The message has transcended media. The medium is no longer the massage. McLuhan’s insight was visionary and accurate for a time. Now the same message can reach multitudes simultaneously through multiple media formats. Messages are no longer shaped for one medium upon which they travel. Media are redefining media.
The stories with which we define our lives come in large part from communication with others. At the local level that may mean through face-to-face interaction, talking on the phone, or sending an email. At the community level it may even come in the form of a neighborhood newsletter. However, there are other levels of these stories being spread by regional, national, and international media as well. The stories told about our communities that we do not experience firsthand still add to the overall beliefs about that community. Braddock is a prime example.
People in Pittsburgh are constantly asking us why we moved here, with fear or disgust in their voices. They tell us the streets aren’t safe and warn us not to walk past any recessed doorways after dark. To be sure, Braddock has had its share of violence that we’ve heard of—community history. But we have not seen any firsthand nor ever felt threatened. On the contrary our neighbors are extremely friendly, offering to help us paint and telling us how they chased off kids who were breaking the windows when the house was empty. The people at the post office are so friendly, they may even have the Douglas post office beat. On the other end, our neighborhood also has its share of crackheads. At least they ask for work rather than breaking my car window like the meth addicts in Juneau.
But the people who live here now and who are friendly are only one side of the community that we have found in Braddock. We are also members of a group Ryan likened to ex-pats in Europe. People who have moved here to do something who may not have ever met one another in any other situation, but group together because of this shared experience.
Neither of these communities we experience firsthand on a daily basis have their stories told in the regional news. When we read Google alerts and topix.com news related to Braddock it is almost always about a shooting, fire, or slaying. They aren’t even all in Braddock. They are on Braddock Avenue, which runs throughout the city, or in North Braddock. But the impression this leaves on the Pittsburghers who read this news on a daily basis is that Braddock is filled with violence.
Not once in these news feeds have I seen an article about the 70 local youth who are employed on the urban farm this summer. No coverage of how they are building raised gardens around local homes and teaching the residents to grow their own vegetables. There isn’t coverage of the heavy Americorp volunteer presence in the community and the miriad activities they are enabling. There are no articles on the rehabilitation of numerous buildings throughout the city. So many people here are fixing up buildings that I can’t go to Lowe’s without running into someone I know, and I’m there almost every day.
This discrepancy is causing a divide between the story we tell about our community and the one others in the region believe about it.
The potential of social networking for news, through community or independent journalism, is vast. However, there will be a gap in in-depth investigative reporting if professional organizations with funding no longer dig deeper into stories. This isn’t to say that the mass media are fulfilling this entirely. I’m skeptical of the news industry in its current form. The same wire stories are plopped into every local paper, the papers reprint articles from other papers and quote one another.
I miss the imagined days of real reporting: muckraking and breaking huge cover ups. Maybe it really happened the way I imagine it, but it certainly doesn’t happen enough now. There are some magazines out there willing to spend the money to investigate a topic over a long period of time to get to the guts, but that’s happening less and less. Despite the drawbacks of the mass media, the public taking control doesn’t yet offer a full alternative. There is only so much we can tell one another through word of mouth and without taking time out of our lives to get first-hand information. Certain individuals, or groups, will need to become amateur reporters and spend significant amounts of time and energy covering the news.
One thing that gives me hope for the future of community journalism is the development of spot.us—a 2008 winner of the Knight News Challenge. Spot.us is a news version of the UK trend to publicly fund musicians so they can make their own albums, like sellaband.com. It’s a way for a reporter to bring an idea to the public and let them decide if it’s worth covering. The articles that get funded get written, edited, and distributed.
A community-focused social network like this fills the void and levels the playing field. Amateurs and professional journalists alike will be able to apply for funding, and we the people will be able to choose what gets investigated in our communities. We Media, most definitely.
“First we thought the PC was a calculator. Then we found out how to turn numbers into letters with ASCII - and we thought it was a typewriter. Then we discovered graphics, and we thought it was a television. With the World Wide Web, we’ve realized it’s a brochure.”
