Notes

Opening Forum

Dean Ernest J. Wilson III opened the event with a talk in the auditorium. He's excited to talk about 3 I's: International, Impact, and Innovation. We should be enthusiastic, optimistic, but also skeptical about new developments in social media. Interrogate relationship between social outcomes like equality, democracy, and the trends in technological change.

If we define democracy as some combination of "competition, participation, rights, and responsibilities," along with a sphere independent from government, then indicators are not good. 25% of our population elects the leaders. Putnam's thesis on the decline of civic life. So if on the one hand we have new media, and on the other, democracy, we don't have a one to one relationship. If we did, then internet connectivity should directly map democracy.

We should have a note of skepticism. We may have changes in behavior, but are they going to aggregate up into changes in the depth and quality of democracy. Do they actuallly change the power relationships in society so that the dispossessed, the poor, have their power quotient increased, or not? The relationship between technology and democracy should be held open as an empirical question, not assumed.

Another point is that we are having conversations in an ecosystem (hopefully not an Echo system). For example, four communities of practice.

1. print media 2. digital media 3. public broadcasters 4. commercial media

One thesis, often heard among newspaper folks: Newspapers are a bedrock of democracy. Newspapers are dying. Ergo, democracy is at risk because of the death of newspapers.

Another, heard among new media practitioners: new media are opening channels of participation for all. Ergo, they are opening up space for more democracy.

Third syllogism, the public broadcasters: noncommercial space is essential for democracy's survival. In the broadcasting world, PBS is not doing well, and NPR has flattened out. So, if traditional public service media has provided noncommercial space, but are declining, then democracy is declining.

Finally, the syllogism for commercial media: commercial media is desperately figuring out how to leverage its assets to stay in business. Democracy is a good thing in principle, but government has moved away from pro democracy requirements. Ergo, I have to get back to work and make more $.