CIVIC & CITIZEN

Journalism AEJMC http://ccjig.blogspot.com INTEREST GROUP www.has.vcu.edu/civic-journalism SPRING 2009 A sustainable model emerges "Employ collective intelligence but fact-check with professionals" By Nikhil Moro the contrary, it would seem. Take travel together to report on news from CCJIG Chair Julien Pain, founder-editor of the the frontlines. Their journey is French cit-journalism site “Observers.” professionally. . . edited, and aired on a A clichéd refrain In recent media interviews, Mr. Pain variety of major media platforms.” of critics is that citizen says Web traffic has zoomed with the Purple States’ documentaries have been have little increase in perceived credibility. He streamed on nyt.com, washingtonpost. incentive to check for says his site “takes advantage of the com, Verizon v-cast as well as on local facts or fairness, or to best aspects of a , but maintains television. even write well. professional direction.” Clearly, the site That seems to be the emerging So is fact-checking on life has realized enhanced value through model: Employ a collective intelligence support? edits by a professional. but fact-check using a professional. I Consider the evidence. More and Another example is Cynthia predict it will emerge as the definition more citizen sites are hiring a Farrar’s forum, of “sustainable journalism,” a meme professional (or two or three) whose tag line boasts, “People powered, which Leonard Witt recently got a to edit members’ contributions. As professionally produced.” The site, $1.5 million gift to explore. The model citizen journalism matures, it seems to “Purple States,” was described by one potentially enhances citizen journalism’s be increasingly turning into a method blogger as a “new media company that credibility but also creates avenues for to investigate a story rather than a gathers content from citizen journalists laid-off journalists. replacement for professional like you, edits their videos and A citizen site that has bucked the journalism. interviews, and delivers those packages trend is CNN’s “iReport,” which Is that a challenge to the very to major media outlets.” Its teams premise of citizen journalism? Quite comprise “citizen journalists. . . who See MODEL, page 4 Witt receives $1.5 million gift from Harnisch Foundation By Kirsten Johnson CCJIG Secretary In an interview with the Civic & Citizen Journalism Interest Group INSIDE The Harnisch Foundation has chair, Nikhil Moro, Witt said the awarded $1.5 million to Kennesaw Center will have two areas of focus.  Invitation to Boston '09 State University to support the work of First, the center will “… be an incubator, convention, page 2 Leonard Witt, who is the Robert D. economic engine and nurturer of new, Fowler Distinguished chair in sustainable models for high quality,  CCJIG '09 convention Communication at Kennesaw State ethically sound journalism. The goal programming, page 3 University, and also a former chair of will be to produce projects that will be the Civic and Citizen Journalism spun off into stand-alone nonprofit or  CCJIG '09 paper call, Interest Group. The money will be for-profit entities.” Witt said the page 4 used to create a Center for Sustainable See GIFT, page 6 Journalism. 2 CIVIC & CITIZEN JOURNALISM INTEREST GROUP -- Spring 2009 Diverse programming marks CCJIG's line-up for Boston

