The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation invests $25 million in innovative approaches to journalism to strengthens local communities.

Session Chair: Eric Newton, VP, Journalism Programs, Knight Foundation

• Nora Paul, Director, Institute for New Media Studies, University of Minnesota
• Amy Gahran, Content Strategist and Independent Journalist
• Gary Kebbel, Journalism Program Officer, Knight Foundation

Blogged by Jessica Reyes

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As part of our on-going wrap-up of last month’s We Media Miami conference, I’m collecting here all the live-blog posts from the iFOCOS We Media blog, organized by panel.

The We Media fellows — that dynamic, hard-working group of folks who received some financial help to attend the conference, thanks to generous assistance from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation — took turns covering panels and posting their notes on our blog.

These live-blog posts serve as a written record of each panel. You can also, of course, access audio from the panels as well — eventually all the audio should be avaible.

Note: To see live-blogging and online commentary by other conference participants and fellows writing on their own sites, go to this round-up of conference blog coverage.

Panels on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008:

Morning Sessions:

MEDIA AT THE TIPPING POINT (Intro): Blogged by Barbara Iverson: post one, two, three, and four.

PRINT IS DEAD (Keynote): Blogged by Barbara Iverson: post one, two, and three.

PRINT REINCARNATED (Keynote): Blogged by Barbara Iverson: post one and two.

THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Forum): Blogged by David Cohn, (with additional commentary from Jillian York, and comments on UNU from Renata Avila)

POLITICAL WORLD – Hype vs. Reality in Campaign ‘08 (Breakout): Blogged by Nathaniel James, (with additional commentary from Jillian York)

INFORMED WORLD – The Citizens Guide to Media Literacy (Break-out): Blogged by Travis Smith, (with additional commentary from Renata Avila)

SEARCH WORLD – Trust, Relevance and Rights (Breakout): Blogged by Jonathan Hendler

Afternoon sessions:

HEALTHY WORLD – The Future of Information & Communication Technologies in Health (Forum): Blogged by Jacqueline Kreinik: post one, two, three, four and five, (with additional commentary from Zita Arocha)

PITCH IT – Tomorrow’s Best Start-ups (Breakout): Blogged by Craig Smith. Post one and two.

PRO-AM WORLD (Breakout): Blogged by Zita ArochaLEADERSHIP WORLD – Women, Media and Technology (Breakout): Blogged by Jessica Mikulski, (with additional commentary from Renata Avila)

NONPROFIT WORLD – Endowed Journalism (Breakout): Blogged by Adrienne Ammerman, (with additional commentary from the Pulitzer Center’s Nathalie Applewhite)

INNOVATION WORLD – The Knight News Challenge (Breakout): Blogged by Jessica Reyes

ACTIVIST WORLD (Breakout): Blogged by Jessie Schuster.

WIDGET WORLD – The ME Revolution (Breakout): Blogged by Jacqueline Guitierrez

CIVIL DISCOURSE (Breakout): Blogged by Sarah Schacht

NEWS WORLD – Traditions and Transformation (Breakout): Blogged by Travis Smith

SOCIAL WORLD – Social Experiences in Business (Breakout): Blogged by Barbara Iverson: post one, two, three and four.

INDIGENOUS WORLD – We Tell Our Own Stories (Breakout): Global Voices blogging (and additional commentary from Renata Avila)

Panels on Thursday morning, February 28:

DEVELOPER’S WORLD: Emerging Content, Yours Mine and Ours (Forum): Blogged by Brooks Lindsay

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS: Journalism as a Cause (Keynote): Blogged by Rob Park (with additional wrap-up by Andrew Nachison)

NETWORKED ECONOMICS (Forum): Blogged by Lauren Movius: post one, two and three.

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An attempt to comprehensively round up blog posts by conference participants and attending journalists (with apologies that they are organized a bit randomly.)

Rachel Sterne: “Reuters Scientist demonstrates Mojo at We Media conference,” Ground Report blog, Feb. 27

“New Media Leaders Discuss How Campaigns Can Win,” Ground Report blog, Feb. 27

Bridget Carey: “Debate over what is online ‘community’ at We Media Miami,” Cache & Carey blog (The Miami Herald), Feb. 28

Jessica Reyes: “‘Metadata’…that’s hot!” Impromp2 blog, WBPT, Feb. 27

Chris Salzberg: “We Media: Who are ‘We?‘” Shioyama blog, March 9

“We Media: Political World – Hype versus Reality in Campaign 08,” Shioyama

“WeMedia: Power to Change the World,” Shioyama, Feb. 27

Scott Mowbray: “Will We Soon Be Storing Our Medical Information on Facebook-like Pages?” Poked and Prodded blog, March 4

Mark Jones: “The revolution may not be televised…but it will be uploaded,” Reuters editors’ blog, March 4

Matt Dickman: “We Media Miami,” Techno//Marketer blog

“Interview with Rev. Lennox Yearwood, CEO of Hip Hop Caucus,” Techno//Marketer

“Interview with Nic Fulton, Chief Scientist at Reuters,” Techno//Marketer

“Interview with the UN’s Jean Marc Coicaud,” Techno//Marketer

Solana Larsen: “LiveBlogging from WeMedia, Miami (Day 1,)” Solanasaurus, Feb. 27

“Global Voices Causes Power Outage in South Florida?” Solanasaurus, Feb. 27

John Bell: “We Media 08: Using Media to Innovate and Make the World a Little Better,” Digital Influence Mapping Project, Feb. 16

“Community Journalism: Two Innovative Efforts,” Digital Influence Mapping Project

“We Media 08/Miami: Digital Health Entertainment,” Digital Influence Mapping Project blog

“We Media 08/Miami: Digital Health Empowerment,” Digital Influence Mapping Project blog

“We Media 08/Miami: Power On!” Digital Influence Mapping Project blog

“We Media 08/Miami: Zogby/WeMedia Poll,” Digital Influence Mapping Project blog

Ellen Miller: “Here’s a Cool Thing from We Media,” Sunlight Foundation blog (talking about Knight/Ashoka partnership.)

