Community Media

COSTA MESA — In an effort to keep residents abreast of City Hall events, the city has launched daily newscasts online and on public-access television.

MANALAPAN — Did you see the Manalapan Township Committee’s Sept. 21 town hall meeting on the municipal access cable television channel?

No, you did not, and that will apparently remain the case as long as the current Republican majority on the governing body remains in control of the municipality.

My friend Ilya Marritz took this picture on the New York City subway (where else?). It seems like a political metaphor waiting to happen.

Digital storytelling is a method for telling personal stories of significance using simple computer-based media technologies. Electronic community media include outlets and facilities for locally-oriented and generated programs and content, typically created by non-professional volunteers and focusing on technological tools as a process to engage people more completely in their communities, rather than the creation of a polished media product. This article describes the use of digital storytelling and community-based media for peace-building purposes in Cyprus in the fall of 2010.

Facebook has released several updates in the last month that will affect how journalists use the platform for reporting and storytelling. Many of these new features will make it easier for journalists to distribute their content and keep up with sources of information.

PITTSBURGH -- On Monday, Sept. 26, Free Press is hosting a community dialogue on the state of the media in Pittsburgh, Pa. featuring Rep. Mike Doyle and Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps.

There is, however, one particular reason why citizen journalism has not become as prevalent as one would expect, and that is because of the lack of quality of these amateur videos. Who actually wants to watch a 48-second video three times before spotting the political figure who violently attacks a protester in a sea of thousands of people? Luckily, this citizen journalism shortcoming is now being addressed through several consumer video-editing programs.

This is a live blog dedicated to exploring the topic of Media Distribution. Tune in September 29 from 10am-11am Pacific / 1pm-2:00pm Eastern. Participate in the discussion as it's happening by submitting questions to our panelists in the chat box below or via twitter using the hashtag #namacopen. Comments will be added to the discussion at the discretion of the moderator.

According to Reuters, cable companies are secretly discussing plans that'll let customers choose what channels they want. Content providers won't like this "a la carte" arrangement, but who cares.

U.S. cable operators are privately working on a plan to force programmers to unbundle their networks and allow customers to subscribe to channels on an individual basis. The plan represents a complete reversal from cable operators' long-held opposition to what is known as "a la carte" programming. Over the last decade, the cable industry battled ferociously with regulators to protect the right to bundle programming, arguing it offered customers the best value.

The Philo Festival of Media Arts is all about you: the media producer. It's a unique combination of competition, collaboration and educational and creative content hosted by the Central States Alliance for Community Media and Northern Kentucky University's Department of Communication. The event offers invaluable networking opportunities and immersion into the creative art of the rapidly evolving world of independent media.

PITTSBURGH -- In a townhall-style dialogue sponsored by Free Press at Carnegie Mellon University yesterday, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps responded to a question from a self-described “downsized journalist” about the lack of women and minority owners in the broadcast industry by asserting that the FCC has neglected its duty to ensure diverse ownership that’s more reflective of the communities broadcasters serve.

Citizens' media habits are surprisingly varied as newspapers, TV, the internet, newsletters, and old-fashioned word-of-mouth compete for attention. Different platforms serve different audience needs.

Photographs and especially videos of the NYPD's actions during the occupation of Wall Street have sparked outrage and media attention regarding the protests, which have now spanned ten days. Accordingly, witnesses, including our own photographer, tell us that the NYPD has been specifically targeting photographers and videographers for arrest. Two protestors who were maintaining the live video feed of the protests were arrested on Saturday, the first claiming that she was detained solely because she was holding a camera. "Those are the first people the police go after," protest organizer Patrick Bruner tells us. "

You can now easily find music to use in your videos, provided by Free Music Archive and Audiosocket.