By Mary Beth Callie CCJIG Co-Vice Chair/Co-Programming Chair

marks the 20th anniversary of Knight Journalism. Ridder CEO James Batten’s influential “Now that the old models are falling 2009 address in Riverside, Calif., recognized as apart it is a golden time to rebuild models sparking the public/civic journalism movement. In the that are more socially responsible and by that I mean context of declining readership, as Jay Rosen describes, providing the information that the public needs to make Batten centered on the question of the role of the press in informed personal, professional and citizen oriented making work. decisions,” Witt shares on the CCJIG blog. As public issues became more complex, and people On Friday, the panel organized by Ed Lambeth, retreated to private lives, Batten stressed the civic role of the University of Missouri emeritus professor and first chair of press: “From the days of Mr. Jefferson…our system has CCJIG (1994-96), will focus on the place of the journalism operated on the principle that the American people, given academy in developing a digital-age business model that sufficient information, are capable of making wise preserves and asserts the traditional “public good” role of decisions.” the press. By sponsoring public forums and making politics vivid, The rest of our program provides opportunities to focus Batten argued, journalism could “recall the public to the on the civic-citizen role of the press (Common Health, ‘public’s important business.” A year later, in a talk at the Common Wealth: Public Understanding, Problem-Solving, University of Kansas (receiving the William Allen White and Action; Journalists and Law Enforcement: Rights award), Batten centered on the ’s role in facilitating versus Security); citizen journalism (Citizen Journalism and “community-connectedness.” Media Literacy in the Mumbai Terrorist Attacks; Has Today, 20 years later, our are imperiled, Civic/Citizen Journalism come full circle?); journalism lacking a sustainable business model. In the past several education (programs to help rural journalists serve their months, four owners of 33 daily newspapers in the United communities; international efforts to teach civic and citizen States have sought bankruptcy protection. On Feb. 27, the journalism; Journalism Jobs in a Digital Age); and E. W. Scripps Co. closed down the almost 150-year-old collaboration (J-Lab Luncheon Panel, Civic News Networks: Rocky Mountain News. My own hometown paper, the Collaboration vs. Competition). 138-year-old Tucson Citizen, owned by Gannett, will likely A note on the programming process: We have teamed shut down in March. All this as a February cover article of up with COMJIG, Council of Affiliates, History, Time featured Walter Isaacson’s “modest proposal” International, J-Lab, Media Ethics, and Newspaper, to for “How to Save Your Newspaper” (proposing a pay-per- sponsor three types of panels: Professional Freedom and use model similar to iTunes). Responsibility, Teaching, and Research. We also have two This year’s lineup for AEJMC in Boston, home of the pre-convention workshops. After the initial panel proposals first colonial newspapers (1690, Public Occurrences, suppressed; were submitted in October, Nikhil Moro and I found 1704, Boston News-Letter, printer-postmaster John co-sponsoring divisions/interest groups at the “Chip Campbell), offers perspective on and models for viable, civic Auction” in Louisville, Ky., in December. Our interest group and citizen-centered, 21st century journalism. could individually sponsor three panels or co-sponsor six. On Wednesday, Aug. 5, together with collaborators, Len The Community College Journalism Association then Witt, a CCJIG veteran, will share his “representative,” or generously “donated” a chip, or sponsorship, to us, which “community-supported” journalism field experiment in enabled us to include seven panels. In the next several Northfield, Minn. Witt, and Kennesaw State, were just months, panel organizers will work with the co-sponsoring awarded a $1.5 million grant to start a Center for Sustainable group to finalize the panel and speakers (due: May 15). See you in Boston! CIVIC & CITIZEN JOURNALISM INTEREST GROUP -- Spring 2009 3