David Cohn: “Computation Journalism – Maybe a way to describe my niche?” DigiDave.org

“We Media updates…sorta,” DigiDave.org

“Making lists for My Digital: New Tools,” Digidave.org

“Silly Bahraini Girl:” “Miami, Here I come,” Silly Bahraini Girl

“Christina Quistbert: Finding Her Voice,” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“Indigenous Indians on the Internet,” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“DotSUB,” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“Muted Battles in the Workforce,” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“NGOs...” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“Cell phones,” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 27

“Print is Dead…Who Killed It?” Silly Bahrani Girl, Feb. 27

“Got a great idea?” Silly Bahraini Girl, Feb. 28

Georgia Popplewell: Flickr photos of Global Voices house in Miami

Matisse Bustos Hawke: “At WeMedia: Nonprofits and media; activism online and off; telling our own stories,” The Hub for Human Rights Media and Activism // Witness, Feb. 27

“Come for the swag, stay for the ideas,” EchoDitto blog (round-up of spring conferences)

Jeff Nolan: “Live Blogging We Media Miami,” Venture Chronicles blog, Feb. 27

Susan Mernit: “We Media: Power to change the world,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“We Media: Print is Dead,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“We Media: Social Entrepreneurs – Journalism as a Cause,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“We Media: Search World – Trust, Relevance and Rights,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“We Media: Backchannel Rant,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“We Media: The Threads of We Media,” Susan Mernit’s blog

“Business and Social Media Tools,” Susan Mernit’s blog

Len Witt: “Live Thinking from We Media 2008 in Miami,” PJNet.org blog

“We Media Conference 2008 More Information,” PJNet

“We Media 2008 – More Day Two,” PJNet

“Kennesaw State University Course on Internet Literacy,” PJNet

[See also: “Witt ‘covering it live’ at WeMedia 2008,” Innovation in College Journalism blog.]

Michael Froomkin: “Drinks at the We Media Conference,” Discourse.net

“We Media: First 90 Minutes,” Discourse.net

“We Media: Search Breakout,” Discourse.net

“We Media: Best Lines,” Discourse.net

Jillian York: “Political World: Hype versus Reality in Campaign 08,” Jillian York’s blog

“Live Blogging, We Media 08, Take One,” Jillian York’s blog

“Live Blogging We Media 08, Take Two,” Jillian York’s blog

“Live Blogging We Media 08 Take Three!” Jillian York’s blog

“Oh Miami, my heart is true,” Jillian York’s blog

“We Media Miami wrap-up,” Jillian York’s blog

Amy Gahran: “The catch is the ‘challenge’ part,” Contentious.com

Travis Smith: “Arriving in Miami for We Media 2008,” Unvarnished blog, Hop Studios

Lova Rakotomalala: “A bit of Malagasism,” Rakoto’s Rants blog

“Live blogging at the We Media conference in Miami,” Rakoto’s Rants blog

“Live blogging We Media: Suite (femmes et media),” Rakoto’s Rants (in French.)

Barbara Iverson: “CoverItLive: Review from We Media Conference,” Romensko E-Media Tidbits by Barbara Iverson

“From We Media in Miami,” CurrentBuzz blog (Barbara Iverson)

“Pro-Am panel,” CurrentBuzz blog

“Information Literacy Session,” CurrentBuzz blog

“Social Entrepreneurs panel,” CurrentBuzz blog

“Networked Economics at We Media,” Current Buzz blog

“My Vuvox experiment,” Current Buzz blog

“Notes on We Media & Social Networking,” Current Buzz blog

“uVu and a connected community,” WPBT blog

Michael Tippett: “12 changes in media,” The Social Graph blog, Feb. 20

Susanne Goldstein: “How the Internet helped me create a movement,” The Social Age

Digital coverage specifically on the We Media/Zogby poll:

“Silly presentation of polls,” Businessweek.com’s Blogspotting blog, Feb. 28

“Nearly 70 Percent of Americans Believe Media is Out of Touch,” Huffington Post, Feb. 29

“More Americans Turning to Web for News,” CNet News, (Reuters article reprint), Feb .29

“More Americans Turning to Web for News,” Reuters UK, Feb. 29

“Hillary has lots of anti-media company,” U.S. News and World Report blog, “Washington Whispers” by Paul Bedard

“Americans are a bit more satisfied by journalism these days,” Romensko, Feb. 28 (link to Washington Whispers column.)

“Survey: Print and Broadcast News Fading Fast,” column by Amy Gahran in Romensko’s E-Media tidbits

“Survey Says: 64% Believe Mainstream Media are out of touch,” Little Green Footballs, Feb. 2

“Two-thirds of Americans view journalism as ‘out of touch,’” new poll shows,” Editors Weblog, March 3 (from World Editors Forum)

“Relevant Journalism in the Digital Age,” Greenslade blog (Roy Greenslade at The Guardian,) March 3

Headline posted on Techmeme (linking back to iFOCOS release)

“Is Old Media Really Dead?” Paul Lamb on Media Shift’s Idea Lab, March 2

“Survey finds two-thirds dissatisfied with the quality of journalism,” Critical Distance blog, March 1

“More Americans turning to web for news,” Seeds of Growth blog, March 3

“64% of Americans think journalism is ‘out of touch,’” Citizen Media Watch, March 2

“Nearly 2/3rds Think Mainstream Media is out of touch,” Holy Coast blog, March 2

“Survey Says: 64% Believe Mainstream Media Are Out Of Touch,” Blog-o-Fascists, March 2

“The Decline of Traditional Journalism,” Unspun blog, March 2

And many, many more ….too many to list (but others include Penplusbytes blog, SouthWestDailyTimes, LostRemote, NewsMax, Stuff.co.nz.)

Digital coverage also appears in Italian, Czech, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian/Malaysian, Portuguese, Danish, and another Scandanavian language.

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The number of digital discussions has taken off in recent years — pushed by more powerful technology, the popularity of social networking sites, the rush by publishers and businesses to engage their audiences and clients, and the general migration of formerly offline activities to online platforms.

But does more = better? Does the content, organization, and tone of Internet conversations — particularly open ones — meet the needs of participants and potential participants? Or, is it working best for early adopters, technologists and spammers?

More to the point, what can or should we do to encourage useful conversations?

We’ll work all this out at Wednesday’s 4:15 – 5 pm sessions in Storer Auditorium, or at least hear some good questions from you and valuable takes from a fine panel: Steve Arend, Mark Jones, Rob Miller and Chris Tolles.

Arend, VP of Digital Services for CMP, develops customized interactive environments for businesses — including virtual trade fairs and company outposts on the Second Life. One of his challenges: Helping his clients achieve their business goals (for example, telling customers about a new product) without the technology becoming a distraction. “Let’s say you want to present an animated experience within a factory,” he says. “You want to optimize the emotion, the experience, but you also want the customer to interact with the product.”

Jones convenes conversations on current issues as Reuters’ Global Community Editor, including Voices Without Votes, where bloggers from around the world discuss the US elections. Sometimes the conversations bear little resemblance to a Reuters news story: for example, when some Muslim bloggers write that Barack Obama is indisputably a Muslim because his father was a Muslim. In the eyes of some, that calls into question Reuters’ hard-won reputation for accuracy and fairness. “We make it clear that this is what the rest of the world is saying, but that may not solve the problem for some people,” Jones says.

For Rob Miller, editor-in-chief of SourceForge, Inc., limiting conversations is out of the question — his sites, including Slashdot, get most of their content from users. Instead, he tries to ensure that his platforms’ technology allows users to choose what they want to see and offer opinions on it that others can use to shape their own browsing experience. Keeping the technology up-to-date is a constant part of his job. “It’s continuous evolution, we’ve been at it for 10 years,” he says. (And he suggests that smaller sites with spam problems check out akismet.)

