Tuesday, March 3, 2009
This is a gravity wave.
Cool, huh? Waves in the sky! This is what caused our big snowstorm. They are responsible for transferring energy from the troposphere to the mesosphere. Here is the Wiki entry.
I think they are also the name of a Jimmy Buffett song, natch.
Monday, March 2, 2009
On Retreat, of Sorts.
On retreat of sorts in Saint Petersburg, Florida, after my first week in DC - a week of crampedness, discomfort, awkwardness with my power and rhythm in such a fortress of a place. I burned the week to death. I worked so hard.
But I escaped just in time to get away from the snow! Hooray.
This week in to the Poynter Institute, the journalism thinktank on the water; visiting with my cousin Jennifer Miller, with whom I spent every summer and winter for most of my life, with whom I return to the soft tones of my childhood language; going to Clearwater to watch the Phils on my birthday; eating strawberries. Looking at the blue sky. And - just waiting. The storms come, whether I go looking for them or not. I don't need to push like a crazy woman.
I'm gonna see what I can do about journalism. But it will be tricky. This is not an industry that is accustomed to having any relationship with public policy (when it comes to itself, any way.) I don't know... this is like food safety or something. If we don't have quality information, then there is no political decisionmaking.
But I escaped just in time to get away from the snow! Hooray.
This week in to the Poynter Institute, the journalism thinktank on the water; visiting with my cousin Jennifer Miller, with whom I spent every summer and winter for most of my life, with whom I return to the soft tones of my childhood language; going to Clearwater to watch the Phils on my birthday; eating strawberries. Looking at the blue sky. And - just waiting. The storms come, whether I go looking for them or not. I don't need to push like a crazy woman.
I'm gonna see what I can do about journalism. But it will be tricky. This is not an industry that is accustomed to having any relationship with public policy (when it comes to itself, any way.) I don't know... this is like food safety or something. If we don't have quality information, then there is no political decisionmaking.
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Rocky Mountain News is Closing Because of Corporate Malpractice
Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.
The Rocky is the only one of the 20 papers in the Scripps chain that was unprofitable in 2008. After 150 years, Scripps closed it today.
Last year was the first year in its recent history that the Rocky has been unprofitable. Just the year before, it had made $44 million. The other 19 papers in the chain provided Scripps with a more than adequate cushion to see the Rocky through a recession. The corporation has given no explanation for this.
Website of the staffers who organized: I Want My Rocky
Below is the statement by Colorado Common Cause:
----
For Immediate Release:
February 26, 2009
Contact: (303) 292-2163 office
http://www.ColoradoCommonCause.org
Statement on the Closing of the Rocky Mountain News
Jenny Rose Flanagan, Executive Director of Colorado Common Cause
Denver—It’s a sad day in Colorado. Over the last 150 years, the Rocky Mountain News has established a strong tradition of reporting on the local issues that matter to Coloradans. From award-winning investigative reporting to their distinctive political perspective on the editorial pages, the Rocky has been a consistent voice on the issues of the day.
While we will mourn the loss of the Rocky, we are troubled by what this loss means for the future of journalism in Colorado and beyond. The Rocky Mountain News is not the first newspaper to announce plans to close in recent months, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last. The Rocky’s closure is more than the loss of a single newspaper, it’s just one example of a failing model for the news industry. Although print media has become less popular, the desire—and need—for diverse and independent journalism has not.
An informed citizenry requires a diverse and independent media. Newspapers have long been the medium to connect neighbors, inform communities, and give us the information necessary to hold government leaders accountable. As more Coloradans choose to get their news online, we must ensure that the news they get continues to meet the standards set by the Rocky Mountain News and other print media.
###
Colorado Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working for open, honest, and accountable government. For more information, visit http://www.ColoradoCommonCause.org
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Microradio Bill Introduced in House - Please speak up for community radio!
Hello folks!
On Wednesday, Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NB) announced the introduction of the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 - Congress' latest attempt to expand Low Power FM community radio across the country.
The Congressmen were joined by activist groups who have been leading a nationwide grassroots fight for community radio for years, including the Prometheus Radio Project and the Future of Music Coalition. Other cosponsors of the bill include longtime LPFM champion Jay Inslee (D-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA).
The bill would expand LPFM community radio nationwide, allowing hundreds of community groups, schools, municipalities and religious organizations to apply for new noncommercial radio licenses in cities and towns across the US. Last year's House version of the bill garnered the support of nearly 100 cosponsors.
The Senate version of last year's bill was cosponsored by another longtime LPFM champion, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with John McCain (R-AZ), Senators Obama and Clinton, and others. The Senate is expected to take up the issue of LPFM once again this spring.
Low Power FM stations are community-based, noncommercial radio stations that broadcast to neighborhoods and small
towns. LPFM licenses make radio station ownership possible for schools, churches, labor unions, local governments, emergency providers and other nonprofit groups to directly communicate with their local community.
In 2000, the Federal Communications Commission began to issue LPFM licenses.
