Building new community journalism
Like their national counterparts, our local media is in a tailspin. The Oregonian is cutting more than 60 reporters from its newsroom. Television and radio news has been reduced to weather reports and traffic accidents. Developments on the internet hold promise, but right now is more opinion and little solid local reporting. How can our democratic institutions thrive if our citizens can't found out what is happening in their community.
This week on Voices from the Edge, Jo Ann and Dave talked with people who think the answer is for us to "make the media." Abraham Hyatt is former managing editor of the Oregon Business Journal and creator of Digital Journalism Portland. Cornelius Swart is publisher of The Sentinal and a member of the Portland Media Lab, a non-profit media thinktank. Hyatt, Swart and other concerned journalists are organizers of the WeMakeTheMedia Conference taking place November 21, where journalists and concerned citizens will take the first steps toward building a new kind of community journalism.
The conversation doesn't end when the program does. You can join in additional discussion of the week's issue on our blog at kboo.fm/voicesfromtheedge (click on the "blog" tab). You'll find additional information, important links, comments from other listeners and commentary from Jo Ann and Dave. Have a question for our guests, but can't call in during the program? Post your questions on line so we can make them a part of the Voices discussion.
- KBOO