New Media Revolution
I got wind of this New Media Revolution web site from a mention in the Times- Standard. The T-S hasn't updated their web site yet, so I can't provide a link to their story on it.
I guess I do need some work on my reading comprehension. I couldn't figure out just what this New Media Revolution thing was all about after browsing through the Times- Standard article. Then again, after checking out the NMR web site, I'm still not sure just what this is all about.
It looks like this Paul Benson fellow in Arcata- the T-S said he's in Blue Lake now- is trying to wrest the dissemination of news from corporate hands and put it in the hands of the people. He seems to be one of the many that believe all the news we get is the result of some corporate conspiracy. Well, ok, maybe it is. I don't know.
What really makes me curious is when I checked out the Get Involved page and the list of Volunteer Tasks. Some aren't surprising, like providing a place for meetings and such. I suppose it's no surprise, either, that he needs people to form a news oriented web- radio station and entertainment oriented web- radio and tv stations and channels.
But don't we already have such things available on the internet already?
I guess he wants to make his media the replacement for our current main stream media, as opposed to some of the niche web news and radio stations we have now. Ok, have at it, Paul.
What I'd like to know is how he expects this sort of media to be any less biased than the corporate media he wants to replace. After all, this media will be controlled by the people. We've seen, just taking a look at the blogosphere, how people put their own spin on news. How will this New Media Revolution be any different?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:58 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
He's going to bring about a total media revolution, but he needs help finding a place to hold meetings? He first needs someone to explain that force-justified text died out in 1985. It only ever really existed to show off that you were using a new fangled word processor instead of a typewriter. Oooh, new media!
Wow Kevin sounds totally jealous.
No matter what blog I post on, that weenie thinks I'm Kevin. I don't mind being confused for someone else, but couldn't you pick someone really important, like Arkley? I know you're infatuated with Arkley too, so go ahead and mix up your delusions a little. Variety is the spice of life.
Sort of makes you wish that more bloggers would simply delete fruit-cake comments, eh? If you want a nice garden, you've got to pull some weeds.
Agreed, the courier font and justified text is awful. The Photoshop-created logo (complete with cheesy drop-shade) can't help the cause much either.
anybody googled this guy yet?
"If we do this properly, some of these tasks and roles will lead to paying jobs before long."
You would be better off selling Amway.
Where is the money going to come from? Perhaps Proctor & Gamble might be interested.
Googled him
Measure T clown with blessings from The Plaziod.
Funny how he uses a, well, media giant, to host his webspace:
Registered through: BlueHost.com
Domain Name: NEWMEDIAREVOLUTION.NET
Created on: 23-May-06
Expires on: 23-May-07
Last Updated on: 23-May-06
WHAT THE "NEW MEDIA REVOLUTION" IS ALL ABOUT:
Below, I will try to explain this "new media revolution" project enough so you'll all have at least some tangible basis for judgment. But first, let me address the criticisms posted here so far.
While I do appreciate the attention for my work that's being provided here, the cynicism seems a bit overboard. I'm a bit mystified what possible basis any of you could possibly have for wishing me ill. Skepticism is a healthy and intelligent response, especially for something new and different like what I'm doing. But skepticism’s one thing and cynicism something else entirely. And when a person tries to infect others with their own cynicism, that seems to me like pointlessly destructive behavior. Who could possibly benefit?
If my having sought a meeting space is the best criticism my naysayers can come up with, I guess I'm doing pretty well. Success is built from the ground up, with hard work in the pursuit of a goal, and not being afraid to state your needs. Success is not pulled out of thin air, as our anonymous commentor apparently believes. Success requires facing challenges and doing what's necessary to overcome them, which is all my call for meeting spaces was.
I feel no shame for my ambition, and I would suggest those who think I should might do well to try opening up their imaginations to greater possibilities. After all, as blogging types, you are exactly the sort of people who would benefit the most from the success of my efforts. I encourage you to - at best get involved, and at worst, take a "wait & see" attitude. Rushing to judgment on something you don't yet understand serves no one.
As for the design comments provided by carson park ranger, they're duly noted. However, the current website is merely a starting point - a preliminary message while I gather the friends and allies who will help build this organization, including an awesomely designed site. I trust that our designs will improve as more people get involved and collaborate on honing the look and feel. Maybe even Carson can help out in this area. And as for where the money will come from, all will be revealed in good time, ye of little-to-no faith...