However, soon after, Congress passed an unnecessary piece of legislation that drastically limited the radio spectrum available to LPFM stations. Since then, thousands of applications submitted to the FCC have been dismissed because of these limitations.
"Diverse, informative, thought-provoking, locally oriented programming has been dramatically restricted across the country by the current federal laws governing the separation between broadcast frequencies," said Congressman Doyle. "Enactment of this legislation would improve the quality of life in communities across the country by providing new and different programming -- especially programming addressing local interests and events -- to these communities."
The Prometheus Radio Project, a group that helps build LPFM stations across the country, is the leading advocate for community radio. Campaign Director Cory Fischer-Hoffman notes, “As media outlets are increasingly consolidated local voices are being forced off the airwaves; it is time for Congress to remove the unfair restrictions that stand in the way of community organizations, religious groups, students and senior citizens from getting their own LPFM stations.
"In this time of economic crisis, it is crucial that communities have access to important information and educational programming featuring local news, emergency information and community matters. Expanding LPFM is a concrete action that will provide this important service,” she adds.
- Detail from Prometheus Radio Project and Jonathan Lawson's post on Deepmedia.org.
Please send a letter to your representatives here.
On Wednesday, Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NB) announced the introduction of the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 - Congress' latest attempt to expand Low Power FM community radio across the country.
The Congressmen were joined by activist groups who have been leading a nationwide grassroots fight for community radio for years, including the Prometheus Radio Project and the Future of Music Coalition. Other cosponsors of the bill include longtime LPFM champion Jay Inslee (D-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA).
The bill would expand LPFM community radio nationwide, allowing hundreds of community groups, schools, municipalities and religious organizations to apply for new noncommercial radio licenses in cities and towns across the US. Last year's House version of the bill garnered the support of nearly 100 cosponsors.
The Senate version of last year's bill was cosponsored by another longtime LPFM champion, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with John McCain (R-AZ), Senators Obama and Clinton, and others. The Senate is expected to take up the issue of LPFM once again this spring.
Low Power FM stations are community-based, noncommercial radio stations that broadcast to neighborhoods and small
towns. LPFM licenses make radio station ownership possible for schools, churches, labor unions, local governments, emergency providers and other nonprofit groups to directly communicate with their local community.
In 2000, the Federal Communications Commission began to issue LPFM licenses.
However, soon after, Congress passed an unnecessary piece of legislation that drastically limited the radio spectrum available to LPFM stations. Since then, thousands of applications submitted to the FCC have been dismissed because of these limitations.
"Diverse, informative, thought-provoking, locally oriented programming has been dramatically restricted across the country by the current federal laws governing the separation between broadcast frequencies," said Congressman Doyle. "Enactment of this legislation would improve the quality of life in communities across the country by providing new and different programming -- especially programming addressing local interests and events -- to these communities."
The Prometheus Radio Project, a group that helps build LPFM stations across the country, is the leading advocate for community radio. Campaign Director Cory Fischer-Hoffman notes, “As media outlets are increasingly consolidated local voices are being forced off the airwaves; it is time for Congress to remove the unfair restrictions that stand in the way of community organizations, religious groups, students and senior citizens from getting their own LPFM stations.
"In this time of economic crisis, it is crucial that communities have access to important information and educational programming featuring local news, emergency information and community matters. Expanding LPFM is a concrete action that will provide this important service,” she adds.
- Detail from Prometheus Radio Project and Jonathan Lawson's post on Deepmedia.org.
Please send a letter to your representatives here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
TV 101 - and Public Access 101
Go get a cup of coffee, and watch them in order - I posted as much as I could find. 22 minutes total.
Public Access, Denver Open Media Style
From: Tony Shawcross
Deproduction/Denver Open Media
700 Kalamath
Denver, CO 80204
720-222-0160 x200
http://deproduction.org
(from correspondence)
...as I mentioned about the suggestions I'd give to access stations,
there are two primary ones.
1. stop all production services that are not directly generating a
significant profit. Public Access stations don't exist to produce
content, but to allow the public to do so, and any resources directed
at internal production work are reducing resources available to
support the community productions Public Access stations exist to
provide. Public Access stations should view themselves like
Wikipedia, where the staff is expressly discouraged from participating
in "content creation" and is entirely focused on facilitating public
creation of content.
2. review all staff activities, identify those which the community
could conceivably take-on. Develop systems and incentives for the
public to take over as many responsibilities for running the station
as possible. There are web-based tools available to enable any Access
station to hand over every task to their community, which results in
stronger community involvement and support.
Scheduling, programming, marketing, equipment reservations, class
registrations, documentation, fundraising, underwriting... these are
all tasks that could be handed over to the public.
Deproduction/Denver Open Media
700 Kalamath
Denver, CO 80204
720-222-0160 x200
http://deproduction.org
(from correspondence)
...as I mentioned about the suggestions I'd give to access stations,
there are two primary ones.
