The age of citizen programming is upon us

We all know about YouTube ( YouTube the folk culture of the 21st Century - On steroids ), and some of us will know of Current TV ( Democratising TV. The Al Gore way ), some of us will know that major disasters often are now suported by Citizen reporting. Hurricane Katrina – The London 7th July bombings ( London bombings: Citizen Journalism arrives to TV ) – 911 and of course the recent atrocities in Burma . An article entitled Citizen-produced TV programs coming of age by Yomiuri caught my eye today.

Because it echoed with the theory that people embrace what they create. This is the world of We Media and the Pro-Am, the Professional Amateur., the world of Connectivity, Social Networks and, the Community Generation - Gen "C"

Citizen-produced cable TV programs offering local information have been attracting attention as a way of revitalizing community ties, while also giving talented individuals a breakthrough they might otherwise never have had.

One day earlier this month, about 10 members of a broadcasting station in Chofu, Tokyo, sat around a large screen and busily checked programming schedules for the month.

"Let's cut some of the narration," one member of the civic broadcasting station Community Access Television Chofu (CATC) said, while another suggested, "How about changing the order of the scenes?"

Being screened was a five minute program about a local university that was teaching children how to assemble a radio. The program will be broadcast on a regional information cable channel.

"We pick up minor topics that terrestrial TV stations and newspapers don't cover, but which are important to local areas. In fact, there's usually a good response from citizens because they're featured in the programs," station representative Mikiko Ono said.

CATC programs are planned and produced by Chofu residents who offer their services voluntarily.

"We want to show off the good things about Chofu ourselves," one member said.

The scheme was launched in April 2006, and the team now broadcasts Chofu-related programs several times a month. Among the topics covered have been the traditional bamboo work undertaken by local craftsman and the history of Chofu Airport.

"We're sticking closely to local issues," CATC's director Mariko Nagatomo said.

In other parts of the country, cable TV companies are actively encouraging locals to help produce TV programs. Chukai Cable Television System Operator in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, is one such company. The company is providing one of its channels to citizens and broadcasting their videos for free, as long as the videos do not violate copyright or public decency standards.

In the recent research I have been doing, I have reflected on what makes strong communities? Part of the answer is accountability and collective sense of responsibility.

The channel is now playing a part in bringing people together who didn't know each other before. In one case, citizens who were producing programs began to take a greater interest in community issues and eventually got involved in cleaning up a local lake.

Being part of something, being part of its creation, is also the process of engagement. And interestingly

In May, Chuo University Prof. Ryoichi Matsuno, who specializes in media studies, and Eriko Hirota, a graduate student at the university, surveyed 408 cable TV companies across the country.

Among the companies that responded to the survey, 36 percent said they were broadcasting citizen-produced programs. Among those that do not currently do so, 21 percent said they are considering airing such programs.

With the growing popularity of the Internet, many viewers are said to be unhappy with the standard programming of the big media companies, which is creating a growing interest in locally produced material. TV companies themselves also have a vested interest in encouraging such programs as it allows them to broadcast more varied material targeted at specific communities.

A sense of personal ownership is vital and a key component in todays world. And perhaps a lesson many media companies should heed?

and in 2004 I wrote Life is Local

There is never enough real local news to fill a channel but there is enough local news to drive a regular bulletin. And the technology is there for local and national newspapers to deliver news and content via audiio-visual technology.

When one considers the point that, if Caxton and Gutenberg had had the facility of digital and audio-visual delivery platforms they would have used that instead of moveable type. As much as I love the smell of ink on paper.

Downloading and broadband makes this even more practical.

So it makes little sense for the nationals and local print organisations to fiddle about with digital and audio-visual technology. They need to embrace it and pole vault themselves into the 21st Century. Putting these capabilites at the heart of what they do rather than at the periphery. The new digital economics changes everything.

Its good to see that the SMLXL archives still stand the test of time.

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[Brendan]

The Democracy 2.0 Declaration is Here!

On behalf of the 1,581 Democracy 2.0 survey respondents, 47 participants of
the Democracy 2.0 Summit, and those 12 that worked 15 hours to draft a
document we're proud of, stand behind and will mobilize around, it's my
pleasure and honor to announce our generation's Democracy 2.0 Declaration:

Democracy is an unfinished project. It’s time we upgrade.

We, the Millennial Generation, are uniquely positioned to call attention to today’s issues and shape the future based on the great legacy we have inherited. Our founding fathers intended for every generation to build, indeed to innovate, on the American experience. We realize that as young people we are expected to be the leaders of tomorrow, but we understand that as citizens we are called to be the leaders of today.

We are compelled by the critical state of our present democracy to establish a new vision.

In a world often damaged by conflict and intolerance, we must commit to develop common ground through equality and open mindedness.

In a world often damaged by social isolation and materialism, we must commit to community at the family, local, national and global levels.

In a world often damaged by instant gratification, we must commit to creating sustainable solutions.

In a world often damaged by apathy and disillusionment, we must commit to civic participation and inclusion of all voices.

The present state of our democracy impedes opportunity for real change. We must connect the specific issues failing our population with their underlying systemic causes.

Our government seems unable or unwilling to adequately address our broadest problems, including economic inequality, America’s role in the world, and the effect of money on the democratic process. But we must remember, our government is only as effective as the sum of its citizens. Low civic participation means the most disadvantaged people in society are neglected and we overlook many potential solutions to our problems.

Our generation is telling a different story. We are uniquely positioned to foster community engagement through social networks of all kinds. It is our responsibility to use information and technology to upgrade democracy, transform communication and advance political engagement and civic participation.

We are social networkers, we are multi-taskers, we are communicators and we are opinionated. The informality of our generation breaks down traditional barriers and opens doors for inclusiveness and equality. Most importantly, we are leaders in a society that yearns for leadership.

It’s our democracy, it’s time to act.