And for Chris Tolles, CEO of Topix, the key is volume. He believes that if communities become large enough and active enough, they’ll achieve the level of conversation they want. Trying to “moderate” posts will only drive users elsewhere. “I’m of the camp that it’s the destiny of the Internet to empower the populace, and take an optimistic view around a less controlled, more freewheeling future,” he says. He’s posted more on the subject here.

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Brian Reich
Principal, EchoDitto

Brian is a new media-junkie. He reads 15 newspapers a day, subscribes to 21+ magazines, and is constantly scanning for new opportunities on websites and across as many other interactive platforms as his eyes will allow.

Brian is a Principal at EchoDitto, which specializes in building vibrant communities online and empowering people through the creative use of emerging technologies. Previously, he was the Director of New Media at Cone Inc, a brand strategy and communications agency in Boston, and a Senior Strategic Consultant for Mindshare Interactive Campaigns, an interactive agency which helped many of the leading corporations, associations, non-profit organizations and governmental entities leverage the communication opportunities created by technology.

From 2000- 2004 Brian ran his own consulting business , Mouse Communications , which helped political and non-profit organizations use new technology to improve communications, drive action, and support fundraising. Brian launched Mouse Communications after serving two years as Vice President Gore’s Briefing Director in the White House, handling both official activities and activities during his 2000 presidential campaign. Brian has spent much of his life working in and around politics, including helping to direct dozens of campaigns across the country. During the 1996 cycle, Brian was the youngest campaign manager in the nation, leading a U.S. Congress challenger-race in Connecticut.

Brian is a regular writer and speaker on the issues involving the impact of the internet and technology on politics, society, and the media. He is the editor of Thinking About Media, a blog examining media consumption habits around the world (among other things). He has previously written regularly for National Journals The Hotline and was a contributing editor to Personal Democracy Forum both on the topic of the impact the internet and technology have on politics. His book, Media Rules!, was published by Wiley & Sons in December 2007.

Brian is on the Board of the Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences and the Humanities and serves on Committees with the Ad Club of Boston and the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston helping direct public relations and marketing programming. Brian attended the University of Michigan and is a graduate of Columbia University. He and his wife, Karen Dahl, and their son, Henry, live in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

For more information on Brian Reich, please click here.

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Five years ago we boldly forecast the “Digital Everything,” a future where information, communications, entertainment, business, home life, transportation and the interconnected pieces of personal, daily living are conducted in an always-on mediascape.

That future arrived in Las Vegas this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. It comes to your homes, offices, vehicles, and life spaces in weeks and months ahead.

While the show lacked a must-have, wow product – no Apple iPhone or Nintendo Wii – it packed a more powerful punch this year. Most of the thousands of products introduced or displayed in nearly two million feet of exhibition space represented incremental improvements or significant technical advances that enhance what is known as the consumer experience. The aggregate impact is mind-boggling.

Put all the high-tech enhancements together and you’ve got climate change. The products introduced at CES represent billions of dollars in annual sales. More significantly they are a response to, and an indicator of, consumer behaviors in transition. This year’s show is a tipping point for all things digital.

Coming at you: richer information, sharper images, bigger sound and elaborate functionality all designed around individual preferences. Your stuff becomes a signature for who you are. You control an array of capabilities streaming from communications devices, music players, high-def screens, sound systems, cameras, kitchen appliances, game consoles, electronic toys, clothing, jewelry, automobiles, massage chairs and Internet services. All from your personal comfort zone.

And everything looks so cool. The new models seem to have been inspired by the iPhone and Design Within Reach. Black and thin remain the vogue, but stark white environments with bold red or orange highlights are 2008 chic. The marriage of sophisticated form and function in an era that owes to the pocket-protector crowd marks a turning point for digital electronics. Product designers and marketers have applied the Design Dividend – the ten-fold financial advantage that well designed, leading-edge products have over dowdy competitors.

Over-stimulation denies a more temperate perspective. CES is over-the-top noise, hoopla and confusion – a lot like life in 2008. Press releases and briefings come by the hour. Deal-making is round-the-clock. About 150,000 of your closest friends, all afflicted with A.D.D., bounce through the cavernous exhibition halls like balls in a pachinko machine. Amid dazzling electronics and endless arrays of monitors flashing color-saturated images, the shilling is hypnotic. Everyone seems on the verge of a seizure from information overload. By comparison the scene in Vegas’ casinos is positively soothing.

We were all eyes, ears and senses. Through our filter, additional matters of consequence at CES:

Content. Organizers billed this year’s event as a content show and touted partnerships between hardware developers and content providers such as media, cable and phone companies. But the sizzle exceeded the steak. Few products showcased meaningful content or innovative information interfaces. The promise of immersive, quality content that truly enhances knowledge and understanding remains unfulfilled. Opportunity looms for content providers to fill a void in the vast space across digital platforms and devices.

Digital rights. During a largely overlooked discussion on digital piracy at NBC’s booth, ISPs and aggregators conceded the time was right to start protecting copyrighted content at the network level. Digital filtering and fingerprinting techniques are in the works, largely aimed to protect the motion picture and recording industries.

Surface media. The new HDTV screens are ridiculous. You can lose yourself in Panasonic’s 150-inch screen, three times the size of the one that dominates my small, media room. Take back the wall. Light-sensitive panels will project broadcasts, art, photos, video and programmed information, all in high-definition, on walls. They’ll also sense and control environments in homes and offices. Touch-screen tabletop computers will replace coffee tables and those granite countertops in your kitchen.

The wife factor. Women are in charge. Mary Peskin, who has known that for years, immediately saw the influence of women in the consumer electronics on display. CES stats show that women make 40 percent of the buying decisions and influence another 21 percent. The new crop of flat panels from LG and Samsung feature rounded edges, clear plastic frames and red accents burned into the bezel – TVs that actually coordinate with the décor in the living room. The new computers are bright cases, not those putty-colored industrial designs of the past. Phillips’ new line of designer jewelry embeds personal data devices and music players.

A final forecast: I’ll be in trouble come Valentine’s Day if I can’t find the Swarovski-designed crystal pendant containing a USB flash drive.

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To receive announcements and program updates, join the We Media Community.

