My Media Blog

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Final Project Plan

For my final I will be using iMovie.  I’ll talk about the story of my friend Sandra and how she met her husband Kevin.

Episode 1: How they met

Episode 2: The engagement process

Episode 3″ The wedding

My Lunch – Esmeralda

Midterm Newsletter

We the Media 2

In chapter 4 of Gillmor’s We the Media, Gillmor talks about the importance of new media for the newsmakers of tomorrow.  He specifically focuses on bloggers/blogging and the importance of them and how to use it effectively, especially in the corporate arena.  He points out that corporations need to “listen harder” and learn from what they read on blogs and forums.  Corporations can no longer just rely on their Web site, or focus groups to gain market share and customers, they need to venture out into the new world of communications.  Gillmor states: “Using weblogs and other information tools such as discussion forums, companies can engage customers, suppliers, and employees in a dialogue in which everyone learns from each other”.

In chapter 5, Gillmor focuses his attention on how new media has transformed the political arena, specifically the way political campaigns are ran.  The most important? Raising money.  Internet fund-raising has become an essential tool in the political game, for example, John McCain raised an astounding $6.4 million online!  There was also a shift in the way candidates connected and communicated with the people.  Sure, they still made public appearances but the most profound vehicle was the use of weblogs.  Blogging (and the internet) allowed people from all over the world to dig deeper into the candidates, and in a sense brought the candidates closer to the people, and the people closer to the candidates. 

Gillmor goes on (end of chapter 5 and into chapter 6) to talk about the different types of blogging and how they can be used and for what purpose.  For example, if your goal is to communicate tops-down, then a few blogs with a lot of readers is more powerful than a network of blogs.  One of his views that I agree with is that everyone should start a blog about something they care about, or about a certain issue because the more information we have the better we’ll be.  It can get overwhelming, and at times feel useless, but if we can leave it up to the “real” journalist and Big Media organizations to help collect the best alternative coverage of the issues and publish it, we just might be better off.

He also talks about how allowing people to comment on blogs/forums is a good thing because the feedback could be helpful, and it gives the reader a connection, like there is someone out there listening!   Allowing folks to comment is always a good thing even if you get the occasional “troll” whose sole purpose in life is to destroy an online forum.

He also talks about the need for editors.  No matter how smart you may be on a certain topic, and no matter how well you think you can write, there is always a need for an extra pair of professional eyes.  Editors are essential because they make journalist better journalist – they are there to ensure your story is great.  They make it better.

In the end, everyone could be a journalist in their own right, but regardless of a person’s credentials (or not) every “journalist” must maintain certain core principles such as fairness, accuracy and thoroughness.

Did You You Know 2.0

Did I know I was going to feel a bit depressed after watching the video Did You Know 2.1? No; but I was.

Watching it reminds me of how far technology has advanced and how little we have advanced in education / educating our children.  I kept thinking of my son.  He’s eleven years-old and I just bought him a laptop.  I contemplated the idea for some time but I finally gave in. I knew it was time to get him more familiar with technology because nowadays if you don’t know how to use the “latest and greatest” gadgets, software, etc., you won’t get very far in this life.

From a pure parenting perspective, the mistake parents make is that they use technology in place of actual parenting.  They let the computer, TV, iPod, and video games do the teaching / parenting.  They don’t take the time to actually be there for their kids to enforce and encourage the importance of education.  And the mistake our government makes is that they don’t give enough money to the schools so that our kids have a chance to prosper!  

If we don’t start changing our behaviors and if we continue to put education on the backburner the future of our kids and grandchildren will be absolutely terrifying

We the Media

Boring and foreign are the words I would describe the first two chapters of Dan Gilmore’s We the Media. It’s Anna Witmour talking Vogue to a mad scientist. Anna who? Vogue what?

However, not all of it was completely boring and foreign. For instance, in chapter one, Gilmore talks about how the events from September 11 were a catalyst to show how far grassroots journalism has come. I agree. Those who couldn’t get to a (traditional) newspaper had access (for the most part) to blogs, online news, e-mail, newsletters, chat rooms, discussion boards, etc. In a sense, it forced people to look in all corners, cracks, and holes to get information. It brought to light modern technology from a communications perspective. All these technologies were simultaneously in effect and were more important than ever before.

I agree with Gilmore when he said that information is an ocean, and newsmakers can no longer control the tide as easily as they once did. Because of the internet, it’s difficult to contain/hide information (i.e., SARS,Pepsi’s “free song” promotion, war photos). And, it’s a fine line conveying news when you got “Truth Squads” waiting to tear you down. Regardless of what your views are on modern communication, it’s growing and getting more and more sophisticated by the minuet. We need to learn to embrace it rather than fight it; work with it for our benefit, and for the benefit of others because in the end, like it or not, as Gilmore says, it’s inevitable.

Esmeralda

Howdy folks; my name is Esmeralda and I just turned 30 (yay!).  I’m officially a woman.  Ha!  Actually, I was somewhat forced into womanhood at the age of 18 when I slithered out an 8 ½ pound baby boy.  He just turned 11 and we’re both back in school.  It took me about 13 years to get to San Jose State, but who’s counting, right?  I’m here – I’m finally here. 

 I’m a junior majoring in journalism because I do a lot of writing in my current field of work and I figured journalism would be a great fit.  And, it’ll be good to recognize and correct the mistakes I’ve been making all these years!        

I’m not tech savvy.  However, I’m trying to push myself to be more aware of modern technology and how they function.  The most high tech piece of modern technology I own is an iPod.  And the only reason I have a [basic] cell phone is because I need one for the j-o-b.  I don’t even own a camera.

I’m a huge Mother Teresa fan and I’m not even Catholic.  I’ve had the same girlfriends since I was 13 and I wouldn’t dare trade them in.  I enjoy the world of twitter and I do [seldom] blog.  When I’m not working, or being a mother, or hanging out with my girlfriends, I love to dance salsa.  There’s an absolute joy and sense of freedom I get when I’m dancing.  Love it.   

Ok, I’m done – I won’t bore you any longer.

Tweet-Tweet! 

Esmeralda