Learning in Big Media

Merrill asks the panel how they will bring in citizen voice, citizen ideas. Sambrook says it a vast and critical move in big media. He notes that the BBC relied on citizen voices during the bombing. His answer, though, is much more than that. It’s about how to teach and learn how to change professional roles and obligations. Listening as well as reporting.

Kramer talks about big organizations, and about the challenge of becoming a 24-7 organization. How do we ask the political team to cover things yearround,rather than just election coverage. He talks about reorienting to the "new competitiveness." Merrill challenges Kramer, what about the cultural change in CBS, getting CBS news involved with the public, Kramer ways to see the blog, the Public Eye, and that’s where it’s going to be discussed. He says that the CBS reporters are now thinking about the blog and how they might discuss the story there. How they might explain what tape made air, and what tape ended about on the floor.

Curley says that the AP has changed radically to start filing for the 24 hour news cycle, rather than just for the slow news cycle of morning newspapers. He describes having to discuss in detail with the staff, and having to change the mission a bit at the AP. Merrill asks, what is AP doing to engage citizens at the grassroots level that has not been done before? Our technology people are trying to engage bloggers.

It’s interesting to listen for what’s not being said too.