Attacke auf Web 2.0

Der Engländer Andrew Keen hat sich in der brasilianischen Zeitschrift „Época“, die in Aufmachung und Inhalt in etwa dem deutschen „Focus“ entspricht, kritisch über verschiedene Aspekte des Internets und seiner Nutzung geäußert. Laut „Época“ war Keen einer der Pioniere des Internets in Kalifornien in den neunziger Jahren. In seinem Buch „The Cult of the Amateur“ greift Keen Web 2.0 an.

Blending the new media at work

How many of you used email 10 or 15 years ago? This was one of the very first questions the trainers asked their participants during the 5-day Bridging New Media Workshop for communication officers and decision makers organised in Kuala Lumpur from 11 – 15 June 2007 by Southeast Asia Center for e-Media or SEACeM.

The title of the seminar itself is interesting – bridging the new media for managers. To have a full understanding of what it really meant I asked the CEO of Malaysiakini.com and SEACeM, Premesh Chandran – what was the main objectives and what inspired him?. He said that normally whenever he organised ICT training, ICT people or the web expert participated. In fact, they are already familiar with the technology and was not necessary for them to join. When participants returned home, we expected the communication strategies int heir organisations to be improved. However, what normally happened was that the communication may be discussed but without those computer or web experts or rather that their voices were overwhelmed by communication managers – (who know how to write but know little or nothing how technology works).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The miscommunication between those web experts and their managers remains unresolved as the managers could not understand the technical terms explained to them. This resulted in the planning of communication strategy without knowing thy can do more and things can be done in many different new ways with technology na new media. This workshop is for the managers to know how technology works and how they can blend it in their work.

I always like the participatory approach wherever i participate in the training course or workshop. This training cum workshop does not disappoint me, therefore a lot of contribution from the floor. The workshop did not focus exclusively on technology but also on planning and strategy, marketing and management. How do you plan your communication strategy and how the new media fits in?

 

 

 

How to write an effective blog

This is something interesting from the weekly IFEX-Bulletin. This e-newsletter is a must read for everyone interested and involved in freedom of the press-campaigns anywhere the world.

Here’s some material you might want to look at and hand on if you are working in English, Spanish or Arabic.

Calling all wannabe bloggers!

Learn how to tell your story to the world with „Ten steps to citizen journalism online“, hot off the press in
English, Spanish and Arabic.

Find out how to get started, from which sites will best host your blog
(like those that allow you to write in languages other than English) to how
you can remain anonymous. Then get some handy tips on how to say what you
want effectively – and get others to listen. All this, while learning your
blogger rights and how to avoid breaking the law.

The guide, prepared by journalist and media trainer Stephen Franklin, also
includes links to „bloggers who have made a difference“ (Arabic version
only) and some of the best Internet sources on blogging around. Franklin
spent four months in Cairo, Egypt working with bloggers on behalf of the
independent media group International Center for Journalists.

The English and Spanish versions are hosted on the International
Journalists’ Network website, at:
- English: http://tinyurl.com/yp7n5d
- Spanish: http://tinyurl.com/ywvurh

Read the guide in Arabic on the Arabic Initiative for a Free Internet
website:

The Arabic guide has also been issued as a CD, which includes resources
from established Arab bloggers and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters
sans frontières, RSF).

To get a copy of the CD, email Arabic Network for
Human Rights Information at: info@hrinfo.net

(Source: IFEX COMMUNIQUÉ VOL 16 NO 27 | 3 JULY 2007)

Liberalismo – New Online Seminar in Latin America

The Latin American region of FNF will start a new online seminar on „Liberalismo” in Spanish starting from mid-August 2007. The seminar which is designed in close co-operation between FNF Regional Office for Latin America in Mexico City, the FNF Sao Paulo office in Brazil and the FNF partner Instituto de Estudos Avancados in Florianopolis, Brazil, is aimed at members of liberal parties and liberal minded NGOs.

The new seminar on liberalism is closely watched by the Foundation’s International Academy for Leadership (IAF) and the Virtual Academy in Germany since it is among the very first such online seminars of the Foundation developed outside Germany and, thus, may provide helpful information for similar activities elsewhere. Earlier, the Philippine project of the Foundation had organized a successful online seminar for participants in South East Asia.
Meanwhile, the online seminar “Journey into the world of entrepreneurship” in Portuguese will come to an end in late June 2007. This course was developed by the Institute for Advanced Studies in cooperation with FNF and the Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs (CONAJE) in Brazil and aims at young Brazilians who intend to set up their own business.