Douglas Adams
Fielding added new electronic books to one of the online libraries, and I spent a while yesterday skimming through them. The content of Technophobia: The Psychological Impact of Information Technology stuck with me the most. Technophobia is a fear of technology (distinct from social convictions opposed to the use of technology) that affects 1/3 of the industrialized world.
What was interesting to me was the inclusion of sex/gender theories with research showing women had a higher rate of technophobia. Brosnan looked at the difference in male and female levels of technophobia through psychological concepts of gender versus biological bases. The idea is that the physical state of being female is not necessarily what makes a woman more anxious about using technology, but rather the acceptance of the societal beliefs about femininity. When the computer itself was not masculinized by the social group, girls and boys were balanced in their technology use. In situations where the computer was masculinized, women with higher levels of masculinity used computers more. The same is not true for men—a lower level of masculinity in men was linked to a higher interest in computers.
Overall the book is interesting, I just wish I could download it to my iLiad so that I wasn’t tied to the computer. Reading an entire book on the computer screen is not going to happen, that’s why I bought the portable reader.
I started another section on this site to explore the details of renovating a house in Braddock. My plan is to collect stories about Braddock, rehabbing, and contractors to share with others who may be interested in visiting or moving here. Rather than blogging chronologically about it, I’ve chosen to write in more detail on specific topics. It’s a rough-in right now, but I’m making some progress with content.
Part of the decision was based on filling up my Flickr account with photos of destruction in the house that all looked the same. It needed more, the photos needed their stories told. Also, it was annoying me that only the latest 200 demo photos were available in my photostream. My solution was to use my own site, and make more out of the photos.
“...when the media isn’t serving you or the world, it’s time to become the media.”
Zines save lives...that’s what Justin Hocking tells us. Justin is the executive director of Portland Oregon’s Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC), which provides training, events, and libraries for independently published creations. I’ve taken a tour of the library and work spaces, and just thinking about the letterpresses they have available in there gets me excited about taking back the media and making zines.
So what is this about saving lives? In addition to IPRC’s ten years of enabling publishing, they are now working on a Media Action Program (MAP) teaching teens to critically de-construct media messages. Following is an interview with Justin about the program, the power of zines, and independent publishing’s influence on culture:
1) Let’s start with a little bit about you first: What drew you to independent publishing?
I always wanted to be a writer. Some friends introduced me to zines in college and I was hooked. I collaborated on a bunch of zines and eventually made my own skateboard zine called Landpirate. After studying creative writing in graduate school, I moved to New York City and worked as an editor for a publishing company. I really liked editing, but a big part of my job was reading hundreds of submissions and writing rejection letters. I got tired of that and New York in general, so I jumped at the chance to come back out west to Portland. I love working at the IPRC, where instead of rejecting people’s work, I can show them how to publish it themselves!
2) MAP addresses the deconstruction of media messages by teens. What about zines makes them the chosen style of independent publishing for this outreach program?
I think zines and writing in general require a pretty high level of introspection, thought and creativity. And starting back with Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” self-publications have been successful vectors for critical thinking and even dissent. On a more practical level, zines are fairly simple and can be produced right in a classroom, sometimes in less than two hours, and then students have something tangible to take home and share.
3) You have said “Our ultimate goal is to help young people move from being passive consumers of media to active creators of artwork, writing, zines, and ultimately, the culture they live in.” What role do zines and zine makers play in the expanding presence of participatory media in our society? And what differences or similarities do you see between creation of and participation in media versus consumption?
Zinesters have always been at the forefront of participatory culture. An aesthetic that I believe is central to most zines is the idea that when the media isn’t serving you or the world, it’s time to become the media. And I think that for a lot of young people, the media is actually doing them a disservice, in the way that it glamorizes violence, unattainable standards of beauty and conspicuous consumption. Something we talk about during MAP sessions is the way the constant bombardment of media messages can actually affect your thinking and your behavior. In their zines, students are pretty open about the fact that mainstream media affects their sense of self esteem, the way they define beauty, and the way they define what is means to be a “real” man or woman. So we try to empower them to challenge negative media messages in their zines. By creating a zine, they become the media and actually help re-create culture. You can see it happening just in the culture of the classroom--when people have something creative to work on, there’s a kind of fun, collaborative spirit that lights up the room. That spirit is present every day at the IPRC, and over ten years I really believe we’ve had a positive affect on the overall culture in Portland.
