Comments for Mediactive http://mediactive.com Creating a User's Guide to Democratized Media Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:41:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Mediactive Book by Dan Gillmor http://mediactive.com/book/#comment-37712 Dan Gillmor Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:41:12 +0000 http://mediactive.com/?page_id=193#comment-37712 The links should work even in the PDF. The links should work even in the PDF.

]]> Comment on Experiment: For Limited Time, Kindle Version is just $0.99 by Craig Silverman http://mediactive.com/2012/02/03/experiment-for-limited-time-kindle-version-is-just-0-99/#comment-37706 Craig Silverman Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:20:06 +0000 https://mediactive.com/?p=3445#comment-37706 Bought it! Hope the experiment goes well, Dan. Bought it! Hope the experiment goes well, Dan.

]]> Comment on ‘Every Book is a Startup’ by katie http://mediactive.com/2011/07/29/every-book-is-a-startup/#comment-37604 katie Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:11:32 +0000 http://mediactive.com/?p=3339#comment-37604 looking forward to reading this. looking forward to reading this.

]]> Comment on 3.8 Escape the Echo Chamber by Emilia Askari http://mediactive.com/3-8-escape-the-echo-chamber/#comment-37116 Emilia Askari Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:52:37 +0000 http://mediactive.com/#comment-37116 I teach a course in environmental and public health journalism at the University of Michigan. A few weeks ago, at the beginning of the new semester, I asked my students to write ten "I believe" statements about the news and its role in their lives. Since there is no journalism program at my university, most of my students have an interest in communicating with the public but most have no prior experience thinking of themselves as journalists. I thought their lists were fascinating. As you suggest, Dan, they reveal interesting assumptions about the news and about my students themselves as news producers. I plan to ask them to "attack" their "I believe" statements at the end of the semester. A sampling, from several students: I believe… that everyone has a story to tell. I believe... the most challenging thing about being a journalist is not allowing your personal opinion on an issue to affect your writing about that subject. I believe.... the role professional news organizations play in my life will determine my viewpoint on important national and global issues. I believe....that journalism is an important type of education that affects every asset of life. I believe...that my greatest challenge as a journalist is feeling confident in the background and topic making it difficult to ask the proper questions and write a coherent article I believe...that news will eventually only be digital and any printed documents will becomes obsolete. I believe....that the best journalism presents a conflict of ideas. I believe...that my greatest challenge as journalist is my reluctance for facing confrontation. I believe....that journalism can initiate change I believe....that anyone can be a journalist if they are passionate about the topic I believe....the best journalism exposes new ideas about an already recognized subject. I believe… journalists should move away from being pundits and actually report. I believe.... news corporations all have different biases and agendas I believe....news has a greater influence on the way the world works than is visible at surface level. I believe… the eReader is the new newspaper. I believe… that more “average” people are going to be delivering the news than ever before. I believe…the most interesting stories come from some of the most overlooked people. I believe…my generation doesn’t care enough about hard news and too much about entertainment. I believe ... that digital media will eventually wipe out all forms of printed news. I believe…Facebook and Twitter are the biggest news sites that my generation looks at. I believe…that journalism and who a journalists is will be redefined in the near future because of blogs/social media/Internet. I believe…there’s too much money driving journalism and objectivity/ethical standards are being lost. I believe the biggest problem with journalism today is how easy it is to post false news on the internet. I teach a course in environmental and public health journalism at the University of Michigan. A few weeks ago, at the beginning of the new semester, I asked my students to write ten “I believe” statements about the news and its role in their lives. Since there is no journalism program at my university, most of my students have an interest in communicating with the public but most have no prior experience thinking of themselves as journalists.
I thought their lists were fascinating. As you suggest, Dan, they reveal interesting assumptions about the news and about my students themselves as news producers. I plan to ask them to “attack” their “I believe” statements at the end of the semester. A sampling, from several students:
I believe… that everyone has a story to tell.
I believe… the most challenging thing about being a journalist is not allowing your personal opinion on an issue to affect your writing about that subject.
I believe…. the role professional news organizations play in my life will determine my viewpoint on important national and global issues.
I believe….that journalism is an important type of education that affects every asset of life.
I believe…that my greatest challenge as a journalist is feeling confident in the background and topic making it difficult to ask the proper questions and write a coherent article
I believe…that news will eventually only be digital and any printed documents will becomes obsolete.
I believe….that the best journalism presents a conflict of ideas.
I believe…that my greatest challenge as journalist is my reluctance for facing confrontation.
I believe….that journalism can initiate change
I believe….that anyone can be a journalist if they are passionate about the topic
I believe….the best journalism exposes new ideas about an already recognized subject.
I believe… journalists should move away from being pundits and actually report.
I believe…. news corporations all have different biases and agendas
I believe….news has a greater influence on the way the world works than is visible at surface level.
I believe… the eReader is the new newspaper.
I believe… that more “average” people are going to be delivering the news than ever before.
I believe…the most interesting stories come from some of the most overlooked people.
I believe…my generation doesn’t care enough about hard news and too much about entertainment.
I believe … that digital media will eventually wipe out all forms of printed news.
I believe…Facebook and Twitter are the biggest news sites that my generation looks at.
I believe…that journalism and who a journalists is will be redefined in the near future because of blogs/social media/Internet.
I believe…there’s too much money driving journalism and objectivity/ethical standards are being lost.
I believe the biggest problem with journalism today is how easy it is to post false news on the internet.