The following is the full line-up for the Franklin and Benjamin Franklin, who focused journalism in the United States. Boston convention: lived in Boston, were apparently Panel contact: Burton St. John, community activists more than they [email protected]. AEJMC Pre-convention were editors. They were not J-school Tuesday August 4 trained in reporting, pagination, or AEJMC Convention ethics. But they invariably had a finger Thursday August 6 •1-4 p.m., “Citizen Journalism and on their readers’ pulse, an ear close to Media Literacy in the Mumbai Terrorist their audiences's chest. Today, as •8:15-9:45 a.m. Attacks” (with COMJIG) America’s loftiest legacy media Refereed research paper session, This conference/workshop will organizations increasingly embrace a with presentations of four or five of the bring together scholars of media literacy YouTubization –– harnessing the submitted papers accepted after blind and citizen/ to collective intelligence of their former review. critically examine the practices and audiences –– to keep the news accurate, semiotics of south Mumbai's blogger- cheap and exciting, is it an indication •1:30-3 p.m. reporters during the terrorist strikes of that journalism has come full circle Scholar-to-Scholar session, with November 27-29, 2008. The goal is to from the era of Harris and the presentations of six to eight of the Franklins? If yes, in what ways? Those highlight some key critical skills for submitted papers accepted after blind are the quesitons this research panel audiences of citizen journalism to review. will examine. Panel contact: Nikhil analyze and evaluate citizen messages Moro, [email protected]. for bias, accuracy, and fairness in times •6:45-8:15 p.m. of crisis, in order to facilitate both an Joint meeting of CCJIG and •10-11:30 a.m., “Helping Rural educated citizenry and high quality COMJIG members until 7:30 p.m., Journalists Better Serve Their citizen journalism. Event contact: followed by a separate meeting of Communities” (with COMJIG) Nikhil Moro, [email protected]. CCJIG members to elect officers for This PFR panel will explore 2009-10. Finally, all depart for an university-based training programs and •4-10 p.m., “Journalism Jobs in a Digital optional off-site social. projects designed to help rural Age” journalists better serve their This workshop will address AEJMC Convention communities. Several could become questions such as: Will journalism prototypes for programs across the Friday August 7 students, will journalists, find work in country. Panel contact: Elizabeth the future, and if so, will it be in Hansen, [email protected]. •12:15-1:30 p.m., J-Lab Luncheon Panel traditional forms of journalism or in on “Civic News Networks: Collaboration emerging or altogether new venues? •11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., “Reinventing vs. Competition?” (with CoA and Where precisely will the jobs be? And Journalism: Anatomy of a One-Year COMJIG) what skills will our students need? Applied Field Experiment” (with This PFR panel will explore How will they be paid for the work COMJIG) whether “scoop” is disappearing from they do? What will the journalism This PFR panel will discuss the the vernacular of . As a ecosystem be like? What will be the one-year Representative Journalism response to shrinking newsrooms, challenges to producing ethically sound, field experiment in Northfield, MN, as costly Associated Press fees, and an high quality journalism? What seen through the lens of Leonard Witt, emerging culture of collaboration and instructional adjustments must be who conceived the idea, Shayla Thiel- participatory media, regional news made? The conference will be developed Stern, who observed it as a researcher, organizations around the country are by the Robert D. Fowler Distinguished Bonnie Obremski, who worked as the starting to build innovative consortiums Chair in Communication (currently journalist/fellow, and Griff Wigley, for sharing content on a statewide or held by Leonard Witt) and the Nieman who participated as a community regular basis. Participants see it as a Foundation for Journalism at Harvard member. Panel contact: Leonard Witt, win-win: Securing additional feet on University. Event contact: Leonard [email protected]. the street, broader distribution of their Witt, [email protected]. content, and less “me, too” duplication •5-6:30 p.m., “Journalists and Law of reporting. How is the public served? AEJMC Convention Enforcement: Rights versus Security” And can the public participate? Panel Wednesday August 5 (with Law & Policy) contact: Jan Schaefer, [email protected]. This research panel will discuss •8-9:45 a.m., “Has the Civic/Citizen how the tension between law •1:45-3:15 p.m., “Common Health, Movement Brought Journalism Full enforcement authorities and the press Commonwealth: Public Understanding, Circle?” (with History) has significant concerns for the Problem-solving, and Action” (with America’s earliest printer-editors, development of both the practical and such as Benjamin Harris, James theoretical development of citizen- See PROGRAM, page 4 4 CIVIC & CITIZEN JOURNALISM INTEREST GROUP -- Spring 2009 Model CCJIG Paper Call for '09 From Page 1 continues to declare that “the stories The Civic and Citizen Journalism Interest Group (CCJIG) invites submitted by users are not edited, fact- research paper submissions for the 2009 convention. Papers must be checked or screened before they post.” submitted in accordance with all requirements of the AEJMC Uniform iReport, which turned one year old Paper Call. The deadline is April 1, 2009. February 15, has more than 25,000 Papers submitted will be eligible for a separate faculty and student reporter-members. Its virtual branch top paper award of $151. In general, CCJIG is interested in research that in Second Life – “our bigger, better examines the emergence, practice, sustenance and/or teaching of civic/ space” as one iReporter gushed – is citizen journalism. called iReport Island, the rapidly Suggested paper topics include: citizen/civic journalism in the 2008 growing “network of 3-D citizen campaign season, citizen media, blogging, civic mapping, community journalists.” iReports are also broadcast conversations, projects, legal and ethical issues in civic/citizen in CNN Radio feeds to “more than journalism, crowdsourcing versus traditional “gatekeeper” journalism, 1,500 affiliates in the United States, civic/citizen journalism in a multicultural environment, civic/citizen Canada, Australia, New Zealand journalism and new technologies, history/philosophy of civic/citizen Aruba and Newfoundland.” journalism, the changing newspaper industry economy and its effect on I expect that if citizen sites won’t the development of civic/citizen journalism movements, media fact-check, then others will do it for convergence and civic/citizen journalism, the missions and meanings of them – that is a fundamental reason “civic journalism” and/or “citizen journalism,” teaching civic/citizen why collective intelligence is a utility. journalism, and using polls, focus groups and other methods in civic For instance, check out Public-Press. reporting. org, Spot.us and Newsdesk.org. Clearly, Please direct any questions to Research Co-Chairs Burton St. John this idea that others will do the fact- at [email protected] or Glenn Scott at [email protected]. checking, has its own pitfalls given that Web users tend to frequent content which reinforces – not challenges – their attitudes. Mark Program challenges of the digital era. Panelists Glaser of MediaShift once observed will examine whether the journalism that Web traffic to non-partisan fact- From Page 3 academy, frequently in tandem with check sites -- such as PolitiFact, other academic disciplines, can and/or FactCheck, and the Washington Post’s Fact Checker blog -- is always less Newspaper) should spire to a significant measure of influence on the design, values, than the Web traffic to partisan fact- This PFR panel will examine check sites -- such as Newsbusters journalistic, nonprofit, and goals, priorities, and direction of mainline and in the (conservative) and Media Matters governmental efforts to inform and (liberal). educate the American public about digital age. Panel contact: Ed Lambeth, [email protected]. Besides, consider what Walter healthcare reform at the state and Isaacson of the Aspen Institute writes national levels. Panelists will focus on AEJMC Convention in a recent Time. He calls for Web coverage of mandated health insurance users to make a “micropayment” via in Massachusetts, State Children’s Saturday August 8 some sort of EZPass system which he Health Insurance Program expansion claims would, besides saving the (SCHIP) in Colorado, and national •1:30-3 p.m., “World View: newspaper industry, “nourish and healthcare reform during the International Efforts to Teach Civic and encourage all sorts of citizen journalism presidential campaign. Panel contact: Citizen Journalism” (with International and blogging.” A consensus seems to Mary Beth Callie, mcallie@regis@ Communication; thanks to Community be developing that if citizen journalism edu. College Journalism Association) is to have monetary value, fact- This teaching panel will explore checking will be inevitable. •3:30-5 p.m., “The Journalism Academy the theories and skills taught by All of it leads me to offer that we and the ’s Quest for a journalism schools and nonprofit don’t have to be particularly intrepid to Digital-Age Business Model: Who Speaks groups, outside the United States, appreciate the emerging model – for Ethics and the Public Good?” (with which have launched efforts to teach “employ a collective intelligence but Media Ethics) civic or citizen journalism. Panel fact-check using a professional” – as This PFR panel will explore the contact: Jeff South, [email protected]. worthy of our group’s careful educational, professional, and ethical attention. CIVIC & CITIZEN JOURNALISM INTEREST GROUP -- Spring 2009 5 Join the conversation at our blog!

