New News Conference 2011: Day One

Opening:

Margaret Simons (Public Interest Journalism Foundation)

Tipping points:

• NotW - end of Murdoch era;  Future of 70% of papers owned by News Ltd? 
• Journos and trauma 
• Crisis for journalists/media? 

PIJF Positives for new media:

• Arab spring
• Wikileaks
• Open govt 
•  Possibilities for journalism and its audience 

 Twitter: #newnews #newnewsA #newnewsB

NEW NEWS: POLITICAL JOURNALISM - WHAT'S BROKEN, WHAT WORKS?

 Panel: Lindsay Tanner, Samantha Maiden, Greg Jericho, Jay Rosen, Steve Harris (MC)

 JR (PressThink):

 Toxic elements: politics as entertainment, management of impressions (appear to be doing things when cant' take action) permanent campaign, managing (spin) the story as content, politics as a game

These are starting to substitute for real politics.

 Verification in reverse: creating doubt eg climate denialism, secrecy via complexity - political dialogue can't cope with the complex

Media: audience makers, content - attention, business - advertising

Murdoch party line: news not in conspiracy with editorial line

Echo chamber: flight to those who agree with you  may be search for authority by both media and audience

 LT (Former Labor Member for Melbourne):

Not a conspiracy. Nature of modern media. Routine for media to distort for entertainment, personality/celebrity politics, little serious discussion of issues
"Unions officials at war" a beat up - Health Services Union split business as usual
Regular impugning of good character without evidence eg Nick sherry & bank guarantee

No absolutes - still lots of good things
Fragmented rather than common areas fo discourse. Parallel worlds.

 GJ (Grog's Gamut):

 Easy out for poor journalism - politicians give them crap. No necessity to take crap as truth.

Daily Telegraph: Julia's shoes not up to wearing out shoe leather; Swan ruling out congestion tax ignored in scare story

Next election shaping up as the worst thanks to media crap.

24 hour news cycle - one hour 24 times.

SM (New Ltd):

 What's working: freedom of information laws; internet cuts both ways but great for reporters and readers - more/faster; use of 'new' data eg cost of living;informing people eg child care rebate entitlements and proposed changes.

Not all frivolous or trivial.

Fortress Australias - Unhealthy to only read/watch what reflects your views. (GJ Fortress Australian?)

Phoney online MSM blogs without real audiences and interaction.

Global Voices: Malaysia No Solution to ‘Boat People' Politics

My latest web roundup for Global Voices Australia: Malaysia No Solution to ‘Boat People' Politics:

The Australian government’s attempt to take a hard line on people smugglers and asylum seekers arriving by boat has hit a major snag. In December 2010 approximately 50 asylum seekers were drowned at Christmas Island when their boat was smashed on the rocks. A legal challenge has postponed a swap of refugees with Malaysia.

Activista Swarm: Some Fresh Faces

Meet some fresh faces from the Activista Blogger Swarm who are doing their bit for our collective future.

Powerland: Namibia's Clean Energy Minigrid

Some clean energy good news from Global Post:

New widget: U.S. High Temperature Records

A new U.S. High Temperature Records widget via PBS News Hour:

'Using data collected by the NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, the PBS NewsHour has set out to track the number of high temperature records set each day of the year across the United States. We've built this widget so our viewers can understand the significance of the heat, not only in terms of raw degrees, but in a format that compares today's temperatures to previous record highs. The widget is built to be embedded into any website, and the data behind it will be updated every day.'
New Widget Tracks Record-Breaking High Temperatures

It's just data - people can draw their own conclusions (and will).

Herald Sun: Be Afraid, Very Afraid!

It's not easy being an expert with an agenda. At the Herald Sun today, Terry McCrann's prediction of a rate rise fitted very well with their hip pocket scare campaign:

THE 'solving' of the US debt crisis leaves the Reserve Bank with no choice. It must lift its official cash rate today and I'm confident it will.
Debt deal should unleash rate rise

In case you missed it, his confidence was misplaced. But if you were one of the Hun's battlers with a hefty mortgage, you might have had a troubled morning before the reserve Bank left interest rates on hold:

PEOPLE battling soaring bills will learn today if they face more pain from an interest-rate rise.

Industry groups have warned of a "perfect storm" if the Reserve Bank defies expectations and increases the cash rate, potentially putting jobs at risk, ...

St Vincent de Paul Society president Tony Tome said increased mortgages would hit Victoria's growing number of "working poor".

"It's just another straw on the camel's back and for some it certainly will be the straw that broke the camel's back," he said.
Battlers Warned As Rate Rise Looms

Of course, it wouldn't matter if this 'crap' was buried in the Business section but it was Page 3 in the print version if my memory is accurate.

Anyway they can trot out the doom and gloom next month. Perhaps Terry will have better luck next time.

Activistas: Blogging for Their Future

Some excellent news amidst all the gloom lately. Introducing the Activista Blogger Swarm:

Today we announce the names of 10 Global Voices bloggers and 11 activists who will be working together virtually over the next months as part of a new mentoring initiative developed by Global Voices and Activista, the youth network of international development organization, ActionAid.

Activista has selected activists from 10 countries on five continents to form part of a “Blogger Swarm”which will be blogging on the Activista website over the next 12 months. Their goal is to get youth around the world involved in discussions about development, and especially food and climate justice
Global Voices Bloggers to Mentor Youth Activists from 10 Countries

It is my pleasure and privilege to be mentoring one of the bloggers, Benadette Chandia Kodili, from Uganda. Kodili's first post on the Swarm is not about climate change or the food crisis but another aspect of food altogether:

For a moment I wished people who are out there advocating for women’s rights were here to witness this magical moment: we were being served by an African man as the women looked on!

It may be a small gesture, but for those who know how women have always been treated in most African traditions, men as the boss and women as servants. This moment was precious.
What makes a man a real man?

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