[MGP-Forum Announce] REMINDER: NewsTools2008 is filling up -- will you be there?

[Bill Densmore]

To all Media Giraffe/Journalism That Matters alumni:

Have you reserved your seat yet at NewsTools2008 April 30-May 3? As you 
know, this is the first West Coast convening of Journalism That Matters. 
Our venue at Yahoo! Sunnyvale is imited to 150 people and we're already at 
almost 120. Take advantage between now and Friday of a special **alumni** 
discount -- register for three and a half-days for $295 -- a $100 
discount.

DETAIL: http://www.newstools.org    http://www.newstools2008.org

We've been working on the program, and you can see the latest iteration at:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Jtm-sv-program

What's unique about NewsTools2008 is our effort to extract key knowledge 
about what is needed to sustain a new journalism ecosystem -- and then 
match that need with emerging technology. No one else we know of has tried 
to mashup journalists and technologists with such focused and creative 
intent. And we need your help -- not only your presence, but your help 
inviting the right people. We're especially looking for technology 
pioneers, hackers and entrepeneurs. Please send them the link to 
http://www.newstools.org and encourage them to check it out.

We've added sponsors like Topix, DailyMe and VillageSoup.com.

And the list of participants grows by a few more folks each day.

Please don't miss out!

-- Bill Densmore, Chris Peck, Peggy Holman and Stephen Silha

P.S. -- Call or email any of us if you have questions or suggests, or if 
you want to attend for only a day or two and would like a special rate.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANNOUNCING:
NewsTools2008.org:
A concept/design mashup
for journalists, technologists and entrepreneurs

LOCATION: Yahoo! Conference Center
701 First Ave., Building D
Sunnyvale, CA  Map

DATES: Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 4:00 p.m.
through Friday, May 2, 2008,  5:30 p.m.
(optional attendance, Saturday, May 3)

Journalism's ideals meet Silicon Valley's tools in this three-day, conceptual
mashup.  The news is now driven by rapidly changing technology. It's time for
journalists to get up to speed, and explain their needs. NewsTools2008 is a
flexible, three-day convening that will offer journalists, technologists,
entrepreneurs and funders a chance to explore ideas, form partnerships, develop
projects, outline systems and businesses for sustaining "journalism that
matters."

NewsTools2008 limited to about 150 participants. This Journalism That
Matters event is organized by the Media Giraffe Project, with the support
of Yahoo! Inc., the Roy S. Park Foundation, other donors and a growing
list of collaborators:

http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Jtm-sv-collaborators

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION NOW:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Jtm-sv  or:
http://www.newstools2008.org/

DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/pdf/jtm-sv-invite.pdf

DOWNLOAD BACKGROUND ON JOURNALISM THAT MATTERS:
http:/www.mediagiraffe.org/pdf/jtm-sv-background.pdf


BACKGROUND
==========

Journalism's ideals meet Silicon Valley's tools in a three-day, conceptual
mashup.   The news is now driven by rapidly changing technology.  It's time for
journalists to get up to speed, and explain their needs. NewsTools2008 is a
flexible, three-day convening that will offer journalists, technologists,
entrepreneurs and funders a chance to explore ideas, form partnerships, develop
projects, outline systems and businesses for sustaining  "journalism that
matters."

WHAT TO EXPECT:

   a. Break-out sessions -- some called in advance, some on the fly -- to 
update,
exchange and build.

   b. Share insights on how the concept and practice of journalism must adapt to
search and social networks, crowdsourcing, diverse, fragmented audiences and
digital, participatory politics.

   c. Explore business models, management practices, audiences/communities,
journalism approaches and ethical guidelines enabled by the new technologies.

   d. Cross-silo exchanges that open channels . . . create alliances . . .
frameworks . . . deploy technologies . . . and establish or re-engineer
organizations for producing "news that matters."

   e. Current-awareness briefings on the 5-10 technologies most likely to 
disrupt
- and reinvent - journalism, news . . . democracy.

   f. An upate on "JTM-Next Newsroom" and other projects

   g. News about the latest experiments in non-profit and citizen journalism and
the technologies they need.

   h. JournaTech Expo -- Companies, organizations and individuals show and
discuss their ideas, products and services during a half-day expo on Saturday,
May 3. Co-organized by Northern California Society of Professional Journalists.