Thus far almost 1000 participants attended the four courses in 2007 of which more than 70% ended the course successfully. This is a good result, as experience has shown that usually only about a third of those who start an online course finish it. That the seminar was highly successfully is also reconfirmed by the fact that there is already a waiting list of 750 persons for any potential new course.

Arbeiten mit YOU TUBE

Ein grosser Hit mit gewaltigen Zuwachsraten ist die WEB 2.0 Applikation You Tube.

Bei Wikipedia heisst es hierzu:

YouTube ['ju:.tu:b] ist eine im Februar 2005 von den drei ehemaligen PayPal-Mitarbeitern Chad Hurley, Steve Chen und Jawed Karim gegründete Website, auf der die Benutzer kostenlos Video-Clips ansehen und hochladen können. Am 9. Oktober 2006 gab Google die Übernahme von YouTube bekannt.

Auf der Website findet man Film- und Fernsehausschnitte, Musikvideos sowie selbstgedrehte Filme. Sogenannte „Video-Feeds“ können in Blogs gepostet, aber auch einfach auf WebseitenProgrammierschnittstelle (API) eingebunden werden. Mit einem geschätzten Anteil von 45 Prozent ist YouTube der populärste Dienst dieser Art.

In der aktuellen Ausgabe des empfehlenswerten E-Newsletters des US-amerikanischen Poynter Institutes („everything you need to be a better journalist“) wird im Detail auf die Anwendung der You Tube-Software eingegangen.

Unser Kommentar: Es ist kinderleicht und macht auch grossen Spass!

What might look like a complicated product is relatively straightforward, once you know the steps. That piece was executed using a combination of tools and free software that are easily available. Newsrooms around the country use these or proprietary versions of them.

PoliticsOnline – Der besondere Tip(p)

Die Mutter aller Websites, die sich mit der politischen Kommunikation im digitalen Zeitalter befassen, ist vermutlich PoliticsOnline.com, der von Phil Noble betriebene Informationsdienst.

Hier eine Passage aus der Selbstdarstellung:

PoliticsOnline, Inc. (POL) is the premier global company providing news, tools and strategies for using the Internet and new technology in the civic sector – media, government, NGO’s, and politics.

The company was founded in 1996 and is now the oldest political Internet company. POL began as a division of Phil Noble and Associates (www.pnoble.com) a political and public affairs consulting firm with experience in over 350 campaigns and public affairs projects in 40 states and 33 countries. These included campaigns to elect the president or head of state in 17 countries.

Wir empfehlen diesen Dienst und den woechentlichen elektronischen Newsletter nachdruecklich. PoliticsOnline ist vor allem deshalb vorbildlich, weil es eine Menge originelle Hinweise fuer die praktischen Anwendung von modernen Kommunikationsinstrumenten in politischen Kampagnen bringt und auch – anders als die meisten anderen U.S.-amerikanischen Anbieter – eine ausgreifende internationale Berichterstattung bringt, die zum Teil von exklusiven Korrespondenten in vielen Teilen der Welt beigesteuert wird.

FNF in Malaysian Blogosphere

Starting from our Young Socio-Political Entrepreneur Project Competition in early 2006, FNF’s Malaysia Project has expanded its work to promote the freedom of expression in that country through blogging workshops and trainings. Blogging is an open space where people are free to express their opinion on anything ranging from the current socio-economic and political development to things related to individual interest. In Malaysia, not anyone can write and say what they like. There are so many acts and laws to detain and call in for questions those who say or write against the government.

Recently, two famous Malaysian bloggers namely Jeff Ooi and Rocky Bru were sued by the leading English newspaper NST which is owned by the government. This development has led to the idea to embrace and engage all bloggers. I received an invitation to the Blogger United Malaysia Gathering 2007 last week and I participated. One of the main attractions were the speakers, especially Jeff Ooi; he is the most famous blogger in Malaysia and has inspired many bloggers in Malaysia. I know him personally and realise his quality. We also had him in our blogging workshops and trainings.

There was a mixture of old and young participants. Most of them blog about current affairs. One blog in particular is Daphne Ling who shared her fund-raising experiences by sending information to a few famous blogs. I asked what made it a success story and she replied it was a power of blogging.

One hundred participants were willing to pay to attend the event. The organizers charged because, as they said, they do not want to be influenced by outside funders.

Initially, I questioned whether it was necessary for bloggers to meet face to face as they are supposed to write and share their views only in cyberspace. Sam explained that meeting in reality was a new social phenomenon pushing blogging into another level – it has become a platform between purely physical gathering and virtual meeting. Bloggers who first meet online in cyberspace can embrace and engage each other through physical gathering to provide support, especially in time of need. This explains why a few Malaysian bloggers have created the National Alliance of Bloggers (NAB) – after Jeff and Rocky were sued. The aim of the NAB is to protect bloggers and to promote blogging.

