The document discusses the challenges of narrative control in the context of the Olympic Games, highlighting the ambiguity of ownership over the event's media platform. It emphasizes the role of citizen media, such as #citizenrelay, in providing alternative narratives and mobilizing community participation through decentralized structures and digital technology. The concluding thoughts advocate for the coexistence of citizen-owned initiatives and established media to enrich social and political discourse in Scotland leading up to significant events like the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

1. #citizenrelay
Citizen Media: Translating Theory
to Practice
@dgmcgillivray @jennifermjones

2. The Olympic Games is a media platform with an assumed
dominant narrative; the IOC, Games organizers, sponsors and
athletic federations attempt to defend the narrative against
counter narratives…a problem for the Olympics is that there is
some ambiguity over the ownership of the Olympic Games
platform and the narrative. Who owns it? Is it the IOC, the
organizing committee, the host city or nation, or the
sponsors?" (Horne & Whannel, 2010, p762)
the likelihood of a spiral of silence emerges, in which fringe
minority voices get less hearing and are gradually brought into
conformity…the hegemony of the privileged over web content
and values will marginalise less powerful groups as it has in
other media (Real, 2007, p182)

4. Established
Narratives

10. Small, alternative or citizen media offers
space for the digitally empowered citizen
to break stories, become media makers
and storytellers of the now, archived as an
historical record

11. Small media, citizen-
oriented

14. #citizenrelay used a hybrid media
environment, including blogs and social
media, to mobilise, organise and discuss
issues pertaining the Olympic Torch Relay

15. Immediacy
Speed, of communication and
representation, is a prominent feature of
the accelerated mega event spectacle,
creating challenges of narrative control
and management for event owners and
corporate sponsors alike

16. • WHAT DID WE DO?

20. Networks and
connectedness
The project intentionally adopted a
decentralized and distributed structure,
where heterogeneous actors could
network and amplify their messages
through a shared communication
platform

26. locality
A commitment to a more bottom-up, place-
specific agenda was built into the recruitment of
volunteer reporters from four regions of Scotland
and investment in a mobile community media
centre (a minibus) to help support citizen media
makers in each locality

33. Empowerment
mass media and institutional gatekeepers are
being circumvented by citizen reporters and
commentators who provide first-hand, real-
time coverage and non-hegemonic
interpretations (Bakardjieva, et al, 2012),

37. participation
digital infrastructures offer citizens
new channels for speaking and acting
together and thus lower the
threshold for involvement
(Bakardjieva et al, 2012: i)

43. Next Steps
• Towards #Glasgow2014: Significant year for Scotland
(Referendum, Commonwealth Games, Home-Coming)
Use of mega-event narrative to provoke and capture
wider discussions relating to social and political discourse.
• Community Media Practice: Focus on developing
techniques and skill-based training support that can be
offered to those who take part in initiative.
• Capacity building: Strengthen and grow with relationships
established during #citizenrelay to map network of
‘community media hubs’ across Scotland.

44. Concluding thoughts
ample space within the saturated established media landscape for
citizen-owned and led initiatives, based on the philosophy of a low
threshold for involvement using everyday digital technologies, effective
coordination and amplification of key messages
participatory media practices can help establish new collectives
which are sustained beyond mega event spectacle
in more complex media environment, citizen media need not simply
oppose the established media but instead co-exist, occupying at
different times each other’s traditional spaces and using similar
newsgathering and distribution techniques

45. #citizenrelay
http://www.citizenrelay.net