Building the news community
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The document discusses the importance of media and civic literacy, highlighting the need to distinguish between reliable and unreliable information while understanding local and global issues. It also examines the evolving role of professional journalism in engaging the audience, particularly through reader comments and crowd-sourced reporting, with an emphasis on fostering civil dialogue. Additionally, it questions traditional comment systems and suggests a shift toward social media for community engagement in journalism.
![Why journalism matters
• New Haven man
seriously injured
in possible assault
• Reddit poster falsely
claims it was “justice
for Treyvon” [sic]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/buildingthenewscommunity-130930180149-phpapp02/85/Building-the-news-community-26-320.jpg)
![Why journalism matters
• New Haven man
seriously injured
in possible assault
• Reddit poster falsely
claims it was “justice
for Treyvon” [sic]
• Similar to Reddit rumors
about marathon
bombing suspect](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/buildingthenewscommunity-130930180149-phpapp02/85/Building-the-news-community-27-320.jpg)
Building the news community
- 1. Building the news community Media literacy, civic engagement and journalism as a conversation
- 2. The limits of media literacy • How would you define it?
- 3. The limits of media literacy • Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information
- 4. The limits of media literacy • Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information • Understanding the difference between important and trivial
- 5. The limits of media literacy • Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information • Understanding the difference between important and trivial • Understanding the difference between fact and opinion
- 6. The limits of media literacy • But what is the larger context? How can we convince our audience that these skills matter?
- 7. Civic literacy supplies the context • How would you define it?
- 8. Civic literacy supplies the context • Understanding the importance of local issues
- 9. Civic literacy supplies the context • Understanding the importance of local issues • Understanding the importance of national and world issues
- 10. Civic literacy supplies the context • Understanding the importance of local issues • Understanding the importance of national and world issues • Understanding how local and global issues are interrelated
- 11. Civic literacy supplies the context • When people show an interest in civic life, they engage with the news
- 12. The role of the “former audience” • In New Haven, Batavia and elsewhere, inviting readers to the table
- 13. The role of the “former audience” • In New Haven, Batavia and elsewhere, inviting readers to the table • Professional journalism and reader comments working together
- 14. The role of the “former audience” • In New Haven, Batavia and elsewhere, inviting readers to the table • Professional journalism and reader comments working together • If you don’t tend the garden, the weeds will soon sprout up
- 15. The price of free speech • The Register put comments up automatically and depended on the crowd to report offensive ones
- 16. The price of free speech • The Register put comments up automatically and depended on the crowd to report offensive ones – “these shootings save the taxpayers millions … not only in welfare costs but in section 8, food stamps, health care. it is time to consider sterilization …”
- 17. The price of free speech • The Register put comments up automatically and depended on the crowd to report offensive ones • African-Americans felt alienated from the Register and cited racist comments as a prime reason
- 18. The price of free speech • The Register put comments up automatically and depended on the crowd to report offensive ones • African-Americans felt alienated from the Register and cited racist comments as a prime reason • A new editor, Matt DeRienzo, ordered that all comments be screened before being posted
- 19. A better approach • Paul Bass’ warning to his audience: “Yes we do censor reader comments. We’ll continue to.”
- 20. A better approach • Paul Bass’ warning to his audience: “Yes we do censor reader comments. We’ll continue to.” • Anonymity is allowed, but racist, sexist and personally insulting comments are not posted
- 21. A better approach • Paul Bass’ warning to his audience: “Yes we do censor reader comments. We’ll continue to.” • Anonymity is allowed, but racist, sexist and personally insulting comments are not posted • A civil conversation that often adds to the story and that fosters civic engagement — a virtuous circle
- 22. Crowdsourced reporting • Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building
- 23. Crowdsourced reporting • Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building • The Independent sees complaints and covers the story
- 24. Crowdsourced reporting • Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building • The Independent sees complaints and covers the story • Another 24 comments are posted at the Independent
- 25. Why journalism matters • New Haven man seriously injured in possible assault
- 26. Why journalism matters • New Haven man seriously injured in possible assault • Reddit poster falsely claims it was “justice for Treyvon” [sic]
- 27. Why journalism matters • New Haven man seriously injured in possible assault • Reddit poster falsely claims it was “justice for Treyvon” [sic] • Similar to Reddit rumors about marathon bombing suspect
- 28. The Indy’s moment of crisis • Nasty mayoral campaign and its aftermath broke system
- 29. The Indy’s moment of crisis • Nasty mayoral campaign and its aftermath broke system • A crude comment about Mayor DeStefano (right) was accidentally posted
- 30. The Indy’s moment of crisis • Nasty mayoral campaign and its aftermath broke system • A crude comment about Mayor DeStefano (right) was accidentally posted • Comments were shut down, later reopened with new rules
- 31. Anonymity versus real names • Howard Owens requires registration and real names at his community news site in western New York
- 32. Anonymity versus real names • Howard Owens requires registration and real names at his community news site in western New York • “It starts with basic news ethics: Readers have a right to know who is saying what.”
- 33. Anonymity versus real names • Howard Owens requires registration and real names at his community news site in western New York • “It starts with basic news ethics: Readers have a right to know who is saying what.” • But Paul Bass believes he would lose police officers, teachers and other community stakeholders
- 34. Dan Gillmor “If I could design a comment system, I would put all anonymous comments at the thread’s end, and give the site owner an easy way to move good comments higher. I’d also give users a way to make anonymous comments invisible.”
- 35. danah boyd “The people who most heavily rely on pseudonyms in online spaces are those who are most marginalized by systems of power. ‘Real names’ policies aren’t empowering; they’re an authoritarian assertion of power over vulnerable people.”
- 36. What would you do? Would you allow anonymous comments or require real names?
- 37. Comments are so 2005 • Facebook fosters civil dialogue in a familiar, real-names space
- 38. Comments are so 2005 • Facebook fosters civil dialogue in a familiar, real-names space • Twitter allows reporters to promote work and engage with users
- 39. Comments are so 2005 • Facebook fosters civil dialogue in a familiar, real-names space • Twitter allows reporters to promote work and engage with users • Have traditional news- site comments outlived their usefulness?
- 40. 2016 update • Many news sites are killing comments and moving to social media
- 41. 2016 update • Many news sites are killing comments and moving to social media • Coral Project seeks to improve community through technology
- 42. 2016 update • Many news sites are killing comments and moving to social media • Coral Project seeks to improve community through technology • A lesson of recent elections is we need new ways of engaging
- 43. Permissions • (cc) 2013 by Dan Kennedy. You are free to use this presentation under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution/Noncommercial/Share Alike 3.0 license, which is online at http://bit.ly/2oyXPN • If I have used your copyrighted work inadvertently, please contact me at dan.kennedy@northeastern.edu
- 44. Dan Kennedy School of Journalism College of Arts, Media and Design Northeastern University Boston 2013 and 2016