Last Updated: February 20, 2008

Here are some of our expected participants:

• Amira Al Hussaini, Middle East and North Africa Editor, Global Voices Online
• Adrienne Ammerman, Bread for the City
• Suha Araj, Co-Founder and V.P. Strategy,Real Girls Media
• Jonah Arellano, Intern, iFOCOS
• Steve Arend, VP Digital Media Services, CMP
• Zita Arocha, Associate Director, Sam Donaldson Center/UTEP
• Hector Arthur, Head of Content Development, Times Online
• Eduardo Avila, Director, Voces Bolivianas
• Renata Avila
• Rukmini Banerji, Journalist Initiatives Program, Pratham
• Jason Baptiste, CEO, Publictivity Inc.
• Amanda Barrett, Content Coordinator, The Associated Press
• Rich Beckman, Knight Chair, University of Miami
• Ruth Behar, University of Michigan
• Jeffrey Belk, ICT168
• John Bell, Managing Director/Digital Influence, 360° /Ogilvy Creative Studio
• Roger Black, Roger Black Studio, Inc.
• Mark Blafkin, Innovators Network
• Robert Bole, SVP, Media, One Economy Corporation
• Thomas Bosco, VP, Video Sales, FOX Interactive Media
• John Bracken, Program Officer, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• Bradbury Bo
• Jim Brady, Executive Editor, WPNI WashingtonPost.com Newsweek Interactive
• Randall Brant, VP Sales & Marketing, The Washington Times
• Merrill Brown, NowPublic
• Neil F. Budde
• Anne E. Burdick, Associate Dean for Telemedicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• John Burke, WAN
• Stephen Burns, Marketing Manager, Topix
• Krishnadev Calamur, Editor, United Press International
• Ivan Camacho, Telemedicine Fellow, University of Miami
• Bridget Carey, Technology Reporter, The Miami Herald
• James Carlson, CEO, Bucketworks
• Jennifer Carroll, VP New Media Content, Gannett Co.,Inc.
• Sanjeeve Chatterjee, Vice Dean, UM School of Communications
• Nicholas J. Chiaia, COO & General Counsel, United Press International
• Josh Cohen, Business Product Manager, Google
• David Cohn, Editor, New Assignment, NewsTrust
• Jean Marc Coicaud, Director, United Nations University
• Renee Corley, Editor Religion & Spirituality, United Press International
• Oscan Corral
• Amy Dalton, Senior Director Marketing, Topix
• John Della Volpe, Founder & Managing Partner, SocialSphere Strategies
• Carin Dessauer, Senior Fellow/Principal, iFOCOS & MC2
• Sara DeWitt, Senior Director, PBS KIDS Interactive
• Renato Dias, Internet Manager, Natura Cosmeticos SA
• Matt Dickman, Director Digital Marketing, Fleishman-Hillard
• Emily Downward, Senior Vice President Digital, Fleishman-Hillard
• Michael Drexler, Founder & Chairman, Drexler Geller Associates
• Richard Ducey, EVP, BIA Financial Network
• Louis Ferrara, Managing Editor for Sports, Entertainment and Multimedia, The Associated Press
• Rodrigo Fino, President of latinoamerica, Garcia Media latinoamerica
• John Fischer, Infinia Foresight
• Jayson Fittipaldi
• Brandy Fleming, Vice President, iStudio
• Fabrice Florin, Executive Director, NewsTrust
• Brian Franklin, Impact Politics, LLC
• A Michael Froomkin, Professor, University of Miami School of Law
• Nic Fulton, Chief Scientist, Reuters Media
• Amy Gahran, Independent Journalist
• Amy Gahran, partner, Boulder Carbon Tax Trackert
• Maria Gallagher, Senior Vice President, Fleishman Hillard
• Michael Galpert, Aviary
• Catherine Geanuracos, Interactive and Program Strategy, Live Earth
• Javier Ghia, Regional Manager-Latin America &Iberia-News Syndication, Bloomberg
• Pascal J. Glldschmidt, MD, Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs & Deal, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University ofMiami
• Jeff Gomez, Author, “Print is Dead”
• Jon Kevin Gossett, SVP, American Public Media
• Keith Greenwood, Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma
• Alan Gregerman, Chief Innovation Officer, VENTURE WORKS Inc.
• Tish Grier, Freelance Consultant
• Frank Grow, Director, Strategic Development, The Washington Times
• Ben Gullett, Business Development Coordinator, Proteus
• Jacqueline Marie Gutierrez, Content Specialist for uVu, WPBT, Channel 2
• Kaliya Hamlin, Founder, Unconference.net
• Keith Hammonds, Ashoka
• Erin Hanafy, The Associated Press
• John Hanna, Director, Health Services Research, Humana
• Matisse Bustos Hawkes, Communications & Outreach, WITNESS
• Grant Harrison, VP-Integrated Consumer Experience, Humana, Inc.
• Jeff Heebner
• Don Heider, Associate Dean, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Jonathan Hendler, NewsCup
• Steffan Heuer, US Correspondent, Brand Eins
• Rick Hirsch, Managing Editor/Multimedia, The Miami Herald
• Mary Hodder, Founder, Dabble
• Adam Hoey, Director Business Development, Proteus
• Heather Holdridge
• JB Holston, CEO, NewsGator Technologies
• Alexandra Honeysett, Corporate Communication Specialist, Reuters
• Carol Horner, Director, Knight Center for Specialized journalism
• Dane Howard, CXO, VUVOX Network
• Evelyn Hsu, Senior Director, Maynard Institute
• Ellen Hume, Research Director, M.I.T. Center for Future Civic Media
• Rob Hunter, Designer, Roger Black Studio
• Paul Hyland, Executive Producer, edweek.org, Editorial Projects in Education
• Jean-Basptiste Ingold
• Barbara Iverson, Co-publisher & Professor, Creating Community Connections (Chicago)
• Nathaniel James, Campaign Coordinator, The Media & Democracy Coalition
• Donald Jones, Vice President, Qualcomm, Inc.
• Barbara E. Kahn, Dean, School of Business Adminstration, University of Miami
• Susan Karol, Executive Director, Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation
• Gary Kebbel, Journalism Initiatives Program, Knight Foundation
• Ed Keller, Co-founder & principal, a.CHRONO & AUM
• Jim Kennedy, VP Strategy, The Associated Press
• Semantics Jeremiah King Jr., Editor/Publisher, NewLiberian.com
• Jacqueline Kreinik
• Jim Lanahan, CEO, VUVOX Network
• Beth Laing, Project Manager, iFOCOS
• Lisa Lamb, Vice President Sales & Marketing, DailyMe, Inc.
• Nancy Lane, President, SNA
• Solana Larsen, Co-Managing Editor, Global Voices
• Carlen Lea Lesser, Manager, Interactive Strategy, RTC Relationship Marketing
• Brooks Heath Lindsay, President, Debatemedia, Inc (Debatepedia)

Clayton Lockhart, Co-Founder, Nenuphar Mobile Media, Inc.

