Post on 06-May-2015
description
Building the news community
Media literacy, civic engagementand journalism as a conversation
The limits of media literacy
• How would you define it?
The limits of media literacy
• Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information
The limits of media literacy
• Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information
• Understanding the difference between important and trivial
The limits of media literacy
• Understanding how to separate reliable from unreliable information
• Understanding the difference between important and trivial
• Understanding the difference betweenfact and opinion
The limits of media literacy
• But what is the larger context? How can we convince our audience that these skills matter?
Civic literacy supplies the context
• How would you define it?
Civic literacy supplies the context
• Understanding the importance of local issues
Civic literacy supplies the context
• Understanding the importance of local issues
• Understanding the importance of national and world issues
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
Civic literacy supplies the context
• When people show an interest in civic life, they engage with the news
The role of the “former audience”
• In New Haven, Batavia and elsewhere, inviting readers to the table
The role of the “former audience”
• In New Haven, Batavia and elsewhere, inviting readers to the table
• Professional journalism and reader comments working together
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
The price of free speech
• The Register put comments up automatically and depended on the crowd to report offensive ones
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 …”
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
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
A better approach
• Paul Bass’ warning to his audience: “Yes we do censor reader comments. We’ll continue to.”
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 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
Crowdsourced reporting
• Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building
Crowdsourced reporting
• Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building
• The Independentsees complaintsand covers the story
Crowdsourced reporting
• Residents post on SeeClickFix to complain about an ugly building
• The Independentsees complaintsand covers the story
• Another 24 comments are posted at the Independent
Why journalism matters
• New Haven man seriously injuredin possible assault
Why journalism matters
• New Haven man seriously injuredin possible assault
• Reddit poster falsely claims it was “justicefor Treyvon” [sic]
Why journalism matters
• New Haven man seriously injuredin possible assault
• Reddit poster falsely claims it was “justicefor Treyvon” [sic]
• Similar to Reddit rumors about marathon bombing suspect
The Indy’s moment of crisis
• Nasty mayoral campaign and its aftermath broke system
The Indy’s moment of crisis
• Nasty mayoral campaign and its aftermath broke system
• A crude comment about Mayor DeStefano (right) was accidentally posted
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
Anonymity versus real names
• Howard Owens requires registration and real names at his community news site in western New York
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.”
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
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.”
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.”
What would you do?
Would you allow anonymous comments or require real names?
Comments are so 2005
• Facebook fosters civil dialogue in a familiar, real-names space
Comments are so 2005
• Facebook fosters civil dialogue in a familiar, real-names space
• Twitter allows reporters to promote work and engage with users
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?
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 da.kennedy@neu.edu
Dan KennedySchool of Journalism
College of Arts, Media and DesignNortheastern University
Boston
2013