Connection through communication Building community with online tools

Introduction Career in community newspapers Outreach Limited Newshole

Old Thinking Build a website and they will come

“In the beginning, newspaper editors and publishers saw only the disruption the Internet presented, not its potential. Any time a business venture starts with a disruptive mindset, “it is likely to suffer from chronic under commitment.” (2002) "Most U.S. newsrooms have just responded to that by simply cutting costs. Very few have a plan like this, where we can expand our total news coverage and the number of stories," he said. "It’s a really novel approach, and we think it’s something that will be watched around the country.” (2010) Out with the old Clark Gilbert

But not all of it “New media don’t succeed because they’re like the old media, only better: they succeed because they’re worse than the old media at the stuff the old media are good at, and better at the stuff the old media are bad at.” Cory Doctorow: Co-editor of Boing Boing, Sci-Fi writer

What do journalists do best? Verify Provide a voice to the voiceless Seek and report truth Educate Bring people together

The Internet It operates like … By design, no path is completely straight

Interactivity Not inherent in message or medium Simultaneous and continuous exchanges occur, and these exchanges carry a social, binding force. In other words, journalism as a conversation Sheizaf Rafaeli

What does conversation require? Listening to the audience Some loss of control

Application: Citizen journalism Citizen journalism serves underserved communities Knowing an editor will read their submission encourages contribution. Bentley, C., Littau, J., Hamman, B., Meyer, H., Welsh, B., & Watson, B. (2007). “Citizen Journalism: A Case Study” in Blogging, Citizenship and the Future of Media. Edited by Mark Tremayne. Routledge: London Tony Hancock, November 2005

Connecting with neighbors, finding alternative to traditional journalism were the main reasons users sited for registering Registration tripled at MyMissourian after the launch of a print edition. More than 30 % said it was important for them to see their contribution in print. Bentley, C., Brian Hamman, Jeremy Littau, Hans Ibold & Hans K. Meyer. (2006). “Sense of Community as a Driver for Citizen Journalism.” Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. San Francisco, CA.

Guided Citizen Journalism

Bluffton Today

The collaboration challenge Authorship matters Staff written stories more credible. Readers oriented more toward audience written. But they gave the organization behind both nearly identical credibility scores True collaboration suffered.

Connection adds credibility Transparency Through links Through intentions Through personality

Taking advantage of the Web Comments

Taking advantage of the Web Go out and find it! Not just about sharing photos Two ways to create community Borrowing Collecting Descriptions and tags are VITAL!

Flickr note Creative Commons License

Taking advantage of the Web Location, location, location

Why is location important? The best journalism is a map “Effective storytelling helps citizens and communities discover where they are (sometimes by examining who they are). From there, they can better decide where they want to go.” Krissy Clark, producer American Public Media

Why is location important? Reconnection “We live at a time and in a world in which people can become so glued to their gadgets they forget the place where they are standing. But a reporter equipped with the right geospatial devices has a unique opportunity to reconnect people to place.” Krissy Clark, producer American Public Media

Google Maps Maps.google.com Link Embed Overlays Google Earth

Location: GeoTagging Why do we care about location? It gets us out of the office. It tells people where we are. It can connect us with sources. Third Places

Location, location, location It can guide the news process.

Another service?

Bottom Line The Web makes connecting and community building relatively easy But journalists have to seize every opportunity Link Tag Friend Focus on why journalism will always be relevant

Connect with me meyerh@ohio.edu Twitter: OhJProf To access this PowerPoint visit http://bit.ly/bK1Z6m