• Kendall Lockhart, Co-Founder, Nenuphar Mobile Media, Inc.
• Katia Lopez, The Miami Herald
• Christopher Lynch, VP, Publishing, Mass. Medical Society/New England Journal of Medicine
• Santiago Lyon, The Associated Press
• Michael Maidenberg, VP of Communities Program, Knight Foundation
• Katie Marymont, Executive Editor, The News-Press
• Sibyl Masquelier, President, MediaHunter.com
• Greg Matthews, Director, Consumer Innovations, Humana
• Dori J. Maynard, President, Maynard Institute
• Lauren McCullough, Online Coordinator, The Associated Press
• Thomas P. McDevitt, President, The Washington Times
• John McKinley, Co-Founder, Launchbox Digital
• Sara Maria Melillo, Journalism Program Officer, McCormick Tribune Foundation
• Susan Mernit, Senior Director, Yahoo! and blogger, Susan Mernit’s Blog
• Roxie Merritt, Director, New Media, American Forces Information Service
• Judith Meskill, COO, Crowd Fusion
• Persephone, Miel, Media Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School
• Jessica Mikulski, Manager, Media/Public Relations, American Academy of Otolaryngology
• Ellen Miller, Executive Director, Sunlight Foundation
• Paul Miller, Group President, CMP Technology Innovators Group
• Robin Miller, Editor, SourceForge
• Corinna J Moebius, Director, Imagine Miami
• Angie Henderson Moncada, PR Manager, Advertising Ventures
• John Morgan, Director Business Development, CreditCards.com
• Lauren Movius, PhD Student, USC’s Annenberg School of Communication
• Scott Mowbray, Editorial Director, Health.com
• Kelly Murphy, Humana
• Joe Natoli, Sr. VP for Business and Finance, University of Miami
• Eric Newton, VP of Journalism Program, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
• Glen Nishimura, Forum Page Editor, USA Today
• Jeff Nolan, VP Corporate Development, NewsGator Technologies
• Sarah Nordgren, Director of State News, The Associated Press
• Rory O’Connor, President and CEO, Globalvision
• Larry Olmstead, Leading Edge Associates
• Elisa Camahort Page, Co-founder & COO, BlogHer Inc
• Gloria Pan
• Emilio Pardo, Chief Brand Officer, AARP
• Robert Park
• Esther Park, Miami New Times
• Nora Paul, Director, University of Minnesota, Institute of New Media Studies
• Randy Paynter, Founder, CEO, Care2.com
• Joan Peckolick, Founder & Executive Director, Selfchec.org
• Maria Leonor Perez, Executive Producer, Consultant, Cause Marketing Communications
• Christopher Perry, Executive VP, Weber Shandwick
• Henry (Hap) Perry
• Marvin Pittman
• Georgia Popplewell, co-Managing Editor, Global Voices
• Valentin Jesus Prieto, Writer/Editor, Babalu Blog
• Isaac Prilleltensky, Dean, School of Education, University of Miami
• Paul Puopolo, Director Consumer Innovation, Humana
• Maria Cristina Quisbert Quispe, Producer, Voces Bolivianas
• Scott Rafer, CEO, Lookery
• Lova Rakotomalala
• Lyng-Hou Ramirez, Director of Content, Grupo de Diarios America
• Steen K Rasmussen, Head of Development, UPDATE – The Danish Journalism Development Institute
• Kathleen Reen, VP for Asian, Env and New media, Internews Network
• Brian Reich, Partner, EchoDitto
• Jessica Reyes, Digital Content Coordinator, WPBT-Channel 2
• Guillermo Riera
• Kevin Roach, Executive Producer Online Video, Associated Press
• Jennifer Rosen, Marketing Manager, DailyMe Inc.
• Bob Ross, President/CEO, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation
• Liensa Rouse, Business Development Analyst, Proteus
• Adrian Sainz, Business Writer, Associated Press
• Chris Salzberg, Japanese Language Editor, Global Voices Online
• Ronni Sandroff, Director/Editor, Consumers Union
• Richard Sarnof, President, BDMI, Bertelsmann
• David Nathaniel Sasaki, Director of Outreach, Global Voices
• Jon M. Sawyer, Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
• Sarah Schacht, Executive Director, Knowledge As Power
• Amy Schatz, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
• Jessy Schuster, Producer, Channel 2
• Robert Schwarzberg, CEO, Sensei, Inc
• Darya Shaikh, US Director, Onevoice Movement
• Michael Silberman, Partner, EchoDitto
• Jennifer Sizemore, VP/Editor in Chief, MSNBC
• Travis Smith, President, Hop Studios
• Craig Smith, Director, Products & Content, Qloud
• Michael Smolens, CEO, dotSUB
• John Solomon, Executive Editor, The Washington Times
• Vinita Srivastava, Assistant Professor, Ryerson University
• Laura Stein Lindamood, Internews Network
• Craig Stone, Online Production Manager, Editorial Projects in Education
• Hal Straus, New Media Strategist, WPNI
• Maxine Teller, New Media Strategist, U.S. Department of Defense
• Maria Thomas, SR. VP & GM NPR Digital Media, NPR-Digital Media
• Michael Tippett, Founder, NowPublic.com
• John Todor, Managing Partner, The Whetstone Edge, LLC
• Chris Tolles, CEO, Topix
• Sebastian Traeger, CEO, Razoo.com
• Nicole Trembley, Managing Supervisor, Fleishman-Hillard Inc.
• Deron Triff, CEO, Changents
• Ty Trippet, Reuters
• Leslie Turner, President, Turner Consulting
• Suzanne Turner, Turner Strategies
• Andrea Useem, Communications Editor, iFOCOS
• Bert Van Hoof, Microsoft Health Solutions Group
• Denise Ulrike Vances, Deputy Managing Editor, Associated Press
• Victor Vaughan, Associated Press
• Katrin Verclas, MobileActive.org
• Mark Walsh, CEO, GeniusRocket
• Mackenzie Warren, Managing Editor/Info distribution, The News-Press/Gannet Company
• Carolyn Washburn, VP/Editor, The Des Moines Register
• Alan Webber
• Jiyan Wei
• William C. Weiss, Chairman & CEO, The Promar Group LLC; Chairman, iFOCOS
• Diana E Wells, President, Ashoka Innovators for the Public
• Peter Whoriskey, WashingtonPost.com
• Andrew M. Wiesenthal, MD, SM, Associate Executive Director, The Permanente Federation
• Lawrence Wilkinson, Founder, Global Business Network
• Chris Willis, VP of Social Media, Footnote.com
• Kinsey Wilson, Executive Editor, USA Today
• Leonard Witt, Fowler Chair, Kennesaw State University
• Scott Woelfel, Armchair Media
• Anthony Christopher Wojtkowiak, MTV Street Team
• Rev Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President, Hip Hop Caucus
• Jillian York, Volunteer Author, Global Voices Online
• Cory Zanin, Executive VP, Public Radio International

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Sao Paulo, the world’s fourth-largest metropolis became the first city outside of the communist world to put into effect a radical, near-complete ban on outdoor advertising. Although legal challenges from businesses have left a handful standing, 15,000 billboards have been stripped from a city that resembles a battlefield strewn with blank marquees, partially torn-down frames and hastily painted-over storefront facades. Flickr set

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This is a draft of an article I’ve been working on concerning the accelerating affect that online social networking has had on cultural mores. I would love thoughts and comments.

John Fischer
Associate / Infinia Foresight–
Digitally Lame: How Internet Popularity Lapped Me 

The first day as a senior in High School was a premonition of things to come.

