Keepgoing.org takes a look at the story behind Suck, one of the first Web publishing phenoms, former stomping ground for the likes of Terry Colon, Nick Gillespie and Brian Doherty, Carl Steadman, Ana Marie Cox and Greg Beato. Along with Feed, Suck was once the darling of the cyberati.
“It may not fully be the equivalent of having served time in a Mexican prison where we were all raped and tortured and scarred for life,” says Gillespie, “but it is something like that.”
All right. I’m throwing down my official entry in the Name-the-Unofficial-Journalist sweepstakes. For those of you who have lives beyond journalism, interactive media enthusiasts like Dan Gillmor and JD Lasica have been in a bit of a muddle to find a term for the many, many folks who are now producing works of journalism, but are not employed by any media organizations. Various factions are calling this “grassroots journalism” (Gillmor’s fave*), “personal media” (Lasica’s pick), “stand-alone journalism” (Chris Nolan’s choice) and “citizen journalism” (Steve Outing’s preference).
Why is it important? I guess because naming is a first step towards celebrating, acknowledging, and organizing. Names are important.
Pragmatically, if I’m not working for a news organization, I’m daunted from the task of reporting by the prospect of the question, “Who are you with?” or “Where is this going to go?” The very first thing I usually say to interviewees and potential sources is, “Hi, my name is Matt Thompson, I’m a reporter for FresnoBee.com.” But I honestly feel as though it’s the term “reporter,” not the institution of The Fresno Bee, that lends me more of the cachet of officialdom.
I’d feel a bit sheepish if I were out telling my interviewees that I’m doing “citizen’s journalism” for The Fresno Bee.
So, first off, if we’re calling these folks journalists, it stands to reason they’re doing some reporting. So can we give ’em the word “reporter”? It sounds better, more comfortable, and it’s easier to toss off.
We could just stop there. After all, I’m pretty down with saying, “Hi, I’m Matt Thompson, I’m reporting for Snarkmarket.com.” (Not that I ever do, but stay with me here.)
But I think there’s value in creating a separate term distinct from traditional media reporting. The term should imply what all those above do: I acknowledge that my reporting carries a perspective; I’m not hiding behind a big institution, nor are the resources of such an institution standing behind me.
My nomination? Street reporter.
How’s about it, sports fans? Any counter-offers? Open to suggestions, here.
P.S.: I understand that this may be just like that time Amy Gahran started a campaign to get everyone to call RSS feeds “web feeds.” And no comment.
Correction: Dan Gillmor says his term of choice is actually “citizen journalism” as well.
Why English majors “see developing the moral imagination as more important than securing economic self-justification,” why conversations with mass murderers are often disappointing, why the readers of Snarkmarket are all doomed, and more, in my favorite graduation speech of 2005 so far, by Mark Danner.
You, the player, using your own name and gender, play the character of a longtime friend of Grace and Trip, an attractive and materially successful couple in their early thirties. During an evening get-together at their apartment that quickly turns ugly, you become entangled in the high-conflict dissolution of Grace and Trip
Word It is a monthly project by the design collaborative Speak Up. Every month, they post a word, and anyone can submit a 5×5″ image illustrating that word. Very simple, yes. Surprisingly absorbing. I think this is my favorite (the word is “pleasure”).
Apparently people have been going nuts with the BBC API BBC’s RSS feeds. The BBC Backstage blog (“Use our stuff to build your stuff”) is currently blowing my mind just a tad. Bayesian news filtering! BBC.icio.us! Extract names and places from stories! News maps galore!
All of it is hella beta, but also scrumptious. Why is the BBC so awesome?
For its 80th anniversary, The New Yorker is releasing a DVD collection containing every single issue of the magazine — cover, ads, articles, cartoons, everything. Only $100.
Umm, can every publication in the world do this immediately, please? (Via Kottke.)
Apparently back in February The Guardian put up an 8-page Joe Sacco comic from Iraq. It’s a 37-meg PDF download, to forewarn you, but it’s a quick, interesting look at the war through a keen set of eyes. It’s not as good as his Pulitzer-winning effort in Palestine or his reporting in Eastern Europe, mostly because he’s embedded with the troops this time rather than speaking with civilians, but it’s probably different from any other Iraq war coverage you’ve seen. (Via MadInkBeard.)
Another entry in the Everything Bad Is Good for You file, this one noted by Chad Capellman over at morph:
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Johan Santana, he of the 2004 AL Cy Young Award and a ridiculously dominant recent record for the Minnesota Twins, prepares for opponents by locking himself in a room and playing PlayStation.
As reported in the recent issue of Sports Illustrated:
Either the night before or on the morning of the game, he’ll check out the lineup of the team he’s facing, take in how the hitters have done against him. Then, alone on his bed, he’ll pick up his PlayStation Portable, plug in the team he’ll soon be pitching against for real, and go to work. …
“Believe it or not, sometimes I see things in video games that will come true,” Santana says. “Particularly in the last year. They’re coming up with some good games, so realistic — the stats are so accurate, and you can go from there. I’m sure a lot of players will agree with what I’m saying. Because it gives you ideas. I see the scouting reports, though I don’t go by that, and in these video games you can see what the hitters have, how to approach them. It’s pretty cool.
I’ve seen this Technology Review article everywhere, and I have only one comment:
It’s called collaborative citizen journalism (CCJ) …
Is it really? Because that’s hella lame. (Note that exactly one person in the article uses the term “CCJ.”)
