Jtm-sv-program

Tentative approach to program

We're creating a conceptual mashup in which journalists from diverse perspectives will identify what they think is required to sustain news. We will create a setting where technologists and entrepreneurs can participate and respond with design/build ideas for tools and systems.

We're four months out and won't settle the precise format until a month before the event. Here's a preliminary view of what we're envisioning:

Meeting purpose: To explore possibilities for the next generation of journalism that supports the well-being of democracy by working at the intersection of technology and journalism.

Wednesday: Intros and education

Purpose: Who’s here and what do we need to know to have a productive time together?

2:00pm Registration

3:00-6:00pm

• Welcome from organizers
• Meeting intentions
• Who is in the room?
• Newsroom Maps (a short course in journalism and democracy)

6:00-7:00pm Dinner

7:00-8:30pm A short course in key emerging technologies

Thursday: Possibilities Day: What ideas shall we explore?

Purpose: To explore a wide range of possibilities at the intersection of journalism and technology

• Organizing question: What can we create at the intersection of journalism and technology to support the well-being of democracy?

8:30-9:00am Continental breakfast

9:00–5:00pm The day will be organized around the areas of interest to people in the room.

6:00-8:00pm Hosted Dinner off-site and Untalent Show

Friday: Design-Build Day: What’s your next step?

Purpose: To provide space for taking action on initiatives which have life beyond this event

9:00-3:00pm

• Marketplace of ideas

Each project gets 2 minutes to explain their initiative. If you wish to run a session all day, we suggest chunking the time so that people interested in a specific aspect know when it will be discussed.

• Organize the agenda for design-build discussions in real time (Note: those coming with initiatives are welcome to make those sessions known in advance)

3:00-4:00pm Closing reflection

Saturday: Project work continued (optional)

Purpose: Provide the time and space to 1) take the work further and 2) share it with others

Open to anyone (Invite hackers to come)

9:00-noon

• Organize the agenda for design-build discussions in real time
• Closing: projects who want to present can do so in (Note: We are discussing co-hosting this activity in conjunction with the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ).

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Journalism That Matters background

This approach -- linking journalists with a constituent group with a focus on a paticular task -- is simlar to five other convenings around the country as the Journalism That Matters collaborative, the most recent at The George Washington University in August. There our focus was on journalism and education, because we deliberately chose a time and venue alongside the annual convention of the Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC).

Valley, Yahoo roles

The news business is now being driven more than anything by technology, and that's why it is vital to do this event in Silicon Valley and to seek to involve the leadership of the VC, entrepreneurial and technology/developer communities.

Yahoo has agreed to provide the conference facility for free as their sponsorship. Their motivation is to be seen as a convenor and participant in a dialog about the future of journalism and participatory democracy.