1. stop all production services that are not directly generating a
significant profit. Public Access stations don't exist to produce
content, but to allow the public to do so, and any resources directed
at internal production work are reducing resources available to
support the community productions Public Access stations exist to
provide. Public Access stations should view themselves like
Wikipedia, where the staff is expressly discouraged from participating
in "content creation" and is entirely focused on facilitating public
creation of content.
2. review all staff activities, identify those which the community
could conceivably take-on. Develop systems and incentives for the
public to take over as many responsibilities for running the station
as possible. There are web-based tools available to enable any Access
station to hand over every task to their community, which results in
stronger community involvement and support.
Scheduling, programming, marketing, equipment reservations, class
registrations, documentation, fundraising, underwriting... these are
all tasks that could be handed over to the public.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Documentary as a Tool for Action
video: Bukeni Waruzi, on the use of his footage of child soldiers in the Congo in the International Criminal Court trial of a warlord:
Last week I was able to go to the Center for Social Media's annual conference at American University in DC. To put it simply - this was a conference of people who make documentaries, and then go out and use them to organize for social justice. It was completely and utterly inspiring. Documentary filmmakers are simply too hip to begin with, and then I meet these folks, and they are all that plus the idealism and some rebellion. They were making the art/journalism (or journalism/art?) that will change the world.
Highlights that I want to pass on:
- The Hub. This is world's first participatory media site for human rights. "Through the Hub, individuals, organizations, networks and groups around the world are able to bring their human rights stories and campaigns to global attention and to mobilize action to protect and promote human rights," according to their site. The video work on the site covers Egypt, India, Congo, Zimbabwe... and the list goes on. Most hopeful and moving, though, is the work of their regional director Bukeni Waruzi, whose videos documenting the insanely cruel "child armies" used to fight their civil war has, a decade later, provided some of the evidence required to bring one of the most powerful warlords to trial. This is one of the most potential powerful forms of journalistic innovation I have seen in a long time, and is yet another argument as to why the Internet must be protected from all tampering by either corporations or national governments, and net neutrality provisions written into law as soon as possible.
- Using documentary as teaching/organizing tool. The documentary department of PBS, AmDocs/POV, will lend you for free any of their hundreds of documentaries, which come with downloadable Facilitator/Discussion Guides on how to host the event, and Lesson Plans for educators. Some of the documentaries they have available: "Flag Wars," about gentrification, "The Camden 28," about the 1971 trial of an anti-war raid on the New Jersey Draft board, and "Thirst," about the global water shortage. You can also search by topic. Link here.
- Snagfilms. This is a Beta site hosting all sorts of dox you can watch for free. And you can also pick five of them and set them up on your website in a little theatre!
- The Unheard Voices Project. Based in NC, this is a project aiming to document the impacts of globalization and economic displacement.
- DoGooder.tv is sort of a hosting space for videos about nonprofits.
- Info on the conference and sponsor: Center for Social Media here. And information on Making Your Media Matter, the conference itself, is here, with video to be posted soon. Information on all the great documentarians who were there should be up as well.
Last week I was able to go to the Center for Social Media's annual conference at American University in DC. To put it simply - this was a conference of people who make documentaries, and then go out and use them to organize for social justice. It was completely and utterly inspiring. Documentary filmmakers are simply too hip to begin with, and then I meet these folks, and they are all that plus the idealism and some rebellion. They were making the art/journalism (or journalism/art?) that will change the world.
Highlights that I want to pass on:
- The Hub. This is world's first participatory media site for human rights. "Through the Hub, individuals, organizations, networks and groups around the world are able to bring their human rights stories and campaigns to global attention and to mobilize action to protect and promote human rights," according to their site. The video work on the site covers Egypt, India, Congo, Zimbabwe... and the list goes on. Most hopeful and moving, though, is the work of their regional director Bukeni Waruzi, whose videos documenting the insanely cruel "child armies" used to fight their civil war has, a decade later, provided some of the evidence required to bring one of the most powerful warlords to trial. This is one of the most potential powerful forms of journalistic innovation I have seen in a long time, and is yet another argument as to why the Internet must be protected from all tampering by either corporations or national governments, and net neutrality provisions written into law as soon as possible.
- Using documentary as teaching/organizing tool. The documentary department of PBS, AmDocs/POV, will lend you for free any of their hundreds of documentaries, which come with downloadable Facilitator/Discussion Guides on how to host the event, and Lesson Plans for educators. Some of the documentaries they have available: "Flag Wars," about gentrification, "The Camden 28," about the 1971 trial of an anti-war raid on the New Jersey Draft board, and "Thirst," about the global water shortage. You can also search by topic. Link here.
- Snagfilms. This is a Beta site hosting all sorts of dox you can watch for free. And you can also pick five of them and set them up on your website in a little theatre!
- The Unheard Voices Project. Based in NC, this is a project aiming to document the impacts of globalization and economic displacement.
- DoGooder.tv is sort of a hosting space for videos about nonprofits.
- Info on the conference and sponsor: Center for Social Media here. And information on Making Your Media Matter, the conference itself, is here, with video to be posted soon. Information on all the great documentarians who were there should be up as well.
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