All speakers seemed to link their presentations to the current media situation in Malaysia – how the government has created and imposed a system to control the blogging community and in general, the lack of or limited freedom of the press. Even in Thailand now, the government has issued laws to control websites and blogs which go against the government. I believe each individual has the freedom to write and say or do whatever he or she likes to. Of course, they must take full responsibility of their words and actions.

During the discussion, I heard some people asked whether bloggers should use their own name or remain anonymous. In Thailand, I am told, bloggers tend have at least two domain names just to protect themselves. For me, registering with my own name helps add credibility to the blog. But, then, it is absolutely up to each individual to decide.

Rechtsextreme Kommunikation im Netz

Den Gegner beobachten und von ihm lernen, ist nuetzlich. So steht es in jedem Strategiehandbuch. Patrick Gensing, der Blogger von npd-blog.info, war in der Blogsprechstunde von politik-digital.de zu Gast. Er sprach über die Präsenz und die Rechte von Rechtsextremen im Internet, deren Reaktionen auf seinen Blog und seine Gedanken zu einem NPD-Verbot.

Die Lektüre des Interviews koennte allen dienen, die das Internet für politische Zwecke nutzen.

Bei dieser Gelegenheit empfehlen wir www.politik-digital.de mit regelmaessigen Updates zur politischen Kommunikation im digitalen Zeitalter.

Die Site hat auch einen elektronischen Newsletter (Newsflash), der allwoechentlich eine Zusammenfassung direkt und kostenlos in Ihre mailbox bringt.

Alte (neue) Methoden der politischen Bildung

„Neue Methoden sind solche, die wir nicht kennen„, sagte zum Auftakt der Informationsveranstaltung Moderator Ronald Büssow. Die Klarstellung war bedeutsam, denn in dem zweitägigen Workshop am malerischen Griebnitzsee befassten sich die rund zwanzig Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer nicht mit modernen digitalen Anwendungen. Blogs, Podcasts, WEB 2.0 spielten ausdrücklich keine Rolle. Diese sollen auf Drängen der anwesenden Kompetenzteam-Kollegen (Schulte und Meinardus) nun auf einer gesonderten Maßnahme behandelt werden.

Auf dem Seminar ging es um die Vorstellung und Einübung eher konventioneller Methoden. Die Stichworte hier:

• Moderation
•  Vorstellungsrunden
•  Problemlösung
•  Kreativität
•  Entspannungsübungen
•   Feedbackrunden.

Viel Spass hatten die Teilnehmer, u.a. die Regionalbüroleiter und ausgewählte Politikberater, mit Methoden zur Förderung der Kreativität. Der Tenor im Rund der Gruppe: es ist erfreulich, dass sich die Stiftung wieder verstärkt mit der Methodenschulung auch in der Auslandsarbeit befassen will. Der Workshop ist also nur ein Anfang.

Dass sich an dieser wichtigen Front einiges bewegt, belegt die wichtige Ankündigung, dass eine Loseblattsammlung (Arbeitstitel: Methodensammlung) in der Mache ist. Unter der Federführung von Ronald Büssow soll das Werk in wenigen Wochen im Intranet Verbreitung finden.

Inputs und Anregungen der Auslandskollegen seien willkommen, betont das IPZ. Dort zuständig ist der Kollege Ernst Specht. Bei ihm können auch Exemplare der bereits erarbeiteten Seiten der Loseblattsammlung angefordert werden.

Online-Seminar zur politischen Strategieplanung in Lateinamerika

Am 28. Mai beginnt in Lateinamerika ein neues, auf zwei Monate terminiertes Online-Seminar zur politischen Strategieplanung. Das Seminar wird vom Regionabüro in Mexiko in spanischer Sprache angeboten. Es wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit unserem brasilianischen Partner Instituto de Estudos Avancados entwickelt. Die Teilnehmer werden über die Büros und die Partner der Stiftung in Lateinamerika angesprochen. Hinweise unter:

http://pepal.knowtec.com/portais/pepal/

Unser Kollege in Costa Rica, Mario Brenes, verweist auf einen neuen Blog der Parteijugend der “Partei libertäre Bewegung” unter dem Namen “Vereinigung von jungen Menschen für die Entwicklung” (ASOJOC). Zielgruppen sind Schüler und Studenten.
Der link:

http://asojod.blogspot.com