This document provides an overview of Dr. Michelle Ferrier's background and research interests. It discusses her work in media innovation through various startups. Her research focuses on three main areas: 1) The Media Deserts Project which maps areas lacking access to news/information using GIS tools; 2) Media entrepreneurship and creating pathways for innovation; 3) Addressing online harassment through her work on TrollBusters using natural language processing. The document highlights increasing layoffs in the newspaper industry and growing rates of online harassment experienced by women journalists as motivations for her research agenda.

1.  Making visible the invisible in the
hypertextual space
Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Associate Professor, E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University
ferrierm@ohio.edu; @mediaghosts
The View from Here…
…And Here

2.  Associate Professor , Journalism
Scripps College of Communication,
Ohio University, OH;
ferrierm@ohio.edu;
Twitter: @mediaghosts
 President, Journalism That Matters
Founder, Create or Die Startup
Gatherings
 Founder, TrollBusters | @yoursosteam
 Media Innovation and
Entrepreneurship; Digital Identity and
Reputation Management; Online
Communities
Educator
Entrepreneur
Mentor
Scholar
New Media Innovator
Dr. Michelle Ferrier

3. 
My WorldView

4. Innovation Activities What was it?
BBS/Fax on Demand (Intrapreneur) Early technology adoption with members
NEAOnline (Intrapreneur) Developed first web presence for National Education Association on
AOL
SimSchool (Intrapreneur) Development of school system simulation at NEA
Education Insider (Entrepreneur) Magazine startup for parents of school-aged children
EHCWired.com (Intrapreneur) First independent online college news site; first online course at the
college (2002).
Media Power Lunch (Entrepreneur) Short, online learning for beginning journalists (MediaBistro
predecessor)
Highlands Family (Entrepreneur) Hyperlocal, hybrid online/print news for families in Appalachia
CopyWash.com (Entrepreneur) Online copy editing services
Digital Identity/Reputation Management
(Entrepreneur)
Patent pending technology on managing identity from one platform
MyTopiaCafe.com (Intrapreneur) Online community for newspaper nonsubscribers
LocallyGrownNews.com (Entrepreneur) Hyperlocal online news franchise
Media Deserts Project (Researcher) Uses GIS technologies to make visible the media ecosystem.
TrollBusters Natural Language Processing and Positive Messaging System

5. My Research Agenda
 1. Media Deserts Project: Way of "seeing" that
provides high-level view of the ecosystem.
 2. Media Entrepreneurship: Creating pathways to
innovation inside and outside the classroom.
 3. Digital Identity and Reputation Management:
TrollBusters and addressing cyberharassment.
Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Ohio University, @mediaghosts

6. Media Deserts: Defining Question
How have communities
been affected by the
changing media ecosystem?

7. Media Deserts Project
Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Ohio University, @mediaghosts
 Using GIS tools, we
map “media deserts”
-- places where fresh
news and
information is
lacking.
 Modeled after the
USDA Food Access
Locator Map

8. What is a “Media Desert”?
Working Definition
 A media desert is a
geographic area that is
lacking fresh news and
information.
 This condition may be as a
result of a lack of content,
access, language barriers
and other issues.
Framework of Analysis
 I use Lawrence Lessig’s concept
of communications
architecture:
 CODE: Language, spoken or
written or computer languages
 CONTENT: News, information,
images
 CONDUIT: Newspapers, radio,
mobile.
Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Elon University, @mediaghosts

9. Newspaper Layoffs and Buyouts
Year
 2007
 2008
 2009
 2010
Layoffs and Buyouts
 2,256+ (partial data)
 15,992+
 14,783+
 2,828+
Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Ohio University, @mediaghosts
120+
newspapers
More than 120 newspapers have ceased operation in the United States since 2008.

12. Findlay in Hancock County,
Ohio
State Maps: Ohio

13. The Media Deserts Project
Awareness Action
• Audit of Community Information
Sources
• Visualization of Current
Information Sources
• Content Analysis of Existing
Sources
• Assessing Community
Characteristics for Sustainable
Media Enterprises
• Community Engagement
through Focused Gatherings
• Engaging Key Stakeholders in
Developing Sustainable Media
Enterprises
• Developing Face-to-Face and
Virtual Public Spaces for
Engagement/Community
Conversations

15. “Under Threat” International News Safety Institute, 2015

16. “Under Threat” International News Safety Institute, 2015

17. Online Harassment: 40% and growing
 Women publishers
experience cyberbullying
on their sites.
 General news sites have
struggled with
moderating online
commenting.

18. Women Live Online
andThat’sWhereThey Find Us

19. Women Journalists AreTargeted Online

20. Our Solution

21. Our Goal: Fighting Hate with <3
TrollBusters provides just-in-time rescue
services for women journalists, bloggers
and publishers who experience online
harassment.
We use our virtual S.O.S. team to send
positive messages into online streams
at the point of attack. We dilute the stings
of trolls and other online pests to support
you, your voice, your business and your
reputation.

22. For additional information:
Dr. Michelle Ferrier | @mediaghosts
TrollBusters | @yoursosteam