It’s interesting to see how many zinesters are now using internet technology and blogging as a way to cross-pollinate their creative projects. It’s exciting to see truly visionary people like this coming up with forums that encourage actual participation. On the other hand, so much contemporary media--tv shows, movies, certain web content--allows people to sort of “check out.” People have difficult lives and they need to check out sometimes, of course, but the danger is that we become a nation of passive consumers. I personally find the contemporary DIY craft movement really encouraging--so many people are in to creating things (including handmade and incredibly artful zines), rather than just shopping. It gives people a sense of meaning and purpose, and whether or not they’re conscious of it, they’re influencing the larger culture. That’s what the IPRC’s all about.
4) When will the workshops begin and what schools will be participating?
MAP began officially in September of 2007. We held quite a few workshops this past school year, in places like Franklin High School, the Caldera Arts program, Clackamas Community College and Janus Shelter for Youth.
5) Where can readers find more information about this program or contact you?
They can read more on our website, www.iprc.org, or give us a ring at 503.827.0249 and ask for Justin or AnnMarie.
The concept of a truly democratic internet culture is being eroded by access. Although large corporations have been building sites and trying to take over the internet terrain for years, at least users still have the choice of what to visit—or we did.
Our limited options for accessing the internet are beginning to take even that decision away. I’m staying at a place right now that uses Comcast, and it’s like constantly hitting my head against the wall. I work from home, so I need to be able to upload and download large files. But the more you use, the slower your service gets. I’ve also noticed a significant difference in accessing lowes.com and homedepot.com—Home Depot’s site works and Lowe’s doesn’t. This makes me feisty and annoyed, so I drive to Lowe’s and buy things there since I can’t compare prices online and the stores are in opposite directions. I don’t like the idea that Comcast might be partnering with Home Depot to slow down my access to competitors. So Lowe’s wins. Another company site I’ve noticed is extremely slow is Netflix. Could it be because Comcast has Fancast—a competitor to Netflix?
What really are our options for internet access? It seems like any smaller company providing access is just renting the lines from Comcast or Verizon, so the services will still have the same limitations. Here’s what I can come up with ...
Comcast. High speed, unless you use it. Don’t be fooled by the connections they offer, since they admit to “managing” your access.
3G wireless internet access anywhere you roam. ATT (also available through other providers). Limited to a single computer, but accessible from anywhere with satellite, radio, or cell phone signals. Drawback: ATT sells wire tapping of phone lines, so prepare to sign up for exhibitionism along with service.
Verizon FiOS. This is my choice for now. I’m sure there are problems with Verizon just like any other company, but at least they won’t tell me what I can and can’t access. Plus the FiOS option, as opposed to DSL, finally brings their service up to a competitive speed with cable service providers.
Are there other options I’m missing?
PBS did an excellent piece on Braddock that is available to view online: Green Industry Hub Rises From Rust Belt Ruins. There are streaming video, audio, and text options available on the site.
Reading The Cult of the Amateur has made me mad. I guess that’s one thing to be said in favor of the author: his writing can incite emotion. There are so many flaws in his logic that I am going to break down this post with subtitles to keep myself from rambling on and on and writing my own 205-page diatribe.
The overwhelming feeling I get from this book is fear. Fear of too much information to sift through. Fear that the professional is losing control. Fear that the masses are uneducated and unable or unwilling to embrace quality media.
Information Overload
All of these fears have arisen with other societal changes and are not new to the web. Technology and change seem to have this effect. The press and mass production of books incited similar grandiloquences about information overload: How will the people (and the experts, as a separate entity of course) ever wade through the innumerable tomes?
Information overload is not a new concept. And perhaps not surprisingly, it seems to affect those who were raised in the old system of information more than those born into the newer, differently structured, information network. It has been shown that kids have the ability to mutli-task better than adults. While adults may feel they are multi-tasking, they are actually less adept at each of their tasks as they attempt to juggle them. Kids’ brains are able to nimbly handle all those things they’re doing: chat on IM, search the web, listen to music, text on the phone, and type up a homework assignment—without the struggle their elders face.
