Washblog

The pressure to constrict and control alternative media -- as fast as the forms evolve -- is just as relentless as what we've seen with traditional media. Most of us are aware of the attacks on net neutrality, attempts to defund public access television, intimidation of citizen journalists, and continual technology constrictions on duplication of content (see, for example, How the Net turns Code into Politics on Reclaim the Media).   Collaboration across alternative media builds political power to protect media freedom and increases the reach and impact of all the alternative media players.

Lawson in his presentation introduced Reclaim the Media and its mission to affect media policy in favor of the public interest, teach media literacy education, and support community media.  And he briefed us on the current policy context for the blogging community.  Reclaim the Media, based in Seattle, is an important force for media democracy and its site is essential reading.

Gilchrist pointed out that a definition of "digital divide" -- as a gap in Internet access -- is not adequately to describe the issue that confronts us.  Knowing where and how to participate in Internet communications for political and social impact is just as important as being able to simply log on to the Web.  This knowledge and education aspect of access is often neglected.

Gilchrist also suggested that bloggers develop and increase collaboration with ethnic media and do more to integrate coverage across different forms of media (radio, video, print, etc.).  The point is not only to reach different audiences -- but also to accommmodate different information gathering and communication styles.  He also focused on the democratic 'bottom-up' aspect of blogging and other forms of alternative media -- reporting that is done collaboratively by author and readers.

My presentatation noted the newness of blogging as a form and my perception that the blogging community has only recently begun to develop an historical perspective and context.  More purposeful collaboration across all the forms of alternative media may be needed simply to keep ahead of the curve on technological and policy issues that affect the survival of the form and the health of all alternative media.