Comments on: 5 Thoughts On Being An Independent Journalist in Haiti + Open-Sourcing This Work http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/ Independent multimedia reporting from Haiti since 2009 Sat, 12 May 2012 17:46:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Greg http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-6260 Greg Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:21:17 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-6260 Hey Ansel, I think it's no surprise that the American public hopscotches from one breaking news story to the next, unless perhaps when itthere's something on home turf as severe as the Gulf spill. For Haiti, people will be genuinely interested in stories about rebuilding on a large scale when/if that starts happening, but only for a while. Maybe if journalists write more stories about volunteering, purchasing Haiti goods and other ways the American public can contribute to incremental progress in Haiti, to get them involved personally, there might be more engagement. Or, stories about how donations are being spent, specifically, and the resultant positive developments might gain some traction. Fact is, Americans got enough problems stateside to read about. Hey Ansel,

I think it’s no surprise that the American public hopscotches from one breaking news story to the next, unless perhaps when itthere’s something on home turf as severe as the Gulf spill. For Haiti, people will be genuinely interested in stories about rebuilding on a large scale when/if that starts happening, but only for a while.

Maybe if journalists write more stories about volunteering, purchasing Haiti goods and other ways the American public can contribute to incremental progress in Haiti, to get them involved personally, there might be more engagement. Or, stories about how donations are being spent, specifically, and the resultant positive developments might gain some traction. Fact is, Americans got enough problems stateside to read about.

]]> By: Ansel http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5964 Ansel Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:35:58 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5964 Damn, Kevin. Thanks. Damn, Kevin. Thanks.

]]> By: Kevin Pina http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5961 Kevin Pina Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:51:20 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5961 "The reason I’m here is to help keep Haiti on the radar. But at times I feel invisible." I know how it feels: "That’s partly because there is little to no in-depth feature reporting by U.S. journalists working in Haiti. When Haiti does receive attention on occasion, it is too often with sensational stories of extreme poverty (or success). In that sense, I’m “going to where the silence is.” “The reason I’m here is to help keep Haiti on the radar. But at times I feel invisible.”

I know how it feels:

“That’s partly because there is little to no in-depth feature reporting by U.S. journalists working in Haiti. When Haiti does receive attention on occasion, it is too often with sensational stories of extreme poverty (or success). In that sense, I’m “going to where the silence is.”

]]> By: Jeb http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5866 Jeb Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:06:31 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5866 Ansel, thanks so much for this excellent breakdown of the situation. Ansel, thanks so much for this excellent breakdown of the situation.

]]> By: Brennan Bollman http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5844 Brennan Bollman Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:20:57 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5844 Hi Ansel & all, Mèsi anpil for this... I can't tell you how much it means to get "real" news from this country. Haiti's had a hold on me since December 2006, when I read Farmer's "Uses" and learned the history of oppression and popular resistance. Then began following MINUSTAH "gang-routing" in Cite Soleil. First went to Haiti Jan 2008. Now am a first year medical student, but took a leave of absence following the quake. I spent 3 months as a field hospital coordinator in Leogane, but my work there ended several weeks ago. So now in US, but heart in Haiti. Open to any possibilities of going back, but meanwhile, I'm following closely from afar... ~Brennan Hi Ansel & all,

Mèsi anpil for this… I can’t tell you how much it means to get “real” news from this country. Haiti’s had a hold on me since December 2006, when I read Farmer’s “Uses” and learned the history of oppression and popular resistance. Then began following MINUSTAH “gang-routing” in Cite Soleil. First went to Haiti Jan 2008.

Now am a first year medical student, but took a leave of absence following the quake. I spent 3 months as a field hospital coordinator in Leogane, but my work there ended several weeks ago.

So now in US, but heart in Haiti. Open to any possibilities of going back, but meanwhile, I’m following closely from afar…
~Brennan

]]> By: jojo http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5757 jojo Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:12:55 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5757 "Twitter is not a closed environment populated with tons of advertisements" this is true but temporary. i check your twitter stuff and get very little out of it. you know i'm oldish and i don't listen to hip hop. on the other hand i devour your periodic posts here and get A LOT from them. stick to your guns. it will take a long time but you're doing good work and it will get stronger and louder. i am confident of that. “Twitter is not a closed environment populated with tons of advertisements”
this is true but temporary. i check your twitter stuff and get very little out of it. you know i’m oldish and i don’t listen to hip hop. on the other hand i devour your periodic posts here and get A LOT from them.
stick to your guns. it will take a long time but you’re doing good work and it will get stronger and louder. i am confident of that.

]]> By: bfp http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5712 bfp Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:33:46 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5712 I'm still here reading you too, Ansel--I really like that question up there about how to organize a readership that cares...I have no answers, but it's a good question, that I think is going to lead to really important and necessary answers. I’m still here reading you too, Ansel–I really like that question up there about how to organize a readership that cares…I have no answers, but it’s a good question, that I think is going to lead to really important and necessary answers.

]]> By: Ansel http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5711 Ansel Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:23:13 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5711 Thanks! Thanks!

]]> By: Richard http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5710 Richard Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:21:54 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5710 sent some excerpts to Nichols and vanden Heuvel at the Nation for what it is worth. I continue to post coverage of Haiti at tradgedyandhope.ning.com. Keep it up... sent some excerpts to Nichols and vanden Heuvel at the Nation for what it is worth. I continue to post coverage of Haiti at tradgedyandhope.ning.com. Keep it up…

]]> By: Carla Murphy http://www.mediahacker.org/2010/05/five-thoughts-on-journalism-in-haiti-open-sourcing/#comment-5705 Carla Murphy Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:49:03 +0000 http://www.mediahacker.org/?p=1906#comment-5705 I guess I'm saying that journos who're reporting from Haiti might have to take on the responsibility of organizing the crowd. I think that's the world we're in, now, and have been in for some time, where journos must do more than report... they must also be owners/creators/organizers. How to participate in that organizing? Huge question--and I feel like I have to answer it. (That's prolly a longer conversation) Why can't you directly participate in that organizing? You don't have to answer that here, I'm just curious. I also feel very comfortable in stating that Americans, in general, aren't interested in whether Haiti's earthquake victims are teargassed. Or whether Congo's women are raped. Or how many Iraqis got killed the other day. This is not a knock on Americans... many are incredibly generous and volunteer time and money to good causes close to their heart. Nor is it to say that the teargassing isn't news worthy. It is--but, to whom? I think that audience exists... but it's not the U.S. mainstream. And it has to be organized. I guess I’m saying that journos who’re reporting from Haiti might have to take on the responsibility of organizing the crowd. I think that’s the world we’re in, now, and have been in for some time, where journos must do more than report… they must also be owners/creators/organizers. How to participate in that organizing? Huge question–and I feel like I have to answer it. (That’s prolly a longer conversation) Why can’t you directly participate in that organizing? You don’t have to answer that here, I’m just curious.

I also feel very comfortable in stating that Americans, in general, aren’t interested in whether Haiti’s earthquake victims are teargassed. Or whether Congo’s women are raped. Or how many Iraqis got killed the other day. This is not a knock on Americans… many are incredibly generous and volunteer time and money to good causes close to their heart. Nor is it to say that the teargassing isn’t news worthy. It is–but, to whom?

I think that audience exists… but it’s not the U.S. mainstream. And it has to be organized.

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