ARCHIVES OF THE
MGP2006 SUMMIT
AT UMASS AMHERST, June 28-july 1, 2006
"Democracy
& Independence: Sharing News & Information in a Connected
World," was the first summit conference of The Media Giraffe
Project at
the University of Massachusetts at Amherst June 28-July 1, 2006. The
active
archives of this event include:
WHO
ATTENDED?
EVENT
NEWS
SPEAKER
HIGHLIGHTS
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
DETAILED SCHEDULE/PRESENTERS
"Journalism That Matters" special program
Traditional and citizen journalists, political strategists, educators,
bloggers,
developers, technology and media researchers convened June 28-July 1, 2006
at University of Massachusetts Amherst
for the first Media Giraffe Project conference. The Media Giraffe Project,
a non-partisan, interdisplinary research
effort of the UMass journalism program, hosted the roundtable summit and
how-to sessions designed
to:
-
Consider and
recommend answers to changes to the financing and practice of
journalism
-
Bridge the gap between new and traditional
media
-
Show and consider the impact of new media
technologies on journalism and the "public
sphere"
-
Spotlight emerging business
models
-
Create new networks of media innovators
which bridge traditional carriers among journalism, education, politics
and technology
-
Watch and share innovations in
media-literacy education.
Summit sponsors besides
UMass
included the Ford Foundation, The Boston Globe Foundation, Omidyar
Network, MassLive/The Republican
newspaper and the New England Press
Association.
Constituencies from mainstream and
alternative media rarely meet together.
Yet new technologies are currently upending and interweaving the practice
of journalism, politics and teaching.
Journalists see an erosion of traditional revenue sources which supported
-- and were supported by -- their
work. It's not clear what will sustain traditional "watchdog"
journalism, or how it will co-exist, or merge, with
so-called "citizen journalism." There's an atmosphere of anticipation and
intense experimentation.
"Democracy
and Independence" -- the first Media Giraffe Project Conference -- is the
crossover meeting place for leading thinkers
on the impact of Internet technology on journalism, media, education
and politics -- and the place to celebrate
"above-the-crowd" innovation.
To accommodate attendees from citizen
journalism, media, politics, education and
technology, a five-track
event
was scheduled, starting with a limited-enrollment roundtable
summit, followed by a four-track
conference.
Individuals working in politics, at large
media, cutting-edge information technology
organizations, citizen-powered local-news web services, or
in teaching and academia share a goal of fostering
participatory democracy and community. "Democracy and Independence:
Sharing of News in a Connected World"
brought them together to share what's working now and what's coming
soon.
This first gathering of The Media Giraffe Project
observed changes in the structure of the U.S.
media industry, the impact of the Internet on its financing, including
copyright, the new relationships among creators
and consumers of news, and how democracy is affected.
The event was a chance to meet and learn from
profiled Media Giraffe pioneers. "The Media
Giraffe Citizen Journalism Bootcamp" presented case-studies of
emerging local web-based news and community efforts
in a "how-to" format designed to teach citizens and mainstream journalists
field-tested approaches for two-way,
participatory journalism.
There were panels, discussions, demonstrations
and workshops on specific projects underway
nationwide (many profiled at: http://www.mediagiraffe.org/profiles/) which use media in innovative,
sustainable ways to foster participatory democracy and
community.
WHO ATTENDED
The conference was designed for:
-
traditional media strategists, editors and
practitioners
-
Elected officials, political and public-policy
strategists
-
info-tech pioneers and
entrepreneurs
-
operators of local-news websites and
blogs
-
podcasters and vloggers dealing with news, political
and public-policy issues.
-
academic researchers and students
-
citizens who want "how-to" knowledge about
participatory media
-
anyone interested in new innovations in web, print,
film and audio news creation, delivery and
financing.
POST-CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES:
The event kicked off the Independence Day weekend in
2006. The Five
Colleges area of Massachusetts offers
a remarkable combination of sophisticated,
urban amenities amid rural beauty and is less than two
hours from Boston. Access is via the
Bradley International Airport (BDL),
Providence or Boston.
Media Giraffe Project
108 Bartlett Hall
University of Massachusetts
Amherst
Amherst MA 01003
413-577-4370
mediagiraffe (at) journ.umass.edu
This page is available at: www.mediagiraffe.org/conference.html
© Copyright 2006/2007. All rights
reserved by original source.
"The Media Giraffe Project was launched with the collaboration of The Giraffe Heroes
Project, a separate
organization that since 1982 has been moving people to stick their necks
out for the common good."
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