+

Wikifying the CBC

Alfred Hermida, Assistant professorAmanda Ash, Graduate studentUBC Graduate School of Journalism

+About the project

Research and develop a user-generated, participatory online resource on Canadian music, produced by Canadians, using collaborative wiki software

Partnership between media organization, journalism school and state funding agency

Explore how a public service broadcaster can incorporate models of collective intelligence within established patriarchal models of media

+The Canadian context

CBC as “a corporate Titanic on the verge of capsizing” Raboy, 1996

Strategy “to create a critical mass of content and services to ensure that Canadians can never be relegated to a back corner of the web” Beatty, 1998

Online as a space “dominated by a few multinational companies that have managed to extend control based on their existing dominance” Silverstone, 2007

Online strategy to be “the most important and popular source of Canadian news, information and entertainment content” Galipeau, 2006

+Why CBC Radio 3

Mandate to promote Canadian culture through emerging technologies to reach Canadians

Social and collaborative media features promoted on its existing website

Award-winning service described as the “virtual community for the nation’s independent culture” Whyte, 2004

CBC Radio 3 “among the country’s best kept web-based secrets” Belanger & Andreche,

2009

+

The development of the Canadian Music Wiki

+Creating the wiki

Work at CBC in Vancouver with the Radio 3 web team

Investigate wiki software

Envision the design and collaborative features to include at launch

Develop outreach and community plan

+Wiki d

esig

n

+Discussion: Technology

Tap collective intelligence of the audience

Issues of resources/funding

CBC as the facilitator of content, rather than creator of content

+Discussion: Content/community

Balance openness with editorial checks and balances

Critical mass of contributors

Existing base of ‘power users’ of CBC Radio 3

+Discussion: Culture

Open and collaborative approach of CBC Radio 3

Mandate to support and promote Canadian culture

Music as a social experience

+Discussion: Economics

Funding innovation at time of cutbacks

Journalism schools as a catalyst for media innovation

Teaching hospital model of professional education

+Limitations

Wiki not yet launched

Canadian context

Personal bias

+ Conclusion

Innovate at the edges

Minimise editorial risk

Minimise financial cost

Radio as an online collaborative experience

+ Thank you

@hermida – http://reportr.net

@amandaash – http://theindiefiles.com