ABOUT US: Website, book, film spotlight "above the crowd" individuals fostering democracy, community in media

A-About MGP
ABOUT US: Website, book, film spotlight "above the crowd" individuals fostering democracy, community in media
By MGP Staff
Mar 10, 2007, 17:15

Media Giraffe Project
108 Bartlett Hall
Univ. of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst MA 01003
(413) 577-4370
mediagiraffe (at) journ.umass.edu

Spotlighting individuals making innovative, sustainable use of media to foster participatory democracy and community is the work of the Media Giraffe Project. Our mission is to understand Internet technology's impact on journalism and public policy and and to help educators guide the emerging role of citizens in creating and consuming media.

Using the web, a book, a planned documentary film and workshops, we provide role models and ideas for students, traditional and citizen journalists, and for political and educational leaders. We do so during a period of rapid technological and financial change in the U.S. media business -- and disturbing declines in the resources and effectiveness of “watchdog” reporting.

Read about our MISSION Go to GIRAFFE NEWS
Read our ACTION PLAN Search PROFILE DATABASE

Because of their “above the crowd” work, we call these individuals “media giraffes.” They are developing tools for consumers to find, evaluate, consume or create objective, fact-based media responsive to democratic values. We spotlight and publicize these innovators as role models. This stimulates greater participation by citizens and independent vigilance by established media.

We see to regularly convene these leaders as role models.

The Media Giraffe Project is a non-partisan, interdisciplinary research initiative housed with the Journalism program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

We draw on scholars from business, education, political science, public policy, journalism and communications studies. We are assisted by students, and draw up the insights and experience of both media insiders and citizen activists. To keep the effort manageable, we are focused on media located in, or serving the United States.

Project researchers are tracking what's working at the local and national level via this website, "how-to" videos, a book, one-hour documentary film, workshop training and curriculum development. The project takes a "cookbook" approach -- presenting dozens of profiles of "giraffes" and their recipees for innovation.

For example, potential giraffes exist among larger and smaller local news and local blog websites, Internet infrastructure, archiving or collaboration and new technology, in the daily newspaper world, in broadcast and multimedia, academia, and among e-democracy, political blogging and policy-advocacy groups.

The Media Giraffe Project was launched with the collaboration of The Giraffe Heroes Project (www.giraffe.org), a separate organization that since 1982 has been moving people to "stick their necks out for the common good."

For more information on the project, or to nominate media "giraffes" worthy of profiling, please contact:

LINKS:

This article is copyrighted material, the use of which may not have specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The material is made available in the The Media Giraffe Project's efforts to advance understanding of political, economic, democracy, First Amendment, technology, journalism, community and justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' any as provided by Section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Chapter 1, Section 107, the material above is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. The Media Giraffe Project has no affiliation with the originator of this article, nor is the project endorsed or sponsored by the article's originator. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.