August 11, 2003

Collaborative Journalism

Donald Sensing is not just a former artillery officer and a current Methodist reverend - he's an online journalist, too! At least according to this piece in the Online Journalism Review.

Writes J.D. Lasica:

Over the past few years, the outlines of a new form of journalism have begun to emerge. Call it participatory journalism or one of its kindred names - open-source journalism, personal media, grassroots reporting - but everyone from individuals to online newspapers has begun to take notice.

"It's about readers participating in the editorial process, and it's long overdue," says Dan Gillmor, a blogger and technology columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, who is writing a book on the subject called "Making the News." "People at the edges of the network are getting a chance to become more involved in traditional journalism by using many of the same tools of the trade. This is tomorrow's journalism, with professionals and gifted amateurs as partners."

As for what OJR calls "participatory journalism," it should sound familiar to you. After all, I wrote about something I called "collaborative peer-reviewed journalism," a/k/a blogging, right here at HobbsOnline back in May. And March. Nice to see OJR is catching on. ;-)