Analogies of Community Journalism

There are a lot of words flying around to describe citizen journalism. I’ve begun leaning towards “network journalism” for various reasons. Contained within that is “distributed reporting” (reporting in various geographic locations with the aid of multiple contributors), but I wanted to take a post to create a few analogies to better describe how I see network journalism and how traditional news organizations can frame their thinking a little differently to encompass and welcome what can be a powerful content creating model.

The first thing to realize is that this is community journalism. That doesn’t mean — covering a community. But rather — relying on a community to help you do the work that needs to get done. If done right, it can lead to a fuller story about what you are covering. At Assignment Zero we collected over 80 interviews with leaders in the world of crowdsourcing.

Some call that crowdsourcing. I consider it “relationship management.” It’s a trait that all journalists learn to some degree. We are always told to manage our relationships with sources. Keep them at a close distance of course, (as my old profesor said ‘you can cover the circus, just don’t fuck the elephant), but you need to be friendly with your sources — so you can rely on them again in the future. That is relationship management. And yes, it is a lot of work.

Community journalism on the Web is a bit different, but once you become a netizen it will feel like second nature. So here are a few analogies, just for fun.

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1. The party.

This is often the first analogy I give when I’m trying to explain network journalism.

Traditionally: The act of journalism is a solo affair. At best it’s a clique that eats lunch together on the quad every day in highschool.

Network Journalism: You are hosting a party. Make sure you clean the house and prepare snacks. Send out the invites and mingle throughout the process. Be ready to think on your feet. If the party goers want to dance, you may need to appoint a D.J and rearrange the furniture rather quickly. The good news is, if you sent out enough invites, you’ll have plenty of people to help do the lifting with you.

2. The bucket of Feugo (fire).

Traditionally: Journalism is like cooking a mean BBQ. Only one person can stand in front of the grill. Maybe an editor will come by to roast the buns.

Network Journalism: Ever notice in the absence of television people inherently love to stare at a fire? A bucket of fire is easy to get going and it can be a collaborative process. Someone gathers wood, an alpha male usually steps up to proclaim themselves the fire-starter. But once the marshmallows come out everyone gets a shot at cooking their creations. Inevitably — people station themselves in a circle and while they may be focusing on the dancing flames, they are facing each other. Around a fire is a perfect opportunity to begin an intense discussion.

3.The board game

Traditionally: Solitaire anyone?

Network Journalism: Healthy communities often form when people are in some form of competition. I’m not talking gladiator, kill or be killed, but rather — everyone knows they are taking part for good clean fun and that the competition is there to bring the best out of them. Rewards can be in the form of money, or simple points (re: Digg). Board games are so 20th-century (I know), but they tap into something inherent. Get a bunch of people together in a room, give them an incentive to “win” something — and they will engage each other. Network journalism is still waiting for its Monopoly.

4. The Sports team

Taping into the same competitive nature as board games, you also have sports teams. What happens when you get a group of people and put them on a team. Not only is there competition, but camaraderie.

5. Religious communities (also knows as the Kum-ba-ya effect)

Traditionally: Saying your night time prayers. It’s just you and the big guy.

Network journalism: Although a religious figure leads the proceedings, I imagine the reason why an entire day out of the week is dedicated to prayer is to allow for entire communities to gather and pray together.  Somehow the experience is enhanced. Furthermore, the best religious leaders adapt their sermons to reflect what is going on in their community. In the past entire communities were centered around this community relationship tool.

Similarly – network journalism isn’t devoid of leaders, but those “editors” are responsive. They don’t report an issue by themselves only to dictate it to the community on Sunday. They invite the community into their palace of journalism to pray together that the journalism gods will give them a scoop.

6. The Musical Jam Session

Traditionally: The school orchestra. Everyone stares at their sheet music. Maybe up at the conductor, but all that hand waving never meant anything to me. (I played trombone for two years).

Network journalism: You don’t always know where the song is going to end up. But there is still a certain amount of ESP involved. Ask any group of jazz/jam musicians that play together regularly. They can just look at each other and know a change is coming. (I’ve played drums in four bands since I quite the school orchestra)

And don’t forget about the economics of the Grateful Dead. Flying in the face of traditional music business models, they allowed audience members to bootleg their performances — and traditional Deadheads added that these tapes should be shared freely. Maybe the G.D. didn’t make as much in record sales — but man did they have a loyal fan base, which allowed them to make plenty of money on the road.

7. The Starfish and the Spider

Traditionally: Chop off a spider’s head and you have a dead eight legged creature on your hands.

Network journalism: Chop a starfish in half and you end up with two starfish. That is the power of a decentralized organization.

Note: In response to this Dan Gillmore once wrote to me: “Starfish are great at survival, but not much else….”

Good point.

8. Show and Tell

Traditionally: Okay class it’s time for SLT (Silent Reading Time)

Network Journalism: Everyone gets their time to share. Granted — to the teacher most of the objects won’t be illuminating (aside from a peak into the personal psychology of their students), but for the individuals, that time in front of their peers can be an important factor in how they define themselves. It’s about community!

9.Got anything? Leave a comment.

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