Nenf/Journalism That Matters -- Examples from the front

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11 a.m.-noon -- SESSION ONE


Journalism That Matters -- Examples from the front (Room 206)

Williams

LINK TO VIDEO OF THIS SESSION

Submit your examples of "journalism that matters" to editor@newenglandnews.org, then join this session as we present capsule case-studies of the best half-dozen examples or more from New England. Learn about cases where citizens and journalists have worked together to produce news, information and insight that moves a community in a positive direction. Facilitator: Eesha Williams, author, "Grassroots Journalism."

Notes of session by Doris Smith

Participants:
Rory O'Conner - www.newstrust.net
Paul Sweeney
Maureen Mann -www.forumhome.org
Phil Davies
Doris Smith
Ben Melancon-www.pwgd.org
Sarah Olson


Eesha shared some stories where journalism made a difference:

Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant- One of the-problems: how to evacuate Long Island in case of a nuclear power accident. Powerful people were in favor of the nuclear power plant but a small newspaper began publishing editorials against the nuclear plant and eventually protests grow and the power plant was dismantled. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoreham_Nuclear_Power_Plant


WalMart tried to build on wetlands in St. Petersburg, Florida. Local papers wrote covering the hearings.built strong anti forces to WalMart See: http://www.sptimes.com/2003/06/05/Citrus/New_Wal_Mart_hits_a_h.shtml


Student Weekly Santa Cruz, Calif. -- Wells Fargo wanted to build condominiums in a open field that was seen as the last coastal meadow. Eeha published an article, distributed it in local stores . People got organized and stopped the building. See http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/06.26.97/terrace-pt-9726.html


Maureen spoke about her group of nine people who got a grant to start an online newspaper that would represent 4 NH rural towns that had no coverage of local news. No one knew anything about candidates who were running for office, some offices had no one running. www.forumhome.org went online a year and half ago and now they see more people involved in the towns. Local voter turnout has gone up 40%. Now the group is covering town boards, school committee meetings etc.. Once the public light was shown on the workings of boards change came about. Regional newspapers are now interested in covering the area and are reporting the news of 2 of the towns.. www.forumhome.org also publishes a paper copy 4 times a year which goes to every household in the four towns. They use local advertisers. Although they started with 9 people, they now have 50 regular contributers. http://www.forumhome.org/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=167&twindow=Form&mad=No&sdetail=&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=donation2&sc=1276&hn=forumhome&he=.org


Question to group.how do you get outlets for important ssues?

  • Volunter and citizen journalists
  • Radio - Ex of non-helpful station: Minot, N.D. had a major chemical spill in 2002 and every radio station was owned by Clear Channel and there was no live person to make emergency announcement for evacuation. Unfortunately, there was no evacuation and now some citizens have respiratory problems. Question became -- Who can they bring suits against: The railroad, the chemical company or the radio station? Question is still pending in court.
  • Pirate Radio Stations: In San Francisco, Food Not Bombs group members were being arrested and the main stream media covered arrests as being okay. A homeless man started a pirate radio station on public airwaves to protest. Food not Bombs arrests still current.

See: http://www.foodnotbombs.net/fnb_resists.html

  • Allies in Main Stream media -- We can use grassroots coverage to spur main stream news media. Example: South African film makers were unable to get their story out. Main stream journalism was not transmitting the story of apartheid. Rory's group did 156 half-hour shows about the situation in South Africa and went directly to TV stations. Remember that main stream media is not monolithic and competition is a spur to main stream, Rory says.
  • Large Media such as Reuters have outsourced much of its news tasks to India such as proofing and editing, telephone interviews, etc.
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