New Media UprisingNew Media Uprising… … and why policy mattersand why policy matters

Timothy KarrFree Press

Feb. 16, 2009

The clash of mediaThe clash of media

Mass Media VS

.Social Media

What is “mass media?”What is “mass media?”

Newspapers

Radio

Television

Coined in the 1920s to describe media targeted at a mass audience.

Mass media culture One directional

Gatekeeper controlled

Centralized

Why “mass media” matterWhy “mass media” matter Shape our understanding of ourselves

in the world. Help us make informed decisions in a

democracy. Empower us to hold leaders accountable.

What is “social media?”What is “social media?”

Social Networks

Cell Phones

Video Games

Social media culture Multi-directional

Open and neutral

In the 21st Century the “masses” have gained more control over their “media.”

Blogs

Decentralized

Why “social media” matter Why “social media” matter moremore

Shape our understanding of ourselves in the world.

Help us make informed decisions in a democracy. Empower us to hold leaders

accountable … and to lead ourselves.

A shift of culturesA shift of cultures

In December 2008 alone more than one billion people used the Internet.

As of February 2009 there are four billion mobile phone connections worldwide.

This month Facebook counted more than 175 million “active users.”

This month YouTube/Google expects more than 100 million viewers.

The rise of “social media”

Legacy radio, television and newspaper companies are in crisis.

The collapse of “mass media” 13 million people got involved with Obama campaign via online

social networks.

The shift is generational The shift is generational

In “State of Media 2009” Deloitte counted the average number of hours of television watched per week by Americans:

aged 43 - 61:

19 hours

aged 26 - 42:

15 hours

aged 14 - 25:

11 hours

The new media uprisingThe new media uprising

Critical juncture.

Juncture of technology and politics.

The era of top-down politics is giving way to an era of personal, participatory politics.

The era of “mass media” is giving way to an era of personal, participatory media.

The new media uprisingThe new media uprising

We no longer passively consume media. We actively participate in

them. Often means creating our content, in whatever form >> What Zittrain calls “generativity”

As the power over the media shifts, media policy must change, too.

Inform and empower all members of society. Enhance democratic values.

Prioritize alternative voices to mainstream media.

We are “social media:”

“Social media” values:

Wait … media policy?Wait … media policy?

Congress

Since the beginning of the “mass media” era, policies have determined the structure of our media system.

In the era of “social media” making the right policies is even more critical. The challenge now is to make policies that benefit new social media makers ...

Federal Communications Commission

… People like you and me.

The media policy problem: The media policy problem: radioradio

It was cheap and easy to build.

Once companies began to profit from radio, they pushed for policies to change the way radio would function.

In the 1920s radio was considered a common technology.

People like you and me could gain access to it and air messages to one another.

Government dolled out spectrum so only a few could get access to the airwaves. Mid 1930s: NBC and CBS responsible for 97% of prime time

broadcasting. 1996 Telecom Act: Paved way for Clear Channel to own more

than 1,200 stations

The media policy problem: TVThe media policy problem: TV

Using powerful lobbyists, television broadcasters gained overwhelming influence in Washington.

Since mid-century, broadcasting policy was shaped in closed-door meetings between industry and policymakers.

Millions of dollars on entertainment and travel, taking FCC regulators on 2,500 all-expense-paid trips.

TV suffered much the same fate.

Half a billion dollars to lobby government officials from 1998 to 2008.

The public owned the airwaves, but these special interests decided how this influential media was distributed.

What happened to “mass What happened to “mass media” …media” …

Instead of nurturing and extending democracy and free speech, mass media threatened to distort it.

Between those who held political power (and needed access to mass media). And those who controlled the airwaves (and needed access to political power).

There developed an interdependence

… … could happen to “social could happen to “social media”media”

In the history of broadcasting we see “disruptive technologies.”

This explosion threatens the status quo.

And those threatened react.

Their reaction is to take a culture that has been unlocked by technological change and to re-lock it.

Lessig:

Each disruptive technology sparks an explosion of democratic participation.

1996 Telecommunications Act

They re-lock it using media They re-lock it using media policypolicy

1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act

2006 Advanced Telecommunications

and Opportunity Reform Act

History was set to repeat itself as powerful interests got behind policies to re-lock “social media”

… but they didn’t expect one thing.

850 groups

1.6 million people

6,000 bloggers

MySpace, Facebook and YouTube

The publicThe public

We Used the Internet to Save the Internet.

We took actionWe took action More than a million of letters to

Congress.

Met our elected reps in district and spoke out publicly.

Called all 535 Members.

Blogged about it.

Told our friends to join the fight for Internet freedom.

Made protest videos.

Wrote dozens of letters and op-eds in local press.

And we stopped themAnd we stopped them

… … for nowfor now

What’s nextWhat’s next

Close the “Digital Divide.”

Pass “Net Neutrality” legislation.

Open the airwaves to Internet choice and alternative media.

Reform copyright laws.

Strengthen support for public media.

The new media The new media uprisinguprising

It’s about media makers like you and me taking control of our media through participation in policy making.

www.freepress.net

www.SavetheInternet.com www.InternetforEveryone.org