publications and business against scientific findings - often more accurate than mainstream journalism

Recognition that journalism needs skill sets not ordinarily associated with journalists

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

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) Blogs like Badscience.net and Scienceblog.com/pharyngula take apart pseudo-science, creationism, quackery 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)

Blogs like Badscience.net and Scienceblog.com/pharyngula take apart pseudo-science, creationism, quackery

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

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

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

Attitude - break down of the punditocracy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniqk8HQKsM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniqk8HQKsM

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 Eg: biologists misrepresented by creationists 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

Voices not otherwise heard in mainstream media

Pushing the boundaries of debate (both left and right)

Allows misquoted/misrepresented people to have their say

Eg: biologists misrepresented by creationists

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

Random acts of journalism Can be blog posts, or increasingly on-the-ground footage from handicams and videophones Even Twitter is used for journalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Rqc4aZceU

Can be blog posts, or increasingly on-the-ground footage from handicams and videophones

Even Twitter is used for journalism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Rqc4aZceU

Low cost of entry Pioneered by Kevin Sites and Dateline - consumer handicams for current affairs / documentary Increasing use of high end videophones http://blip.tv/file/586161

Pioneered by Kevin Sites and Dateline - consumer handicams for current affairs / documentary

Increasing use of high end videophones

http://blip.tv/file/586161

Business models Newspapers are worried about lost profits Have traditionally been high profit industry However, Fairfax has made some interesting moves in monetising articles Also, bloggers are making reasonable money from advertising - some up to $1500 a week. Investigative journalism may be funded by philanthropy, public interest groups, donations and government broadcasters.

Newspapers are worried about lost profits

Have traditionally been high profit industry

However, Fairfax has made some interesting moves in monetising articles

Also, bloggers are making reasonable money from advertising - some up to $1500 a week.

Investigative journalism may be funded by philanthropy, public interest groups, donations and government broadcasters.

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)

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

Early citizen journalism Indymedia Slashdot Kuro5hin Gatewatching, collaborative sites Many submitters

Indymedia

Slashdot

Kuro5hin

Gatewatching, collaborative sites

Many submitters

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

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

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