Dan Gillmor's talk at Joi's KMD Digital Journalism Class

Mediactive:
Using Media in a Networked Age
Dan Gillmor

Agenda
0. Media Shift
1. Supply
1.1 Boundaries Blur
1.2 Market Failure
1.3 Good News
2. Demand
2.1 Messy
2.2 “Public Failure”
3. Principles
3.1 Consumers
3.2 Creators
4. Mediactive

0
Media Shift

Media 0.1

Media 0.5

Media 1.0

Media 1.1

Media 1.5

Media 2.0

Media 2.5

Media 3.0

‘Democratized’ Media
Not in the sense of voting...
...but Participation
Creation/Production
Access

2
Supply

Who is a journalist?
Wrong question.

Journalism

Not Journalism

Hmmm....

AND, not OR

Trade Association

Innovation | Adaptation
(Good news: Trying New Things is Cheap)

“(T)he low cost of failure means that someone with a new idea doesn't have to convince anyone else to let them try it -- there are few institutional barriers between thought and action.” -- Clay Shirky

Start with good idea
Develop fast & launch
Fix what’s broken
Fail fast
Repeat

3
Demand

Photo by Stovak via Flickr

Too Much Information
Photos by Eammon Sullivan and perspikace via Flickr

Is It Accurate? Trustworthy?
Not Necessarily, in a ‘Photoshop’ World

Not to Mention (ahem)…

The (Eco)System Needs Repair
Photo by Frozen Coffee, via Flickr

Photo by Curious Expeditions, via Flickr

3
Principles

1. Persuade News “Consumers” to be Active Media Users2. Persuade Journalists to do Better Journalism

Principles (for “consumers”)
Skepticism
Be skeptical of absolutely everything

Professional
“Amateur”
Everything.
Local TV News
Mass
Typical Daily Newspaper
Niche

Principles
Skepticism
Judgment
But not equally skeptical of absolutely everything

Credibility Scale (BS Meter)
-30
0
+30

Credibility Scale
*
Citizen Media (e.g. blogs)
Random Comments
-30
0
+30
* except the editorial page…

Photo: LaughingSquid.com via Flickr

Anonymous Speech
We must preserve anonymity
Especially when free speech can mean loss of liberty, or life
But, in almost all cases, anonymous speech lacks credibility
If a personal attack is anonymous, assume it is a lie

Principles
Skepticism
Judgment
Research
Ask your own questions, especially when making big decisions

Best place to start
Worst place to stop

Principles
Skepticism
Judgment
Research
Free thinking
Go outside your comfort zone, in politics and culture
Be relentless with yourself

Principles
Skepticism
Judgment
Research
Free thinking
Techniques
Create media
Understand how media persuade

Principles for Journalists
All of the above (principles for consumers) PLUS:
Thoroughness

Thoroughness
Accuracy

Thoroughness
Accuracy
Fairness

Thoroughness
Accuracy
Fairness
Independence

Thoroughness
Accuracy
Fairness
Independence
Transparency

4
Mediactive

Please help:dan@dangillmor.com+1.650.868.7528dangillmor.com