Media Forum Validates Advocacy Journalism Approach

[GuvWurld]

Originally published at:
http://wedonotconsent.blogspot.com/2006/09/media-forum-validates-advocacy.html

Saturday, September 23, 2006
Media Forum Validates Advocacy Journalism Approach

By Dave Berman

On Thursday night I was part of a panel discussion on the topic of local media. I squeezed into the KHUM studio with Tom Sebourn (News Director, KGOE), Half-Def (pirate radio), Charles Winkler (outgoing Managing Editor, Eureka Times-Standard), Bob Browning (General Manager, KIEM-TV3), Rich Sommerville (incoming Managing Editor, Eureka Times-Standard), Paul Encimer (KMUD/Green Fuse), and Diane Batley (Assistant Managing Editor, Eureka Reporter). Mike Dronkers (KHUM Program Director and midday DJ) was our host and facilitator.

The discussion moved quickly and was surprisingly civil. The group was already expected to be large, but Half-Def and Sommerville were last minute additions. Batley was sitting in for Reporter Managing Editor Glenn Franco Simmons who she said was unexpectedly ill. At the top of the show, Dronkers acknowledged that I had inspired the program in our election night conversation questioning how unverifiable election results could be reported by the media as fact. I don't think he explicitly stated that I also booked all of the panelists except the three that weren't scheduled to be there.

As we went around the room to introduce ourselves, I took the opportunity to provide my definition of advocacy journalism. I noted that one of the stated goals of the We Do Not Consent blog is to change the public dialog on various issues and that bringing such a group together for this event is an example of what I consider to be successful advocacy journalism.

While I did NOT say the following on the air, I do point out in the Introduction to my book, We Do Not Consent (free .pdf download), that the Voter Confidence Resolution is my best example of advocacy journalism, so far. I wrote that when Arcata was the only City Council to adopt it. Now there's Palo Alto too. Two cities have declared "no basis for confidence" in election results under current conditions. To me this is an awesome amount of change to the public dialog. I don't say this just to pat myself on the back but to encourage adoption of the advocacy journalism approach as a necessary means for doing the organizing work required in pursuit of progressive change.

Much, much more...

[Wilms]

1. You're a treasure. n/t

[GuvWurld]

2. Thanks Wilms. Wait until you hear what we're doing next.

This event was the first in a series on media accountability. We don't get too many high profile guests for events in Humboldt, but that's going to change. More when it is confirmed (soon).

[GuvWurld]

3. Kick (eom)

[Wilms]

4. ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=109

[GuvWurld]

5. I cross-posted to that forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x27475

even worse there than this forum - nobody cared to K or R or even comment

[diva77]

6. Hi Guv. I musta missed somethin'. Would you mind defining

"advocacy journalism":dunce:

[GuvWurld]

7. Okay

Advocacy journalism is the name I have embraced for my style of writing. I write about the work I do in the real world to bring about progressive change, and I write in a way that promotes these efforts. I judge whether my writing is successful based only on whether the real world goals are achieved. So, getting two City Councils to declare "no basis for confidence" in election results under current conditions would be an example of successful advocacy journalism. So too was the achievement of creating this media forum and bringing all those players to the table where there was then a clear influence on community dialog.

For more on defining advocacy journalism, please see the intro and epilogue (and lots of points in between) of my book, We Do Not Consent (free .pdf download).

[diva77]

9. thanks for your answer. now I get it!!

that phrase is popping out - I saw it on the home page for project for new american century--

"The Project for the New American Century intends, through issue briefs, research papers, advocacy journalism, conferences, and seminars, to explain what American world leadership entails. It will also strive to rally support for a vigorous and principled policy of American international involvement and to stimulate useful public debate on foreign and defense policy and America's role in the world. "


William Kristol, Chairman

[GuvWurld]

10. We have to reclaim this phrase

Too often the phrase advocacy journalism is used as a slur, against the likes of Amy Goodman for example. That is totally misplaced. She may have a liberal bias, maybe. The only reason for suggesting that is that she covers stories that liberals and progressives crave because such topics are not covered by the rest of the corporate media. That does not make her an advocate. She has not, to the best of my knowledge, been making the case for stolen elections or 9/11 complicity. Amy Goodman is not only not an advocacy journalist, she is a false alternative. She sets the bar for respectable progressive dialog and dissent in a place where it isn't really a threat to the status quo and doesn't really help those of us who have come to realize that peaceful revolution is necessary, NOW!

Its the same way with Air America. I said before they even launched that they would not be the true progressive friend we need because they are making profit their top goal. There is nothing inherently wrong with profit. But if that goal supersedes the goal of delivering change, which type of success will the network enjoy first? It appears they are achieving neither. If change is the goal, state it clearly up front and work directly and openly toward that end. Use the medium itself to do the organizing work necessary to create the change. Without the benefit of media access, this organizing work has proven much more difficult.

My reclamation of advocacy journalism depends on overtly stating my goals and then transparently working to achieve them. This is the embodiment of BE THE MEDIA. We have so much working against us that we must use everything we can to advance the progressive agenda. That means that with the limited (but hopefully ever increasing) access we have to media, we better use it to further our goals. That's what I've been doing for several years, and in doing it, it is important that I stop to point out that this is what I'm doing so that other progressives may realize the value of incorporating the approach into their own work.

PNAC can have their use of the phrase too, and that shouldn't alter the approach I'm describing. Rush, Hannity, etc. can all sling mud if they like, but it shouldn't change our path. It doesn't matter how anybody else uses the phrase. It just matters that we learn to use the media in the way I'm describing, even if I'm the only one to label it this way.

That should put the OP into a much clearer perspective, yes?

[EST]

11. You need to start a new thread with all this referenced.

I tried to give you an "R" but the OP's too old.

I suppose advocacy journalism could be a key but how does one attract attention to advocating reality?

It's kinda like--what the bushistas do is advocacy journalism and what we have is everything else, particularly truth.

This is a war, of sorts, on a thousand fronts, all of them important.

[GuvWurld]

12. The distinction

Yes, we are advocating for the reality-based community, as opposed to the faith-based community (not a religious reference but rather describing those who accept the official line unquestioningly, on faith). But my point is not so much about advocating reality as it is about advocating for projects, recruitment into progressive groups, event attendance, and other types of organizing that will advance specific tangible goals. The most overarching thing that I have worked on in the past several years, which has been enhanced and driven by this advocacy journalism approach, is an attempt to improve how we identify, choose, and pursue our goals. I think we have a poor track record in this area with much room for improvement. If you read to the very end of the full post excerpted in the OP, this is what you'll see:

As the first of its kind (here, at least), this event created an immediate tangible impact and change; and with panelists urging future forums, this event also created a ripple effect on the long-term big picture; and by the nature of the discussion, allowing citizens and especially independent media makers to directly address and challenge those holding the reins of the local corporate media outlets, we tapped directly into the relationship or balance of power between We The People and the media most responsible for shaping our local reality.

I have offered these same criteria before to judge the appropriateness of a potential goal, and to describe the hallmarks of peaceful revolutionary acts.

[rumpel]

8. Wonderful, GuvWurld

let's get it to grow.

:applause:

[GuvWurld]

13. Kick (eom)