I do apologize that my website doesn't yet have a quick concise outline of exactly what the basic plan is. This is the most valid criticism I've seen here, and it's a shortcoming that I'm aware of and will fix soon. In any case, the video on my site does outline my idea at length. Hopefully you have a fast connection and the software necessary to view it. (The video too is scheduled for a big overhaul, including a new script and a total reshoot, lest the cynics decide to attack it as well).
So as promised, I'll now explain what Citizen Media Net is about. It's about empowering citizen media-makers such as Fred. That is, to provide them the organization and support they need to become better and better at making media, and so that the media climate in which they operate becomes increasingly friendly and rewarding to citizen media-makers. This assistance is primarily in the form of providing studio spaces, media equipment, training, and special tools that will allow media-makers (bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, artists, etc) to collaborate with each other. As we build working relationships with each other, the citizen media phenomenon becomes more vibrant, and our content gets better. The result: a transformed media environment that better reflects the diversity of the people at large.
Fred, of course I realize there are already a lot of people doing things like web-radio & web-video. In fact, I'm counting on it! This group is not about inventing things that already exist, although some projects of the group will utilize these tools. This group is about pushing the movement beyond fringe-phenomenon status by getting us organized. It's about bringing citizen media-makers together, pooling our resources and talents so as to expand greatly the reach and effectiveness of citizen media.
Also, I am not seeking to create a group that advances an ideological agenda, as seems to be the assumption here. Other than a firm belief that diversity is better than monoculture, and a wider distribution of power is better than concentrated power (especially when it comes to something so vital to our Republic as the flow of ideas and information). I suppose there may be a few other ideological biases built in, such as a basic belief in the principles laid out in the U.S. Constitution, which is, of course, open to many interpretations. But beyond these basics, I hope that people of a great many persuasions are involved with and are assisted by this organization.
Fred, it seems to me that a Libertarian would be more inclined than most to see value in empowering individuals to more effectively participate in mass media. I find it puzzling that you seem to take issue with the assertion that most mass media is owned and largely controlled by a relatively few large corporations. Whether this constitutes a "conspiracy" is an interesting question, but it's not a position I'm advocating. Conspiracy or not though, isn't it really a plain and indisputible fact that media corporations hold a lot of power and ordinary people generally don't, when it comes to dissemination of ideas and information in today's America? Since you're a blogger, it seems to me that there must be some common ground between us on this. After all, you feel it important enough to publish your own individual voice. My group simply seeks to help you do so.
By the way, the Times-Standard article referenced is currently at www.times-standard.com/local/ci_4288487
Although my goals are ambitious, I make no guarantees that it will be a success. The only way to find if it can succeed is to give it a go. And so I am. Whether or not I succeed, though, I will feel no shame for having tried. Certainly, no one need waste their time trying to discourage me with cynicism, for I don't tend to resonate with such motives. However, truly constructive criticisms are welcome, as I know I still have a long way to go and have much to learn.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I'd like to have the chance to explain the basics of what I'm doing and why before you post any further writings on the subject (if the above still failed to make it clear).
Thanks again for the plug, Fred.
Paul Benson
Citizen Media Net
misterbenson@cox.net
www.newmediarevolution.net
The real concern Paul, is whether or not you are part of the "local solutions" kabal, and whether you are planning to use your new venture for real true honest-to-goodness amateur video opportunities, or whether you are to be an extension of Arcata's Channel 12 pushing activist propaganda at public expense. You seem to be saying that you are not.
Ah ha. Now I have a better grasp of where all the suspicion came from. It's just that nobody's ever accused me of being part of a kabal before!
My personal politics have very little to do with whom I wish Citizen Media Net to serve, or how. There might be restrictions placed on porn, incitement to violence, or of speech that targets particular racial or ethnic groups and such. These specifics haven't yet been worked out, but off the top of my head, these are the only sorts of speech I imagine considering placing any restrictions on. Otherwise, the more diverse, the better.
The overall objective is to make the public dialogue truly diverse, and to REMOVE the distorting influences of the various institutions and "kabals" so that the voices of real people, as individuals, can be heard. We would do this simply by assisting independent individuals to just do their thing, regardless of whatever politics they bring to the table.
Irrelevant as they are, I'll take your bait and tell you about my personal politics. By current American standards, I'd generally be considered fairly liberal. However, I consider MYSELF a centrist, in that I think BOTH government AND industry must be kept from holding too much power. And, at all costs, government and industry must never be permitted to join forces, as that's the textbook definition of fascism.
I'm an entrepreneur and believe free enterprise is the best way to get most things done, but not everything.
I believe the best way to keep corporate OR government power from getting out of control is by empowering citizens. That's why I'm doing the citizen media thing.
Yes, I supported Measure T - not as a member of some kabal but as an individual citizen. I can readily and ably argue with the best of them why I supported it and why a No on T stance is utterly at odds with the intentions of our nation's founders. My vote on T was not to help democrats over republicans, but to help citizens prevail over tyranny.
I am in no way involved with Local Solutions. I have met some people involved with channel 12, and I'm not going to rule out forming some sort of agreement with them in terms of sharing equipment or studio space and such. However, I would not agree to anything with them (or anyone) if it meant they expected us to fulfill any agenda other than our own mission.
I intend to do all I can to make this organization remarkably independent of influence from, or dependence on, government, business, or any other powerful institution. That may sound tricky, but I have some pretty interesting ideas that I think could allow for such independence. To the very best of my ability, I intend to make this organization accountable only to the people who produce and consume media content.
I hope very much to get people of various other political persuasions involved in this group so as to help set the tone early on as a nonideological venture.
Hopefully, this answers your concerns.
Signed,
Paul Benson
OOPS! Somehow my original post got reposted. What I meant to post was the following:
- - - - -
Ah ha. Now I have a better grasp of where all the suspicion came from. It's just that nobody's ever accused me of being part of a kabal before! My personal politics have very little to do with whom I wish Citizen Media Net to serve, or how. There might be restrictions placed on porn, incitement to violence, or of speech that targets particular racial or ethnic groups and such. These specifics haven't yet been worked out, but off the top of my head, these are the only sorts of speech I imagine considering placing any restrictions on. Otherwise, the more diverse, the better. The overall objective is to make the public dialogue truly diverse, and to REMOVE the distorting influences of the various institutions and "kabals" so that the voices of real people, as individuals, can be heard. We would do this simply by assisting independent individuals to just do their thing, regardless of whatever politics they bring to the table. Irrelevant as they are, I'll take your bait and tell you about my personal politics. By current American standards, I'd generally be considered fairly liberal. However, I consider MYSELF a centrist, in that I think BOTH government AND industry must be kept from holding too much power. And, at all costs, government and industry must never be permitted to join forces, as that's the textbook definition of fascism. I'm an entrepreneur and believe free enterprise is the best way to get most things done, but not everything. I believe the best way to keep corporate OR government power from getting out of control is by empowering citizens. That's why I'm doing the citizen media thing. Yes, I supported Measure T - not as a member of some kabal but as an individual citizen. I can readily and ably argue with the best of them why I supported it and why a No on T stance is utterly at odds with the intentions of our nation's founders. My vote on T was not to help democrats over republicans, but to help citizens prevail over tyranny. I am in no way involved with Local Solutions. I have met some people involved with channel 12, and I'm not going to rule out forming some sort of agreement with them in terms of sharing equipment or studio space and such. However, I would not agree to anything with them (or anyone) if it meant they expected us to fulfill any agenda other than our own mission. I intend to do all I can to make this organization remarkably independent of influence from, or dependence on, government, business, or any other powerful institution. That may sound tricky, but I have some pretty interesting ideas that I think could allow for such independence. To the very best of my ability, I intend to make this organization accountable only to the people who produce and consume media content. I hope very much to get people of various other political persuasions involved in this group so as to help set the tone early on as a nonideological venture. Hopefully, this answers your concerns. Signed, Paul Benson
Thank you.
Just use YouTube to host the video files and link to them in your blogs.
You are going to need some capital to get started. Do you want everyone to donate their equipment to a common cause? That'll never happen. Why on Earth would we want to do that? No matter how left leaning we all are, we still survive in a capitalistic society by competitive business practices. Whether for profit or non-profit. Do you think Mainstream Media Project and Internews are going to share their equipment, space and monies with you without wanting to control the content? I'm sorry, but the media will always be controlled by someone. Someone will rise to the top and own the information. Why? Because there is money to be made off of it. Why doesn't KHSU, KMUD, KEET and so on allow the entire community to grace their airwaves? Because there is too much money involved to jeopardize it to a handful of radical thinkers. Are they really community media outlets?
No, they are trying to reach target markets with their sources of information. The same can be said for Democracy Now and ultimately the Humboldt Community Media Center. Just try to go there and produce a program on the good deeds of Exxon or how much you love Dick Cheney or produce a documentary trying to prove Local Solutions connection to General Dynamics. I don't know where I was going with that....perhaps just a rant. Information is money. Don't fool yourself. Good luck with your ventures, but beware of camps being built, in fighting occurring and someone attempting to take contol. That even happens in the corporate media. Just ask Ted Turner. Yes, I guess it was just a rant.
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