NewsTools2008  begins Feb. 15 for registered participants with pre-event online
collaboration . . . includes the  three-day convening April 30-May 3 . . . and
follow-up study of  post-event applications.

NewsTools2008 is hosted by the Journalism That Matters Collaborative, the Media
Giraffe Project at the University of Massachusetts, the Northern California
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Yahoo! Inc.  and is supported in
part by the Roy S. Park Foundation and other donors.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

-- New Journalism Platform Entrepreneurs: Tool builders for journalists,
citizens and communities to do journalism processes

-- The Tech Community: Programmers, user -experience experts, social-network
innovators, web 2.0 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors

-- Civic activists, alt-media practitioners, journalism reformers

-- "New Media Pioneers": Heavy users of Web 2.0 for journalistic purposes, The
"Pro-Am's", vloggers, news-blog writers, (+ more)

-- "Traditional" Journalists: editors, publishers, new-media managers

-- Local Online Entrepreneurs: Operators and planners of citizen-journalism
initiatives serving communities.


LIKELY INQUIRY/ACTION:

-- Strip away the legacy platforms and processes and ask: What remains of
journalism that is needed to support participatory democracy and community?

-- Spend an afternoon and evening on April 30 describing those core values and
elements. Then join two more days of discussion -- and practical design/build
workshops -- with technologists.

-- Tap Silicon Valley's best tools -- off the shelf and invented on-the-fly --
to put journalism's values and elements in practice in new ways.

SCHEDULE SUMMARY

NewsTools2008 will begin with registration at 2 p.m. on Wed., April 30 at the
Yahoo! Inc.  conference facility in Sunnyvale, Calif. The program will begin at
3 p.m. and run through dinner and an after-dinner seminar-discussion ending at
approximately 8:45 p.m.

Thursday's schedule will begin with continental breakfast at 8:30 p.m. and run
through 5:30 p.m. After a one-hour break, we'll resume at 6:30 p.m. with dinner
and a seminar-discussion ending approximately 8:45 p.m.

Friday's schedule will begin with continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and run
through 5 p.m., after which participants will be encouraged to continue
collaborations during "on your own" dinner or evening activity at the
conference hotel or elsewhere.

Saturday's optional schedule will open with continental breakfast and a
day-long collaboration with the Northern California Society of Professional
Journalists including a morning JournaTech Expo and afternoon breakout panels,
ending at 5 p.m.

Lunch is included on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A van shuttle will operate
at strategic times between Yahoo and the conference-designated Domain Hotel.

The registration fee of $395 covers all sessions, as well as all meals
(except for Friday night).

WHY YOU SHOULD REGISTER EARLY

We want to make sure we don't have too many journalists, or too many
technologists or too few other folks. Because we an only accommodate only
about 150 participants in NewsTools2008.org, we're treating conference
registration as an application process. So the earlier you register the
more certain you are of not having your registration fee (minus a $25
processing fee) returned for lack of space.

The $395 covers all days/events atNewsTools2008.org and the companion
one-day Society of Professional Journalists "meetup" -- including
Wednesday and Thursday dinner, Thurs.-Sat. lunches, and Thurs.-Sat.
continental breakfast. Friday dinner you're on your own to network (or
work) after an hors d'oeuvres reception.

DIVERSITY STIPENDS

Journalism That Matters, The Media Giraffe Project, our supporters and sponsors
are committed to diverse attendance, which includes the voices of youth, people
of color and underrepresented communities. We seek participants from diverse
perspectives, fields and backgrounds . . . committed to action and exchange . .
. and likely to contribute innovative tools or ideas.

We are setting aside a portion of each regular participant's registration to
provide partial fee waivers to participants who, for financial reasons, might
not otherwise be able to attend NewsTools2008.org. Students and representatives
of small non profits are among those who may apply.

If you believe you might be eligible for a stipend, chose that option when
registering and the NewsTools2008 team will be in touch with you to discuss
your circumstances. You must register and pay a $25 application fee to be
considered for a stipend.

We hope to see you April 30!

-------------------------------------
Bill Densmore, director/editor
The Media Giraffe Project
Journalism Program / 108 Bartlett Hall
Univ. of Massachusetts
Amherst MA 01003
OFF: 413-577-4370 / CELL: 413-458-8001
densmore at journ.umass.edu