Berkman Center Releases "News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age"

December 18, 2008 - The Berkman Center for Internet & Society announced a major research release: Media Re:public: News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age, a series of papers exploring the potential and the challenges of the emerging networked digital media environment.

The Media Re:public series was put together over the course of a year of examining the news media in the U.S., engaging with journalists, bloggers, citizen journalists, public broadcasters, publishers, advertising networks, researchers, technologists, and many others. It builds on previous discussions, such as the 2005 Blogging, Journalism & Credibility conference, and highlights the need for a new public conversation about reinventing journalism in the public interest. This inclusive conversation should aim to build on the best from all areas -- the energy of participatory media and the expertise of professional journalists, the competitive drive of commercial media and the commitment to excellence of public broadcasters, the dedication and deep knowledge of community organizations and advocacy groups and the interests and energy of the public. The Media Re:public project's research process benefited from a large and varied group of contributors, authors, and interlocutors. The project was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Visit http://www.mediarepublic.org to download the papers:

Overview paper
  • News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age

Issues
  • International News: Bringing about the Golden Age
  • Principles for a New Media Literacy
  • Public Broadcasting and Public Affairs: Opportunities and challenges for public broadcasting's role in provisioning the public with news and public affairs
  • Digital Media, Democracy and Diversity: an Imperfect Discourse
  • Pride of Place: Mainstream Media and the Networked Public Sphere
  • Editors -- the best is yet to come?
  • A Typology for Media Organizations

Case studies
  • iReport: Participatory Media Joins a Global News Brand
  • The Gothamist Network: Gateway to Local News?
  • The Forum, Deerfield, NH: Seeking Sustainability in Hyperlocal Journalism
  • The Chi-Town Daily News: Creating a New Supply of Local News

For more information, visit the Media Re:public: