About us: The New England News Forum mission

MISSION

The New England News Forum is a non-profit collaboration among news professionals, citizen journalists, educators and the public to support vigorous, independent, trusted, accountable journalism -- and accountable government. We strengthen and expand understanding and relationships among news consumers and creators by considering coverage, access, accuracy, bias, fairness, ethics, emphasis, privacy, freedom of information and technology change.  
(TWO-PAGE PDF DOWNLOAD ABOUT NENF)

Also see: ABOUT US.

WHY NOW?

Buffeted by changing advertising economics, new expectations from audiences who now have cheap technology for do-it-yourself news, and caught amid lagging regional growth, New England news media are reexamining the role they can afford in civil society.

They welcome fresh insight and new tools for remaining connected with and trusted by readers, listeners, viewers and users. The Internet now provides a means for active, timely exchange over matters of civic importance affected by news coverage.

But until now, there has been no common resource which aims to help the public become better citizens though better use -- and support -- of the news media. We hope to fill that void, primarily through a literate, articulate, moderated web community. h3>Why start this now?

Buffeted by changing advertising economics, new expectations from audiences who now have cheap technology for do-it-yourself news, and caught amid lagging regional growth, New England news media are reexamining the role they can afford in civil society.

They face uncertainties, questions and opportunities posed by the Internet and multimedia technology. Readers, viewers, listeners and users are now more than an audience -- the can create and remix words, audio, video and multimedia.

The Internet now provides a means for active, timely exchange over matters of civic importance affected by news coverage. Internet blogs can do a remarkable job of subject-specific commentary, analysis and reporting.

There are several web-based media critics in Boston and around New England. Both the media and the public seek fresh insight, collaboration and tools for supporting participatory democracy and community. Until now, there has been no common resource which helps the public become better citizens through better use -- and support -- of the news media. We hope to fill that void.

We are starting a conversation about the New England media, experience and public policy -- primarily through a literate, articulate, moderated web community. “This project is an experiment to see if there is local support for the idea that a good way to perform media criticism is not through kangaroo courts of commentators but through fair, accurate, contextual pursuit of truth,” says Eric Newton, director of journalism initiatives at Knight Foundation. “A news council or any inquiry that seeks out the real facts behind media complaints is better than a blogger working from opinion alone . . . . ”

WHAT WE DO

We plan a series of PROJECTS. The New England News Forum offers an independent resource which can help define, research, advise -- and hopefully strengthen and expand -- the relationship between news producers and news consumers. On the web we will offer journalists, web-news entrepreneurs and active citizens a place to engage in discussion, to share and resolve disagreements over media issues such as privacy, coverage, access, accuracy, bias and emphasis. Our topical, web-based, moderated forum will be open to regional public-policy issues that touch on matters of journalistic practice.

Our work is guided by the experiences of the Minnesota and Washington state news councils, but is charting a new approach to fostering media accountability and public collaboration. We will generally address issues broader than “complaints" and and seek to resolve controversies by using Jeffersonian devices -- open discussion and forum-style debate which bring professional and ordinary-citizen voices together in a virtual public square.

Our activities advocate and advise on:

• General analysis of the region's media.
• The effect of the web and new technologies on news presentation and ethics.
• The relationship between traditional and “citizen” journalists.
• How to understand and contribute to the news.
• Open records and open government.
• Methods for assisting news organizations to perform openly.

As we launch during 2007, the News Forum seeks support to:

• Host a moderated forum for civil and productive discussion of issues related to New England media, with regular conveners by region and topic.
• Convene seminars, talks and other events around the region on topics addressing the relationship between media and the public.
• Develop a consumer guide to using the news -- in collaboration with regional newspaper, broadcast, and journalism associations.
• Study the state of open records, open meetings, and open information in New England, with the collaboration of existing and other new organizations such as the New England First Amendment Collaborative.
• Research and report on the state of New England K-12 efforts to teach and test critical skills for consuming media in ways which promote civic engagement and participation.

WHO BENEFITS FROM THE NEWS FORUM?

There are at least seven constituencies who can benefit from the New England News Forum's research, discussions and advice:

• Working newspeople in print, broadcast, cable, Internet and mission-driven media.
• Leaders of policy non-profits and government agencies whose success depends upon effective collaboration with the media.
• Active citizens, who use and care about the news and about the vitality, diversity and responsiveness of regional state and local institutions and government.
• Former journalists working in marketing, PR, or unrelated fields who maintain concern for the role of the press in civil society.
• Teachers, especially in grades 7-12, who seek help with curricula and ideas that connect news with the daily experience of youth.
• Professionals and individual contributors: Academics, nurses, doctors, lawyers, technologists, entrepreneurs, investors and others.
• Professors and graduates of journalism programs such as those at UMass, Emerson, Northeastern, Boston University, UNH, URI, St. Michael's College, UMaine and UConn.

WHO ARE WE?

The New England News Forum is a service of the University of Massachusetts Amherst journalism program and its Media Giraffe Project, with seed funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

We intend to forge region-wide collaborative relationships with:

• Other academic institutions committed to teaching journalism
• Media, news and professional associations
• Businesses, foundations and organizations concerned with journalism's role fostering democracy
• Groups and individuals concerned about New England's future

Founding members, friends, benefactors, sponsors and key founders form the support for the news council and forum, along with the Knight Foundation grant. An 12- to 18-member advisory board is envisioned to include one at-large citizen member from each state, four daily newspaper members, three non daily, three broadcast, two web-media, one from key involved academic institutions and up to four at-large members.

Our principal investigator is Prof. Norman Sims of the University of Massachusetts Amherst journalism program and our executive director is Bill Densmore, director of The Media Giraffe Project at UMass Amherst. Ananda Lennox serves as project assistant. Prof. Ralph Whitehead is a research collaborator.

Founding collaborators, friends, benefactors, sponsors and key media professionals form the support for the news council, along with the Knight Foundation grant. A 12- to 18-member advisory board will convene. It will include one at-large citizen member from each state, four daily newspaper members, three non daily, three broadcast, two web-media, one from key involved academic institutions and up to four at-large members.

CONTACTING US

New England News Forum Journalism Program 108 Bartlett Hall University of Massachusetts Amherst MA 01003 voice: 413-577-4370 email: mail (at) newenglandnews.org web: http://www.newenglandnews.org