Having spent the previous year digging out from a decade of social ostracization—carefully cultivating a key set of friends and acquaintances—I coasted into homeroom confident that the black sheep had finally been sheared. That is, until lunchtime. Read more

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(Updated Jan. 19, 2007)

Thanks if you’ve already registered – or if not, what are you waiting for? Register here.

Here’s a look at who is coming to We Media Miami (subject to change at any time):

• Randy Abramson, Executive Producer, Discovery
• Robertson Adams, Communications Associate — Webmaster, Knight Foundation
• Chris Ahearn, President, Media, Reuters
• Jason Albrecht, Communications Intern, Knight Foundation
• Walyce Almeida, Contributor, NowPublic
• Lewis Alpert, Florida International University, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
• Fabricio Altamirano, CEO, El Diario de Hoy
• Eric Alterman, Founder/CEO, KickApps Corporation
• Rosental Alves, Knight Chair in International Journalism, University of Texas-Austin
• Kathy Andersen, Lois Pope LIFE Center, University of Miami
• Zita Arocha, Assoc. Director, Sam Donaldson Center, University of TX El Paso
• Adriana Avakian, Director of Marketing, United Press International
• Hannah Bae, Journalsim Intern, Knight Foundation
• Alice Backer, Francophonie Editor, Global Voices
• Nanna Baldersheim, Internet Community Associate
• Jacqui Banaszynski, Knight Chair in Editing, Missouri School of Journalism
• Joyce Barnathan, President, International Center for Journalists
• Marty Baron, Executive Editor, Boston Globe
• Clark Bell, Journalism Program Director, McCormick Tribune Foundation
• Dorian Benkoil, Editorial Director, mediabistro.com
• Ron Berryman, Senior VP, GM Television, Fox Interactive Media
• Roger Black, Roger Black Studio, Inc.
• Taryn Boatman, Assistant Program Officer, Excellence in Journalism Foundation
• James Brady, WPNI
• Kristie Bouryal, Director of Network Services, Associated Press
• Jody Brannon, Senior Editor, MSN.com
• Sophie Brendel, Head of PR-Editorial & Media, Reuters
• Brian Breslin, CEO, Infinimedia, Inc.
• Wendy Bromley Bodden, Managing Director, Images and Voices of Hope
• Merrill Brown, MMB Media
• Jane Brown, Executive Director, Robert W. Deutsch Foundation
• Gaby Bruna, Photo Editor, University of Miami Hurricane Newspaper
• Simon Bucks, Associate Editor, Sky News
• John Burke, The Editor’s Weblog
• Xavier Bussiere, Infinimedia, Inc.
• Mario Cader-French, Director, Public Affairs & CSR, MTV Networks Latin America
• Jennifer Carroll, Vice President/New Media Content, Gannett Co. Inc.
• Andy Carvin, National Public Radio Online
• Chad Capellman, Sr. Producer, Eons.com
• Susan Chang
• Sanjeev Chatterjee, Vice Dean, School of Communication, University of Miami
• Derek Chezzi, Senior News Editor, Yahoo Canada
• Nicholas Chiaia, COO & General Counsel, United Press International
• Farai Chideya, Host, News and Notes, NPR
• Jeff Clavier, Founder & Managing Partner, Softech VC
• Lauren Cornell, Executive Director, Rhizome.org
• Robert Cox, President, Media Bloggers Association
• Al Cupo
• Eileen Dailey, Director of Social Intelligence, Infina Group
• Larry Dailey, Associate. Professor, University of Nevada Reno
• Blyth Daylong, School of Communications, University of Miami
• Alex deCarvalho, President, Social Object
• Chuck DeFeo, Vice President & General Manager, Salem Communications
• Lori Demo, Assistant Professor, Ball State University
• John Dennison, President, Dennison Management Group, Inc.
• Carin Dessauer, Senior Fellow/Principal, iFOCOS and MC2
• Luis Diaz, www.periodismodepaz.org, Author
• Melissa De Leon Douglass, President, Panama Gourmet, Inc.
• Steven Donahue, Editor, Language Magazine
• John Dotson, Jr., Publisher Emeritus, Akron Beacon Journal
• Paul Driscoll, Director of Broadcasting, University of Miami
• Richard Ducey, EVP, BIA Financial Network
• Allen Dunaway
• Christina Eguizabal, Program Office, The Ford Foundation
• Amy Eisman, Director of Writing Programs, American University
• Karl Eisenhower, Washingtonpost.com
• Di-Ann Eisnor, CEO, Platial, Inc.
• Paula Ellis, Vice President/ National and New Initiatives, Knight Foundation
• Brandon Erlacher, General Manager, Truth Publishing Company
• Fernando Espuelas, Chairman & CEO, VOY, LLC.
• David Evans, Managing Director, Red 7 Media
• Cathleen Farrell, Editor, PODER
• Marc Fest, CEO, External Ideas
• Virginia Fielder, Consultant, Knight Foundation
• John Fischer, Infinia Foresight
• John Flickigner, Executive Director, Summerbridge
• Fabrice Florin, Executive Director, NewsTrust
• Marcos Foglia, Multimedia manager, El Nuevo Dia
• Dennis Fox
• Nic Fulton, Chief Scientist, Reuters Media
• Roger Gafke, Director of Program Development, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, University of Missouri
• Gregory Galant, Venture Voice
• Christine Gambito, Happy Slip
• Carlos Garcia, CEO, Scrapblog, Inc.
• Al Gashi, Business Development Manager, Pluck
• Mark Giannini, SVP & COO, BIA Financial Network
• Mark Gibelli, Co-Founder, StoryBoard Consulting, Inc.
• Robert Gilbert, Morris Communications
• Mark Glaser, Editor, PBS MediaShift
• Seth Gordon, Managing Partner, Gordon Reyes & Co.
• Jon Gossett, Senior Vice President, Development, American Public Media
• Michele Grant, BBC
• Mel Grayson, Arts Editor, Deerfield Forum
• William Green, Vice Provost, Undergrad Education, University of Miami
• Tish Grier, blog editor/social media manager, iFOCOS
• Kim Grinfeder, Assistant Professor, School of Communications, University of Miami
• Sam Grogg, Dean, School of Communication, University of Miami
• Hetti Haarklau, The Associated Press
• Ali Habashi, Director, Arnold Center
• Andrew Haeg, Senior Producer, Center for Innovation in Journalism @ American Public Media
• Michael Halleran
• Michelle Halsell, CEO/Co-founder, Missing Pixel
• Teresa Hanafin, Director of Community Publishing, Boston.com
• Erin Hanafy, The Associated Press
• Jens Hansen, Director, Center for Journalistik og Efteruddannelse (CFJE)
• Elin Hansen, Update
• Eduardo Hauser, CEO, Daily Me, Inc.
• Neal Hecker, AVP Program Services, WPBT
• Cristi Hegranes, President, Founder, The Press Institute for Women in the Developing World
• Don Heider, Associate Dean, University of Maryland
• Diane Hockenberry, Director of Audience Development, Newspaper Association of America
• Keith Hopper, Product Manager, Public Interactive LLC
• Paul Hyland, Executive Producer, edweek.org, Editorial Projects in Education
• Alberto Ibargüen, President, Knight Foundation
• Jeremy Iggers, Founder, Twin Cities Daily Planet
• Shel Israel, Author, Naked Conversations
• Joshua Johnson, Anchor/Reporter, WLRN Miami Herald News
• Pamela Johnson, Executive Director, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, University of Missouri
• Steve Johnson, Online Editor, The Associated Press
• Mark Jones, Community Editor, Reuters
• Brad Kalbfeld, Managing Editor, Broadcast, The Associated Press
• Ruth Kamar
• Stephanie Kanowitz, Web Editor, Federal Computer Week
• Gary Kebbel, Journalism Program Officer, Knight Foundation
• Loren Keller, Program Officer, The Stanley Foundation
• Jim Kennedy, VP Strategy, The Associated Press
• Katie King, Director, Marsteller Interactive
• Kent Kirschner, Account Executive, Neighborhood America
• Jemima Kiss, New Media Reporter, Guardian Unlimited
• Lillian Kopenhaver, Dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Florida International University
• Thomas Kunkel, Dean, University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Beth Laing, Project Manager, iFOCOS
• Lisa Lamb, Vice President Sales & Marketing, DailyMe, Inc.
• Christina Lane, Assistant Professor, University of Miami
• Nancy Lane, President, Suburban Newspapers of America
• JD Lasica, President, Ourmedia
• Thomas LeBlanc, Provost, University of Miami
• Robyn LeVine, Reporter, School of Communications, University of Miami
• Suzanne Levinson, Director of Site Operations, Miami Herald Media Co.
