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Minnesota Public Radio: What do citizens want from citizen media

Here are running notes on a conversation streamed live today (June 6, 2008) on the web from Minnesota Public Radio in Saint Paul, Minn. -- a group of 14 citizens and a half dozen media reformers talking about what citizens want from their citizen media -- moderated by MPR's Michael Caputo.

Listener Jan Fisher (spelling) talks about the punch cards/hanging chads from 2004 in Florida. It struck him as odd that a professor/commentator knew all about the chads problem -- "I think we overrely on our found experts . . . when you talk to the person who actually really did it, you find out what really went wrong."

Listener says it makes sense to have small staff of professional journalists at Off the Bus on Huffington Post and elsewhere, which vet stories contributed by hundreds of citizen contributors. The professionals "do a really good job of keeping their bias out, but keeping the tidbids of the reporting in."

Listener: "I'm having trouble understanding what the downside is to having the public send their tidbits in . . . as long as the media source is still in charge of making sure the information is correct . . . can somebody help me out with that?"

Listener: The problem is partisanship has been going up and up -- there is nobody neutral in America anymore -- everyone is partisan. Even if you try to go and listen to the news as a neutral person, someone from the opposite side will attack. Ombudsmen at The Washington Post and elsewhere, this is much more sophisticated than just an average citizen criticizing or making judgement.

Listener Joe Shaeler (sp?): The public can be like the second wave on a story. You could read a story, say on the economy, and request input. The professional reporters can qualify partisanship out. ... .

Michael Caputo: What about the public as correspondent, as the iReporter initiative at CNN. It's produced by the public.

Listener David Degraf -- The problem is there are too many people who now have pedestals. The media is not the only culpable. He watches news from Fox, CNN, NPR, Sean Hanity or Al Frankin or Rush Limbaugh. He likes news. "But as soon as it gets into the pop culture stuff, that's when I change to a new channel becuase I am more interest in the problems our country faces ... the media would focus more on that if the public were more discerning."

Listener: He's seen reporting from citizen journalists every bit as good as what the professionals provide. He edits for a website called OpEd.com. The have articles and submissions from all over the world. "I think a lot of the insights that everyday people provide are every bit as important as what the professional journalists provide."

Listener: Critic and collaborator as the citizen role is fine. But there are some sorts of news that the professional journalist can't find. She's interested in the public as correspondent. The Greenwash Brigade is a blog about sustainability issues. She has a master's degree in affordable housing and cares about that issue. It gives her a chance to say that a Fuji Bottle Water sponsorship of MPR -- that's crazy if MPR has an commitment to sustainability.

Listener: He grew up on radio. There are now endless ways for the public to contribute. "The problem is there is such an explosion [of sources] which avenues do you choose?"

Michael Caputo: The purpose of journalism is to give citizens the tools and information they need to be an active citizen. So what can you trust?

Listener Jan Fisher: We can talk about the public being critic. But if you read the blogs, they are not only criticizing the professional reporter, they are critcizing each other. With anonymity, you can say anything to anybody. "I think we are in really sad shape . . . we have lost our politeness . . . . "

Listener: "It used to be this was a controlled field . . . It's beyond any single person's control now . . . it's about building reputation and quality over time." Yes, everybody is partisan. There's an incredible difference in quality. Because of the skepticism by the public now, if an organization involves the public and is clear and transparent over time, eventually the public will think, "they don't get it right all the time, but I think they usually get it right." You don't pay attention to unreliable blogs.

Michael Caputo: Think about what you want that relationship to be like -- public vs. media

Listener: You have have to consider about how much of an expert you are vs. the material you are reporting or blogging about.

Listener: Al Hibs (spelling?) -- His concern is with the wider public that isn't sophisticated about understanding how to consume news. "What are they hearing?"

Listener: When people have the opportunity to correspond in media, "There is the draw to say something just because you have the ability to say something." He thinks as in Public Insight Journalism, you should be qualified for commenting to some extent by your expertise.

Michael Caputo: How far can we go with the citizen expert when it comes to presenting news?

Listener: Can't change people's minds about wanting to look at Brittany Spear's navel. He thinks in the future people will tailor the kind of news they want -- and they may enter their point of view as well for filtering the news they receive. "You might be able to filter out the stories you want that give you your point of view ... what can we do to encourage people to want discerning news. Becuase I think its out there but people choose not to use it."

Listener Mark: He read the statement of the problem. "The problem I actually see is the gatekeepers of the news. I see a lot of good reporting. And then I see the story drop off for the easy story like Anna Nicole Smith." How can you get informed information when the only people the gatekeepers are putting on are political pundits. We need gateskeepers. But if the public doesn't want to come to you becuase you are telling long political stories and they woudl rather tune into entertainment tonight, let them. But still provide the other stuff.

Michael Caputo: But who is the gatekeeper? "You are."

Listener Mark: Wants to here the news, not some pundit.