Blaming New Technology for Failures
One of Keen’s main criticisms falls on Wikipedia. However, this is a case where his flawed factual backup is such a stretch that I can only use his own words against him: “The 232-year-old Britannica went through a series of painful layoffs in 2001 and 2002, cutting its 300-person staff in the United States almost by half; with the advent of Wikipedia, no doubt more layoffs are to come.” Wikipedia started in 2004. The old system was failing before the new arose. Although other arguments he poses against Wikipedia hold some value, this leaping accusation deteriorates the value of all other statements near it.
Assumptions About Mainstream Media
Keen also supports the mainstream media and states that it has “reinforced American values and made our culture the envy of the world” for 200 years.
Sure, the AP wire started in the 1840s, and in 1800 the Sedition Act forbidding criticism of the government by the media expired. However, it wasn’t until 1920 that our modern interpretation of journalism arose. Four journalism schools were formed in 1920 (Columbia, Northwestern, Missouri, and Indiana) because of the lack of faith the general population had in a media system run for profit, before this professionalization of journalism the media was based on sensationalism and yellow journalism. Prior to this, it was not even acceptable for a journalist to take notes. This change in journalism did separate the United States media from other countries, but it certainly wasn’t 200 years ago. It also was not the glorious and value-ridden idealistic media that Keen seems to imply.
Media has always been questioned in the United States. Training journalists and following ethical codes was an attempt to create unbiased media in the face of a profit-driven industry, but the credibility of media continued to be questioned. By 1996 the media was “seen as part of a strongly disliked governing elite” according to a U.S. News and World Report survey. Where is the motivation to save an institution that has been taken over by corporations despite the efforts to professionalize it, one that is seen not as the reinforcer of values but instead as one big advertisement?
Cultural Collapse
If generations of information jugglers are able to find all of the information they want, then why would they depend on a talking head to tell them what to think? This is where the next fear arises. If no one listens to the professional, is there still such a thing?
Keen’s argument supports being told by someone else what to think, or at least what to think about. His assumption is that mainstream media provide this service. Keen fears that without mainstream media as the middle man, we will not be able to recognize, or find in the marsh of information, true genius.
This concept reminds me of a presentation at the New Communications Forum by Tim Westergren’s, of Pandora.com, and Milton Olin, Jr., Altschul & Olin, LLP, on the fall of the hierarchy in the music industry. Musicians no longer need to know who is the head of a major record label and bow to the lackeys below to struggle to the top. When that was the case, 1% of musicians actually made it to a label. Even fewer made it to the public. They may have been signed but if their music sales weren’t projected to cover the expenses of recording and marketing, they were shelved and no one was able to hear them. Even the ones who made it big handed over most of their profits to that label to cover expenses.
You tell me, which is better:
Old men in suits deciding what good music is and allowing the masses to hear a small percentage of what is out there, while hoarding the profits even at the expense of the musician?
Or
Everyone being able to find music they like no matter what other people think of it, at the expense of taking the time and energy to find it?
There may still be a need for people to find quality information and entertainment, but rather than controlling it they will be sharing it.
A participant in my media agendas presentation (yes, there were a couple) made an excellent point that I need to explore further. She said she has been reading alternative media for their positive coverage of things such as the government as opposed to coverage only of mistakes. Past research has shown that mainstream media has a bias toward negativity, but it’s more than that. My research was limited in that I stuck to established categories that show links between topics in the media and in public opinion polls. Although they were broken down into many subcategories, the categories themselves are very general.
Is there a difference in the topic of what government has done right versus what it has done wrong? I would say yes. Especially if it’s not the same policy being evaluated from opposite sides of the political spectrum, which would make it more a matter of framing.
A mischievous sprite imagined to cause the inexplicable problems in the real and virtual machinery of technology.
Journey Home: a chronicle of our journey to and within Braddock, PA
Fremlin Vision: a collection of photography