• Rick Lewis, Executive Director & CEO, Friends of WLRN
• Greg Linch, News Editor, The Miami Hurricane
• Donna Logan, President, Canadian Media Research Consortium
• Joseph Loong, Senior Programming Manager, Blogs, AOL Inc.
• Bruno Lopez, VP, General Manager, Univision Online
• Luis Lora, Sr. Associate, Palladium Equity Partners, LLC
• Santiago Lyon, The Associated Press
• Stanislas Magniant, Co-founder, Netpolitique
• Ndesanjo Macha, Sub-Saharan Africa editor, Global Voices Online
• Mike Maidenberg, Vice President/Communities Program, Knight Foundation
• Michael Maness, VP/Strategic Planning, Newspapers, Gannet Co., Inc.
• Kofi Mangesi, Director, International Institute of ICT Journalism
• Steve Mansfield, PreFound.com
• Steven Marder, CEO, Eurekster
• Michael Markson
• Ernesto Martelli, Director Editorial, La Nacion, Grupo de Revistas
• Maria Martin, Director, GraciasVida Productions/GraciasVida Center for Media
• Jorge Martinez, Director of information Services, Knight Foundation
• Sibyl Masquelier, President, Executive Resource Group, Inc.
• Jeanne McCann, Director of New Media, EPE
• Karyn Meshbane,
• Mark Metz, Founder & CEO, MetroGuide.com, Inc.
• Larry Meyer, Vice President/Communications, Knight Foundation
• Myles Miller, Reporter, Children’s PressLine
• Robin Miller, Editor-in-chief, OSTG (aka Slashdot)
• Bill Mitchell, Editor, Poynter Online
• Harry Montevideo, Publisher, The Red and Black Publishing Co.
• Evgeny Morozov, Director of New Media, Transitions Online
• Sharon Moshavi, Communications Manager, Knight Foundation
• Andrew Nachison, President, iFOCOS
• Joe Natoli, Sr. VP for Business & Finance, University of Miami
• Eric Newman, VP, General Manager, Pluck Corporation
• Craig Newmark, Service Rep & Founder, craigslist
• Eric Newton, Vice President/Journalism Program, Knight Foundation
• Naomi Nixon, University of Miami
• Chris Nolan, Editor/Founder, Spot-on.com
• Sarah Nordgren, Director of State News, The Associated Press
• Rory O’Connor, President and CEO, Globalvision
• Brian O’Malley, Senior Associate, Battery Ventures
• Esteban Ochoa, Director 2Net, CIE Argentina
• Roger Ogden, President and CEO, Gannett Broadcasting
• Rich Oppel, Editor, Austin American-Statesman
• Mike Orren, President, Pegasus News, Inc.
• Elizabeth Osder, Sr. Director, Product Development, Yahoo Media Group
• Bill Ostendorf, CEO, Creative Circle Media Consulting
• Geneva Overholser, Hurley Chair, School of Journalism, University of Missouri
• Jeremiah Owyang, Director of Corporate Media Strategy, PodTech
• Angel Padula, CTO, Tele Red
• Angela Pacienza, Director of Online News, The Canadian Press & Broadcast News
• Gloria Pan, Communciatons Director, iFOCOS
• Souneil Park, M.S. student, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
• Lanaea Parker, Deputy Director, Knight, International Center of Journalists
• Horacio Ruiz Pavon, Publications Director, Inter American Press Association
• Ted Perlmutter, Director of IT, Ctr. for International Conflict Resolution
• Dale Peskin, Director, iFOCOS
• Mary Peskin, Associate Director, American Press Institute
• Geoffrey Philip, Global Voices
• Jason Pontin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Technology Review, Inc.
• Georgia Popplewell, Co-Mg. Editor/Caribbean Editor, Global Voices
• Meredith Porte, Producer/Host, WLRN Public Television
• Vikki Porter, Director, Knight New Media Center, USC Annenberg School for Communication
• David Poulson, Assistant Director, Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University
• Adam Powell, Director, Integrated Media Center, University of Southern California
• Aaron Presnall, Director of Studies, Jefferson Institute
• Valentin Prieto, Writer/Editor, Babalu Blog
• Isaac Prilleltensky, Dean, School of Education, University of Miami
• Richard Prince, Editor/Writer, Black College Wire and The Maynard Institute
• Laurie Racine, SVP Strategy/Business Development, Eyespot
• Scott Rafer, CEO, MyBlogLog, Inc.
• Richard Rambarran, Manager of Web Development, University of Miami
• Brian Reich, Director of New Media, Cone Inc.
• Allan Richards, Chair, Dept. of Journalism, Florida International University
• Guillermo Riera, Digital Media Manager, LA NACION
• Richard Robinson, VP Products and Programming, Freewebs
• Daniel Robledo, Senior Webmaster, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• Luis Rodriguez, Webmaster, School of Communications, University of Miami
• Michael Rogers, Futurist-in-Residence, The New York Times Company
• Scott Rogers, President, MetroGuide.com, Inc.
• Gaston Roitberg, Content Manager, LA NACION
• Jay Rosen, Professor of Journalism, New York University
• Steven Rosenbaum, Magnify.net
• Alan Rosenblatt, Executive Director, Internet Advocacy Center
• Dan Rua, Managing Partner, Inflexion Partners & FloridaVentureBlog.com
• James Rucker, Executive Director, Color of Change
• Emilio Sanchez, Bureau Chief, Efe News Services
• Emilio Sanchez, Program Coordinator, Inter American Press Association
• Ramiro Sanchez
• David Sasaki, Regional Editor, Latin America, Global Voices
• Jon Sawyer, Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
• Jan Schaffer, Executive Director, J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism
• Rick Schneider, President, WPBT Channel 2
• Mike Schreibman, Executive Director, Children’s PressLine
• Michelle Seeling, Assistant Professor, Visual Comm, University of Miami
• Tiffany Shackelford, Assistant Managing Editor, Stateline.org
• Susan Schein, Executive Director, Entertainment Industry Incubator
• Donna Shalala, President, University of Miami
• Michael Skoler, Executive Director, Center for Innovation in Journalism, American Public Media
• Rich Skrenta, CEO, Topix.net
• Andrea Spiegel, Editor-in Chief, VP of Content, Freewebs
• Mary Spillman, Assistant Professor, Ball State University
• Paul Steiger, Executive Editor, The Wall Street Journal
• Hal Straus, Interactivity and Commuity Ed, Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive
• Lisa Stone, President, BlogHer
• Paul Surgrue, Dean, University of Miami School of Business
• JoAnne Sullivan Woolley, Director of Development, Internews Network
• Jeff Taylor, Founder & CEO, Eons.com
• Isaac Tetteh, Web Manager/Dep. News Editor, Radio Gold 90.5 fm
• Steve Tieitelbaum, Director, Medical Web Services, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• Elisa Tinsley, Director, Knight International, International Center for Journalists
• Michael Tippett, Co-founder, NowPublic.com
• Chris Tolles, VP Sales & Marketing, Topix.net
• Denise Tom, Journalism Program Specialist, Knight Foundation
• Dave Toole, CEO, Outhink Media
• Meredith Townsley, Associate Producer, Events, Red 7 Media
• Joseph Treaster, Reporter, New York Times
• Sheryl Tucker, Executive Editor, Time Inc.
• Vivian Vahlberg, Director of Digital Media, Media Management Center, Northwestern University
• Michelle van Gilder, Director International Business, Zogby International
• Ernesto van Peborgh
• Elissa Vanaver, Assistant to the Publisher, Miami Herald
• Carlos Vassallo, CEO, LatinVision Media
• Sandra Venditti, Online Newsroom Chief, LA NACION
• Chris Versace, Senior Vice President, Agile Equity
• Chris Waddle, Director, Knight Fellows in Community Journalism, University of Alabama
• Tsitsi Wakhisi, Associate Professor, School of Communication, University of Miami
• William Walker, University Librarian, University of Miami
• Alan Webber, Founder, Fast Company
• Rebecca Weeks, Director of Business Development, Real Girls Media
• William C. Weiss, Chairman and CEO, The Promar Group LLC
• Allie Williams, Marketing Manager, Zvents
• Kinsey Wilson, Executive Editor, USA Today
• William Wilson, Editor, New Media, etruth.com
• Kurt Wimmer, SVP, General Counsel, Gannett Co. Inc.
• Emily Witt, Staff Writer, Miami New Times
• Scott Woelfel, Armchair Media
• Anthony Wojtkowiak, University of Miami
• Ruiyan Xu, Associate Producer Interactive, P.O.V./American Documentary
• JJ Yore, Marketplace
• John Zogby, President, Zogby International

