Slashdot Mirror
Mainstream Media To Start "Crowdsourcing"
guanxi writes "Gannett, one of the largest newspaper publishers in the U.S., plans to change its newsrooms to utilize Crowdsourcing, a new term for something Slashdot readers have been familiar with for years: \From the article, they will 'use crowdsourcing methods to put readers to work as watchdogs, whistle-blowers and researchers in large, investigative features.' Last summer, the The News-Press in Fort Myers, Florida asked readers to help investigate a local scandal. The response was overwhelming: 'Readers spontaneously organized their own investigations: Retired engineers analyzed blueprints, accountants pored over balance sheets, and an inside whistle-blower leaked documents showing evidence of bid-rigging.' Public service isn't their only concern, of course: 'We've learned that no one wants to read a 400-column-inch investigative feature online. But when you make them a part of the process they get incredibly engaged.' Is this the beginning of a revolution at major media organizations? Can they successfully duplicate what online communities have been doing for years?"
I can't wait to see the newspapers quoting things like "Our top contributer 'I3tospooge' reports..." and "Breaking news from ObiwanMcCartney..."
I keep telling myself I'm not the desperate type.
And if enough Citizen Researchers say so, by golly, we'll have a witch burning! I mean, if the crowd says so, it's got to be true! Also, the crowd can just edit the related entries on Wikipedia and make it true, with footnotes.
Um... or are we still using editors before we go public with this stuff? And, does that mean that we're still talking about having to check sources, understand the legal ramifications of publishing stuff, and all of that old stodgy professional behavior? So, really, this is just about making things sensational enough to get a lot of people to volunteer to do the basic research that staffers used to do?
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
You also get the freely shared collaborative effort of other "investigators" who are interested in the same subject or subjects. That's your "pay", the information, access to data, the reason you even go to the newspaper website. That the aggregator-the paper-provides the structure and bandwith and pays for the full time employees is fair enough for them to get the ad revenue, doncha think? Certainly better than having to open a paypal account for every news website out there, IMO.
People have been tryng to figure out how to do this online thing for a long time, there just *aren't* that many options to pay for all of it. You have ads, or direct pay in some form, that's it. Everytime you can share, whether it is code or news or just learned expertise to answer a question on some help forum, it cuts costs for all of the above, including you, because we all can't be experts at everything, nor can we be all places at the same time to see what is happening. We have to rely on others, and no matter what, there is some expense to an online presence, especially if you are a host of some sort.
It's old media trying to make themselves relevant in today's jargon-filled world. The term "crowdsourcing" is another excuse for the corporate owners to avoid putting money into investigation teams that take a hard look at society to knock over some apple carts, make readers want to buy their product, and win prizes for good old fashion journalism.
When it comes to crowd-sourcing the main stream media *should* win hands down. Established media, in particular some newspapers, have a better reputation when it comes to protecting sources compared to ISPs, for example.
Gannett is also the owner/publisher of the various Military Times newspapers.
Tomorrow, the day before the US Congressional election, all the Military Times individual papers will publish a rare joint editorial calling for the immediate resignation of Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defense Secretary. I don't know that those military papers have ever called for a Defense Sect'y to resign before, and surely not the day before an election. That editorial is aligned with its military readers, rather than its Pentagon and military contractor "suppliers" who both support Rumsfeld, and often report to him.
It looks like Gannett is choosing to plug in directly to its consumers to survive the ongoing shakeout of plummeting newspaper circulation. The real question about the "revolution" at major newspapers is not whether these Gannett moves are the beginning, but rather whether they're an exit strategy, and whether to victory.
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make install -not war
And you are the perfect example of the flaw in your approach.
This has EVERYTHING to do with Democracy. It isn't whether any person or group of people considers him/themselves to be "more informed". It matters whether they ARE more informed.
Democracy depends upon the participation of informed citizens. When you take away that "informed", Democracy fails. That is why every totalitarian government first cracks down on the media. It is not a coincidence.
But feel free to keep arguing that uninformed people make better decisions than informed people.
"Considering the ultra-conservative bias that most of the Slashdotters here have"
Are you really serious? I've seen those on the left whine about right-wing conspiracies modding them down on Slashdot...and I've seen those on the right whine about left-wing conspiracies modding them down on Slashdot. I've also observed much of the modding behavior applied to overtly political comments: it goes equally both ways. Only a "nutjob" could see such bias in Slashdot. I did not brand you as one: your own conspiracy-theory comments did.
Where were you when the voynix came?
at a concert. I lost my shoe and my wallet. Last time I did that again....
Bah! I think it is a great idea! And after we "crowdsource" journalism... I think we should move on to "crowdsourcing" NASA, the FAA, maybe even law enforcement! What about the FDA and CDC? I am sure there are lots of amatuers out there who would love to have a say in important food quality and disease information...
"It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell
Regarding the use of the the standard English word "rechristened," you wrote:
It's remarkable how much Christian mythology is used in common language. Stop and think before you keep promoting Faith over Reason.
Right. We should always keep in mind the etymology of every word we use, avoiding any with ascientific roots. In the future, please refrain from using the words "goodbye," "soulful," "Wednesday," "Thursday," well all the days of the week really, maybe the months too, and heck, let's throw in "breakfast" (only religious extremists fast).
Or... we could just accept that the meanings of words change over time, and not try too hard to read an agenda or conspiracy into the use of common words that can in specific contexts denote a religious ceremony.
Apologies for feeding the troll.
I am the man with no sig!