]]> Comment on Mediactive Book by jay morran http://mediactive.com/book/#comment-36828 jay morran Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:40:26 +0000 http://mediactive.com/?page_id=193#comment-36828 Wonderful subject matter and utterly essential for paddling through all the crap. I do not have kindle or nook, but did open the pdf file. Am i correct to assume that the links do not work in pdf? And if not, can I purchase an online version of the book that would allow me to follow the links? Thanks, and thanks for undertaking such an important project. jm Wonderful subject matter and utterly essential for paddling through all the crap. I do not have kindle or nook, but did open the pdf file. Am i correct to assume that the links do not work in pdf? And if not, can I purchase an online version of the book that would allow me to follow the links?

Thanks, and thanks for undertaking such an important project.

jm

]]> Comment on 2.7 Toward a Slower News Culture by Gumboz1953 http://mediactive.com/2-7-toward-a-slower-news-culture/#comment-35957 Gumboz1953 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:51:56 +0000 http://mediactive.com/#comment-35957 When the death of Steve Jobs was reported, Leo Laporte was doing one of his videocasts on his "TWIT" network. He said it was coming over Twitter and his "chat room." He and his guests pointed out that Twitter was not definitive, and said the news was sad "if true." But a little while later, they saw it on the Apple website, and then they were satisfied with it.... I think that is the way you do journalism. Caveat everything as "maybe" until a reliable, named source confirms it. When the death of Steve Jobs was reported, Leo Laporte was doing one of his videocasts on his “TWIT” network. He said it was coming over Twitter and his “chat room.” He and his guests pointed out that Twitter was not definitive, and said the news was sad “if true.” But a little while later, they saw it on the Apple website, and then they were satisfied with it…. I think that is the way you do journalism. Caveat everything as “maybe” until a reliable, named source confirms it.

]]> Comment on What a 21st Century News Ombudsman Should Do: Aggregate, Curate, Debate by Mark http://mediactive.com/2012/01/12/what-a-21st-century-news-ombudsman-should-do/#comment-35349 Mark Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:49:41 +0000 https://mediactive.com/?p=3427#comment-35349 Great ideas, especially this observation: "The best media criticism of every news organization is being done outside its walls... [yet they] bring media criticism inside the organization." I think that gets to the heart of it: there's the ingrained reflex to internalize the critique. Hence the cry for such institutions to pick up the pace of innovation (as you say). To be fair, I've communicated a few times with the NY Times ombudsmen (yes, men) and found them receptive, even going in though the front gate. But there's always the institutional prerogative that makes the cheap seats feel, well, cheap. For example, given the volume of commentary and criticism on his first post, it's telling that Brisbane's <a href="http://tinyurl.com/7pnrv7c" title="update" rel="nofollow"> quotes "thoughtful responses" from only WaPo and CJR - just the kind of in-the-fraternity chatter that might disappoint those seeking a more open and inclusive conversation. It may not happen on the Times site, but you can feed your comments off-site here: http://truthvigilantes.tumblr.com/submit Great ideas, especially this observation: “The best media criticism of every news organization is being done outside its walls… [yet they] bring media criticism inside the organization.”
I think that gets to the heart of it: there’s the ingrained reflex to internalize the critique. Hence the cry for such institutions to pick up the pace of innovation (as you say).