Fellow AEJMC members, come join the fun at CCJIG's blog, http://ccjig.blogspot.com/. The blog is our primary forum to discuss the issues, trends and challenges of the media industries. Come share your thoughts -- or drop by just to say hello. The blog is easy to access and use. Recent discussions have included credibility ratings, citizen coverage of the NYC and Buffalo plane crashes, social media use in Asia, newspaper brands, a new libel defense which may possibly be of use to citizen journalists, and blogger activism.

CCJIG emerges as largest in 2008-09 By Nikhil Moro just telling the news or unloading lots years our group’s scholarship has CCJIG Chair of facts” (Pew Center). Academic addressed topics in civic engagement, interest in civic journalism was catalyzed pedagogical modeling, sources, Our interest group has emerged as by David Perry’s 2003 book titled The transparency, perceptions of credibility, AEJMC’s largest in 2008-09. We host Roots of Civic Journalism and by other citizen journalism models, and political scholars devoted to either public or work by advocates such as Davis “Buzz” efficacy. participatory journalism. Of our 116 Merritt. At the 2009 convention in Boston, registered members 57 are female. Six Other members of our group have we plan to build on that edifice as well of our members identify themselves as an interest in “citizen journalism,” as investigate new trends, such as topics African-American, two as Asian- which is practiced by non-professionals in citizen/civic journalism in the 2008 American, and twelve as International. who use a digital camera and a sharing presidential campaign season, newsroom We are happy to report that thanks spirit to observe events and record projects, legal/ethical issues, the to our growing membership our budget them on personal , or on Twitter, contrasts between crowdsourcing and is healthier than ever before. We are an iReport, CitizenSide and other such “gatekeeping,” changes in the newspaper active, welcoming group with a relatively online forums. Unlike civic reporters, economy, media convergence, and use young membership. We love new who are professionals, citizen journalists of polls and focus groups in civic members! are not on the payroll of any legacy reporting. Some of our members – those with media organization. Typically, they are In Boston we plan to give away an interest in civic journalism – explore not even trained in jschool. Academic two “best paper” prizes of $151 each to the trend of professional reporters interest in citizen journalism pivots on a faculty member and a graduate acting as participant observers (who the expositions of, among others, Mark student. Send us a paper! We also have might advance specific social agendas) Glaser, Jay Rosen, Dan Gillmor and slated two pre-convention workshops rather than as dispassionate spectators. Leonard Witt. and about a dozen discussion panels. Such reporters recognize that Many of our members are excited Details of our convention program and “journalism has an obligation to public about technology-driven trends in current discussions may be found at life – an obligation that goes beyond journalism practice. In the last two our blog http://ccjig.blogspot.com. Journalism CIVIC INTEREST GROUP NEWS GROUP INTEREST

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Center will also be integrated with Kennesaw State University and will The center will “be an incubator, economic work in harmony with the University’s educational mission, which will include, engine and nurturer of new, sustainable “…working with undergraduates, developing new courses, building a models for high quality, ethically sound graduate program and producing bodies of research and evaluative tools related journalism.” to the projects developed and to applied media innovation and information — Leonard Witt economics in general.” The Center will need to be self- projects in the area of journalism, sustaining in 5 years. coaching and philanthropy. The announcement about the This is not the first grant for Witt award was made in early February at from the Harnisch foundation. The SoCon09, an annual Social Media Foundation previously gave Witt more conference at Kennesaw State University. than $60,000 to support his launch of a According to the Harnisch Minnesota-based representative Foundation website, the foundation journalism project. awards grants to help people improve More information about the award their lives. The organization has can be found on the CCJIG blog (ccjig. concentrated on providing grants to blogspot.com) and pjnet.org.