Social Networking and Political Change
“Bubbling Up: MySpace, YouTube, Social Networking and Political Change” was a session about how these and other similar services are making an impact in online activism.
Moderated by nonprofit entrepreneur Allison Fine, the panelists included James Rucker, of ColorofChange.org, Dina Kaplan of BlipTV and Joan “McJoan” McCarter of DailyKos.
Some of the more interesting points:
- Rucker pointed out that despite the widespread of popularity of YouTube, there’s no easy way to tell a story around the video and to anchor the content as information presented by a reputable source. That’s why in part, he says, people still turn to sources like CNN, not only because stories are told by personalities people “trust,” but also that news is filtered for them.
- Kaplan shared some success stories of videoblogging on blip.tv., including Alive in Baghdad (ongoing video reports that empower Iraqis to share their stories with the world through their own words, rather than through the canned, soundbite-driven news packages), John Edwards sharing his presidential campaign launch through Rocketboom, and presidential candidate Tom Vilsack’s videoblog.
- Kaplan also described how easy it was for the average Net user to create video content: “Just shoot a video on your phone, upload it and you’re a citizen journalist.” I think that is an example of how the citizen journalist concept has been oversimplified. Dan Gillmor in this audioblog reveals that the distinction between the mainstream journalist and the citizen journalist has become increasingly blurred by the act of journalism itself.
Wireless Internet: Community, Municipal, Corporate
Panelists of this session discussed the developments in municipal and Community Internet and the use of the public airwaves for wireless broadband. The session content examined the technologies, politics and policies involved, both locally and nationally, in increasing access to and ownership of affordable, high-speed Internet — particularly among underserved communities.
The presentation by Sascha Meinrath of the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network was especially interesting in that he focused on how the infrastructure and the telecom policies developed by carriers and cable companies work to marginalize communities of color and poor communities.
rikomatic.com will host links, powerpoint files and other resources from the session.
Blog Coverage of the Conference
Postings from blogs about the media reform conference:
Veteran television journalist Bill Moyers opened the National Conference for Media Reform Friday with praise for SavetheInternet.com’s grassroots campaign to keep the Internet open and fair for all comers. - Save the Internet[Democracy Now co-host Juan} Gonzalez, who comes across both on the screen and in person as anything but in-your-face, gave an impassioned plea for greater recognition of the fact that media repression didn't start with the Bush administration. He traced it back to the 1830's, with particular emphasis on Teddy Roosevelt's disenchantment with the fourth estate. - Daily Kos
Sitting at the table next to us was none other than actor and progressive activist, Danny Glover. I opted to give him space while he gabbed and ate with his table mates, figuring that I would get another chance to meet him -- and potentially interview him -- later on at the conference. - Afro-Netizen
The ["Save the Internet"] panel laid out at length how the victory came to pass and what the future holds in the ongoing struggle to preserve a fair and equal internet. The panel included Moveon.org’s Adam Green, MyDD.com’s Matt Stoller, viral community activist Scott Goodstein, and the Save the Internet coalition’s Aslyn White. Dane101 took the opportunity to speak with Save the Internet folks to make sure we can keep the fire hot under Kohl until we know his position. - Dane101.com
It wasn’t on the original schedule of the National Conference for Media Reform, but Dennis Kucinich agreed to hold a press conference tonight. Kucinich ran for president of the United States in 2004. He has indicated that he plans to run again in 2008. - Dangerous Intersection
A new House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, will turn its oversight to a range of government agencies, particularly the Federal Communications Commission, Kucinich announced here on Friday night. - DrewClark.com
Day One Wrap-Up: Progressive Communicators Network
At the end of Day One, I attended a terrific reception co-sponsored by the Institute for Public Accuracy, Progressive Communicators Network, Project Think Different, Public News Service, The Praxis Project. The short program during the reception focused on “Powerful Results from the Grassroots.”
I was lucky enough to connect with the Progressive Communicators Network (PCN) a few years ago. PCN connects media and public relations practitioners to increase the power and reach of grassroots voices in the media and the formation of public policy and opinion. PCN holds annual national gatherings as well as regional gatherings. I attended at 2004 meeting in Oakland and found all of the participants incredibly experienced, skilled and motivated to move progressive issues forward.
It was through PCN that I met Tracy Van Slyke of In These Times, Josh Seidenfeld of SPIN Project, Carolyn Cushing of PCN and others who I continue to interact with as a communications practitioner with EJS.
I then joined Laura Efurd and Ruth Williams of the Community Technology Foundation of California at dinner. Laura is a native of Hawai’i like me. Her father was the pastor at the Baptist church I attended as a little kid.
At the conference evening event, I ran into Mark Cooper, research director, of the Consumer Federation of America. Mark was one of the speakers at our 2005 national conference at UCLA, which focused on corporations and social justcie. Mark shared with me his successful efforts to extract a Net Neutrality commitment from AT&T in the company’s merger with Bell South.
Out of Juice
Both my laptop and Blackberry are dying so this will be the last post for today at the media reform conference.
I’m here in an online activism session where Scott Goldstein from the Save the Internet coalition and Matt Stoller from MyDD.com are talking about Tron, ninjas, myspace and net neutrality.
UPDATE: rikomatic.com has a good post on the session.
Diversity Matters in Media Ownership
In a panel titled Race and Gender Matter in Media Ownership, two speakers in particular touched on issues of interest:
Angela Campbell, with the Georgetown Institute for Public Representation, touched on the relationships between pending lawsuits related to diversity in media ownership with the Grutter/Gratz and the Louisville/Seattle school cases. She didn’t go into too much detail and I plan on asking her for her presentation.
Syracuse law professor LaVonda Reed-Huff talked about how little mention was made about minority ownership of media in recent FCC rulings. I’ll also get her text and powerpoint slides to link here.
Jesse Jackson on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rev. Jackson spoke about Dr. King and how the historic “I have a
dream” speech has been too oftem reduced to that quote.
But, said Jackson, “His speech was about broken promises.” About how
Lincoln promised emancipation. About how Congress promised civil
rights through the 14th Amendment. About how Blacks and other people
of color still don’t have the federal right to vote, but that voting
rights is a states rights issue. (See Congressman Jackson’s article
here: http://www.house.gov/jackson/VotingAmendment.htm)