To be fair, I’ve communicated a few times with the NY Times ombudsmen (yes, men) and found them receptive, even going in though the front gate. But there’s always the institutional prerogative that makes the cheap seats feel, well, cheap.

For example, given the volume of commentary and criticism on his first post, it’s telling that Brisbane’s quotes “thoughtful responses” from only WaPo and CJR – just the kind of in-the-fraternity chatter that might disappoint those seeking a more open and inclusive conversation. It may not happen on the Times site, but you can feed your comments off-site here: http://truthvigilantes.tumblr.com/submit

]]> Comment on What a 21st Century News Ombudsman Should Do: Aggregate, Curate, Debate by Henry Edward Hardy http://mediactive.com/2012/01/12/what-a-21st-century-news-ombudsman-should-do/#comment-35346 Henry Edward Hardy Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:37:44 +0000 https://mediactive.com/?p=3427#comment-35346 It is not reasonable to think that all 300 readers who commented in the two hours before posting was cut off misunderstood the post. We understood perfectly well. Brisbane just didn't like the response. Your above points, while interesting, are NOT what an ombudsman does. The Ombudsman is an advocate for the readers. Period. Not a go-between, not an apologist for the paper. Not someone to "call bullshit" when he personally disagrees with the consensus of the readers. And certainly not someone who calls printing the truth being a "vigilante" and who belittles and insults anyone who disagrees with his obvious stupidity. Do not be friends with this guy. He is an ignoramus, to say the least. It is not reasonable to think that all 300 readers who commented in the two hours before posting was cut off misunderstood the post. We understood perfectly well. Brisbane just didn’t like the response.

Your above points, while interesting, are NOT what an ombudsman does. The Ombudsman is an advocate for the readers. Period. Not a go-between, not an apologist for the paper. Not someone to “call bullshit” when he personally disagrees with the consensus of the readers. And certainly not someone who calls printing the truth being a “vigilante” and who belittles and insults anyone who disagrees with his obvious stupidity. Do not be friends with this guy. He is an ignoramus, to say the least.

]]> Comment on What a 21st Century News Ombudsman Should Do: Aggregate, Curate, Debate by Norman Oder http://mediactive.com/2012/01/12/what-a-21st-century-news-ombudsman-should-do/#comment-35179 Norman Oder Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:53:17 +0000 https://mediactive.com/?p=3427#comment-35179 Good idea. Alas, when I've approached the Times ombudsman w/a serious critique, I've gotten blown off... by his assistant. See: http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2011/08/journalism-of-verification-times-public.html http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2011/09/sports-business-journal-confirms.html Good idea. Alas, when I’ve approached the Times ombudsman w/a serious critique, I’ve gotten blown off… by his assistant.

See:
http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2011/08/journalism-of-verification-times-public.html
http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2011/09/sports-business-journal-confirms.html

]]> Comment on Political Columnist: Please Look in the Mirror by Dan Gillmor http://mediactive.com/2011/12/29/political-columnist-please-look-in-the-mirror/#comment-35163 Dan Gillmor Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:04:01 +0000 https://mediactive.com/?p=3423#comment-35163 If you're going to poke a finger at the process your organization is helping to make absurd, then it's an obvious hole in your logic to ignore your organization's contribution to the problem. If you’re going to poke a finger at the process your organization is helping to make absurd, then it’s an obvious hole in your logic to ignore your organization’s contribution to the problem.

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