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Live blogging

16:00 Big Idea 3: Conversation with Richard Sambrook (BBC)
-interviewed by Andrew Nachison (Media Center)

Question: Have you heard anything here that has opened your eyes to send you thinking in another direction?

RS: We easily get trapped in either/or mindset: MSM vs. Bloggers, get over it. We live in a remixed mash-up world.

All of us here at the conference are connected somehow, there are others not here who are not wired and their voices are not being heard. There are social gaps as well and how we plug those gaps is the big issue.

AN: The world is already flooded by info. What happens when that explodes with even more info?

RS: Success is traditionally measured by numbers. In an on-demand environment, appreciation is valued.

In the Ciziten Journalism Forum being held right now, the main question is: “What can we do to energise this army of citizen journalists out there?”

A short BBC item first highlighted how many videos and images made by citizens are already part of mainstream news reporting. Tsunamis, bombings, floodings, accidents: there is little that can happen these days, without witnesses responding immediately, recording images, audio and video. And at the moment, many of these materials reach mainstream media: within 15 minutes of the London bombings on July 7 2005, the BBC started receiving images that were later shown on TV and on the BBC websites. And companies like Scoopt are assisting citizens to sell relevant material to the media.

Connected? Has the Net been Darwinian in its brief evolution, and are the characteristics of a networked society akin to different genus/ nationalities, seemingly different people within a network sharing common characteristics or ideals?

Trust you? Yeah, right.

That’s what I used to say to anti-abortion demonstrators when I was writing for mainstream media. I meant it at at the time, but they were wrong to trust me. Because the story that got printed ended up showing them in a somewhat skewed light. Not because I meant to do that or because I was aware of it, but because — even with my editors’ best efforts — they couldn’t take my bias out of the story.

That was back then, when I tried to hold on to the idea that I could be an objective reporter of news and events. The immense failure of this is a huge reason of why I’m now what I call “journalist 2.0″ — I’m still reporting, but no longer do I pretend to control my filters — in fact, reveling in them has created exactly the opposite effect — more people seem to trust me now that I assure them I am untrustworthy. (Yes, by a prior post, that trust from them is based on their own self-orientation.)

This is why Howard Zinn is so amazing — He is perhaps best known for A People’s History of the United States, which presents American history through the eyes of those he feels are outside of the political and economic establishment.

And guess what — media is INSIDE the political and economic establishment. And, perhaps more importantly, the political and economic establishment is inside US.

So no, don’t trust me. But trust my bias, it’s always there.

One of the core themes of the upcoming We Media Global Forum is trust — or specifically, “How trust and empowerment shape our global, connected society.” At the big-think event in London early next month we will get our first look at the BBC-Reuters-Media Center global poll on trust and no doubt spend a good amount of time discussing how new media empowers the individual and how citizen generated media impacts the media business. The very nature of trust will be questioned and I suspect a new definition of trust may emerge.

As a warm-up to the big event, I have been asked to help kickoff a discussion about this topic. I want to try and get to the root of the issue. What is trust? Why do you trust someone (or some thing)? How does trust spread? And does it matter?

Trust is obviously different for everyone. We all have our own filters, right? And yet, there is a good chance that I – along with much of our society – will be inclined to trust something if others do. Do you trust something because your friend tells you to? Probably. Do I trust what my wife tells me? I’d be stupid not to.