weblogs as journalism watchdogs - a portuguese example

8/11/2019 weblogs as journalism watchdogs - a portuguese example

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Weblogs

as Journalism Watchdogs a Portuguese example

Luis Antnio Santos

[email protected]://www.atrium.wordpress.com

Manuel Pinto

[email protected]

http://www.webjornal.blogspot.com

Professional Education session IAMCR 2006 Conference, Cairo, 23-28 July
mailto:[email protected]://www.atrium.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.webjornal.blogspot.com/http://www.webjornal.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.atrium.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]


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Where are we?

perceptions

information societynetwork society

knowledge societylearning society

The hypercomplex society

Lars Qvortrup


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Qvortrups proposal

Complexity is the operative concept

Social organisation as determined by theability to manage complexity

No strong centre / no centralisedobservation and communication system

Ideal of polycentric and polycontextural

communication systems with stabilityguaranteed by the existence of means formutual observation


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Internet as a social spaceThe web as a simultaneous promoter of

problems and resource with the necessarytools to address them

The web as the first communicationmedium that combines the dissemination-and-the-effect media qualities in one

media structureDigital media are both mechanisms

to manage complexity and promoters

of new types of social organization


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Weblogs

as observation points?


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Weblogs

as observation points?

Technorati now (July 06)follows more than 49 million blogs

The Blog Herald calculated that some 70

million worldwide existed already in July 05

Portugal:

should not exceed 100 thousand- half of these on a single platform,

blogs.sapo.pt

(174 in early 03)


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Micro-causes

A portuguese examplePetitions normally launched by one blog

Simple language Can Xplease do / explain / inform

Inquisitive in tone; persistent in form (daily repetition in

a given period of time)Directed at institutions/officials

Contemporaneous (sometimes off the media agenda)

Taking full advantage of the viral

nature of the web and its multiple

and fluid interfaces with the off-line

Unpredictable in outcome


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Micro-causes in PT

(a few 2005 examples)

August: Abrupto (most read Portuguese blog) asksthe government to put online studies regarding thelocation of a future airport

October: Blogutica asks newspaper Pblico to

divulge information on the process by which it cameabout exclusive news material

October: Fod-i-do asks FIFA to have their web page

in PortugueseNovember: Fumaas ask the president to share his

opinion on the reshaping of national intelligence

agencies


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Micro-causes in PT


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Micro-causes in PT

Questioning Pblico

22-09-05: Pblico publishes a news story with

public relevant facts without quoting any sources

22-09-05: Jornalismo & Comunicao

questions Pblico and its editor; a few other

blogs raise similar concerns in the following days

03-10-05: Blogutica launches its micro-cause

with 17 blogger-subscribers07-10-05: Abrupto writes: Dear journalists,

welcome to the brave new world of an enlarged

public space


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Micro-causes in PT

Questioning Pblico

07-10-05: Bloguticas author publishes

a text on the Journalists Club site

10-10-05: The micro-cause manages

to gather the support of 80 blog-authors(among them, some of the most read)

12-10-05: Publicos editor answers bloggersconcerns during a TV programme on channel

2. The micro-cause was halted.


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Micro-causes

Symptoms of change

The newspaper:

Failed to provide

adequate assurances to

its readers on a particularnews story at the onset

and also after being

questioned by bloggersUnderestimated the

vitality of the blogosphere

Bloggers:

Used to the full

the nature of the format

Acted without respect

for the stature of the

said newspaper and its

professionals


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Micro-causes

Symptoms of change

The people formerly known as the audience(J. Rosen) are, to a relevant extent, assuming a

more active role in the scrutiny of journalism

That scrutiny seems to focus on the increasedneed for accurate and transparent information

gathering / presentation processes

Self-publication starts to realise the importance ofbeing less selfand more collaborative on some

matters


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Rupert Murdoch 13.03.2006


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Are the Pro-Ams taking over?


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Self-publication


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Changes in access


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Changes in accessTarefas

mltiplas

Acesso intensoe dinmico


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The relevance of news


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The relevance of news


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What now?Self publication (and all it encompasses

empowerment, recognition, role-playing,association, participation) is a fundamental part ofwhat some would call a new media ecosystem

In a hypercomplex society self-publication formats

cannot be predominantly compared to text, soundor video formats from the pre-digitalcommunication framework their structure, theirdynamics, and their rules of engagement are

otherThe consumption of media contents now happens

in a variety of supports and in both synchronousand asynchronous modalities


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What now?Challenges for journalism

(and journalism education):Integration of testimonial reports

Dealing with open source

information experiencesPreparing newsrooms and reporters

for a more active and exposed scrutiny

Promoting a professional profile closeto what Jane B. Singer would callthe socially responsible existentialist

Professional Education session IAMCR 2006 Conference Cairo 23-28 July


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thank you!

Luis Antnio Santos

[email protected]

http://www.atrium.wordpress.com

Manuel Pinto

[email protected]

http://www.webjornal.blogspot.com

Professional Education session IAMCR 2006 Conference, Cairo, 23 28 July
mailto:[email protected]://www.atrium.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.webjornal.blogspot.com/http://www.webjornal.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.atrium.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]

weblogs as journalism watchdogs - a portuguese example

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