Mediag: /* Chapter format / concepts */

2006-10-14T11:39:03Z

Chapter format / concepts

New page

=Media Giraffe Book Project=

''Scott/Norm: Just click on the edit table to edit. The pre-changed version gets saved every time you save, so you don't have worry about messing up someone else's work -- in can be recovered. As agreed, we should probably focus most on adding to and collectively refining the chapter concepts.''

Next conference call Friday Oct. 13, 2 p.m.

==Book concept==

===Need a 50-word summary here===

DEVELOPING . . . here is grist . . .

From an Scott Walker email, March 30, 2006:

I'd suggest that the best book bet will be one focused on "fresh, effective tools and approaches to empowering and informing citizens." It should be generously "illustrated" with excerpts and quotes from the interviews, and highlight best practitioners. The book will reflect a rather mature state of our research (i.e. we'll want to get far along in that before we get too far into the book).

From the Sept. 6 answers to EFA board-member questions:

"The book will show models of innovation that should be useful to journalists, students and citizens seeking role models of innovation and success in civic dialog and participation. Journalists – including non-traditional, non-paid citizen journalists using the web to make a difference -- will see models for journalism that promotes participatory democracy, and students will find a new career pathway that differs from the unfortunate reputation that accompanies the term “media” today. Our “channels” for distribution will include the Media Giraffe Project website, outreach to journalism schools and high schools . . . But the point is not so much to anoint particular individuals as to highlight them as exemplar role models."

==Voice considerations==

*Determine voice -- write for consumers or for professionals
SW writes -- The key question: from whose perspective shall we craft the sections?
Both you and Norm are very insiderish in your POV -- the main concern being
a threat to those on the inside of currently mainstream media. That implies
a book for media insiders. That's fine, but I need to know that that is indeed
the intent. We'd stand a better chance of covering the issue from a more
general perspective, for the current events reader, and of benefit to
insiders. That would extend the audience. FWIW

Bill replies: I liked the point of our conversation where we talked about developiing
the flexibility to address several audiences by packaging a core print
book that has multimedia spinoffs. For the core book, I think we need to
identify something which resembles a mass market -- folks who are
interested in civic engagement, political and education reform,
and who recognize that as requiring a media component. So the message to
them is: "Take this book and, with it, use the media, yourself or
indirectly by influencing it."

SW responds: As I mull all this over, the multiple-book-option seems sound, but too much for my poor old brain to think of. It will help the process, I think, if we decided on one audience, built the book for them, and THEN added the extended audiences. Choices:
1. General readers interested in media
2. Students: college and media practitioners
3. Media practitioners (paper editors to bloggers)
4. High school journalism classes

FURTHER thoughts: consumers will adopt whatever media is most interesting and useful. This whole issue is a crisis only for people wedded to the old business models. So maybe we do want a more professionally oriented book?

===Multi-product format===
*book - print-on-demand for entire book and for courses
*ebook
*web, pdf, and other online-reading options (user decides)
*links to web-based updated material
*Option for creation of several books, each aimed at a separate market: general interest readers, college journalism classes, and high schools

===Chapter synopses===
*Each chapter introduced by a name-brand writer/commentatory with domain-specific knowledge

==Chapter format / concepts==

We brainstormed the possible conceptual hooks (go to wiki to review this):

*PLATFORM COMPETITION -- The economic battle/transition between print/broadcast and online/timeshifted narrowcasting. From the consumer point of view: "How can I get any content i want in any medium I want anytime I want it?"

*JOURNALISM EXPLODED -- Uncertaining about the future definition of journalism and who will practice. From the consumer point of view: "Who will watch government and the institutions which affect my life when I don't have time to do it myself so that I can make intelligent decisions as a citizen?" Also, [http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Booktalk-journalism models of sustainability.]

*COMMUNITY -- The whole community movement is a major economic trend. How are technologies being used to foster community participation in existing communities, or enable new ones. From the consumer point of view: "How can I connect better with the people I want to be with and with the jobs I need to get done."

*TRUST -- As old brands morph or wither, how do you determine who to trust for the information that matters? From the consumer point of view: "Who can I trust to tell me where to go, in turn, for information and advice I can trust?" An examination of the "Wisdom of Crowds" taken to the next level.

*ME VS. US -- Micro-customization, the Daily Me, is the holy grail of many technologies. But many of us still want a shared experience. What are the implications of total personalization vs. total sharing, of information and perspectives? Will both co-exist?

* FOLLOWING THE MONEY, OR NOT. How it motivates, or not; how it affects work from the center (protecting it) or at the margins (not really caring about it, yet). YouTube vs NBC.

==Book description (2-3 pages)==

==Competition==

info on competition

==Intended market(s)==
Four markets:
*Trade
*College
*High-school
*Professional

==Production schedule==

Booktalk - Revision history

Mediag: /* Chapter format / concepts */