‘Clusters of affinity’

Lots of great ideas are flowing in the brainstorming groups. One group talked about how in today’s society everyone is consistently famous to a small audience. Nic Clark, a community organizer who has worked in the past year with filmmaker Jason Pollack on the “The Youngest Candidate,” talked about his own audience — people who know him very well for what he does. Cliffe Lampe, assistant professor in the MSU Telecommunications program, said we now have “clusters of affinity” — we cluster around those who are interested in the same things we are.

Great insights in society and people — and what it all means for those of us trying to bring news and information to people who relate to so many affinity groups and on so many levels.

News Summit II is under way

Twelve participants in the second News Summit gathered this morning to discuss consumers of media: Who those consumers are an, what they want, and what needs to be done to deliver journalism to a changing society. The summit participants now have split into brainstorming groups to think great thoughts! We’ll gather again this afternoon to share the results.

We have a high school senior, an MSU journalism student, a former MSU student and several professionals and educators in the group. We’re looking forward to seeing what the groups come up with.

Local newspaper week in UK

I’m preparing for a study abroad program in the UK, and came across a site about Local Newspaper Week. It got me thinking about some of the comments from the summit earlier this week, and reminded me that we are not alone in the U.S. in this fight to keep journalism alive and thriving. And that we might learn something even from what’s being done elsewhere, where it’s obvious the fight for community journalism continues.

Especially interesting is this year’s theme of Building Stronger Communities — and a number of examples are listed showing just how community publications are helping do that, including a number of publications taking part in campaigns to boost local businesses. The Salisbury Journal, for example, has gone to local businesses and asked for exclusive offers that are then offered as vouchers online.The Ham & High will give control to the public for its second Readers’ Edition.

High-profile people — from actors to politicians to the queen — are rallying behind newspapers. What a concept. Think that could happen here?

Summit participants

Here is the list of smart people we’ve lined up for the panel at the summit (and I’m not just saying they’re smart because I’m in the list):

• John Bebow, one of founding editors of MLive.com, now is executive director of the Center for Michigan, a nonprofit “think and do tank” http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/special-report-michigans-incredible-shrinking-school-year/
• Mike Brennan, editor, mitechnews.com
• Steve Dorsey, Detroit Free Press, Deputy Managing Editor for Presentation and Innovation
• Ron Dzwonkowski, president elect Michigan Press Association and associate editor, Detroit Free Press
• Bill Emkow, managing editor MLive.com
• Garry Gilbert, JRN Program director, Oakland U and former executive editor, The Oakland Press
• DeAnne Hamilton, GM, WKAR and director of MSU Broadcasting Services
• Nancy Hanus, former online editor, The Detroit News and current J-School faculty member and soon to be editor of the J-School Virtual Newsroom
• Mike Joseph, web adviser, web technician and programmer, The State News, mike.joseph5@gmail.com and josephm5@msu.edu
• Bob Kolt, CEO Kolt Communications, APRR adjunct faculty member and expert in consumer behavior and is also a PR person who understands why journalism so important to PR. kolt@koltpr.com.
• Janet Mason, GM at WZZM—616-559-1350, jmason@wzzm.gannett.com
• Jonathan Morgan, Multiplatform Editor, The Detroit News
• Aaron Olson, MSU junior majoring in journalism and a graphics genius
• Dave Poulson, associate director, Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, J-School faculty member and online innovator
• Clare Ramsey—Model D Media: http://www.modeldmedia.com/default.aspx
• Michael Stamm, news media historian and J-School and History Department faculty member MSU stamm@msu.edu.
• Laura Varon-Brown, Detroit Free Press, lvaron@freepress.com , Audience editor
• Joe Walther, COM & TISM faculty member

Details on the summit

Hello.  We are working on getting some bloggers ready to go at the moment, but until then, if you are interested in next Monday’s summit, here are details:

On Monday, May 11, the School of Journalism at Michigan State University is bringing together a mix of journalists, news consumers, students, entrepreneurs, academics and innovators from outside journalism for a daylong summit, “In Search of a New Journalism.” The School of Journalism, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, is heading this initiative to allow the state’s media and readers to connect, invent and share ideas.

The afternoon portion of the summit beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT will be open to the public, both in person in Studio E in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building on campus, and online via a live Webcast at www.spartantv.cas.msu.edu. Audience seating for the afternoon session in Studio E is limited, so anyone interested in attending should reserve a seat by email jrn@msu.edu. Some limited additional seating may be available on a first come basis. The event is free to the public.