[Air-l] Web/TV convergence request

[Nancy Baym]

Hello all,

My brother (yes it runs in the family) has a request for references 
to help him on a project about citizen journalism, especially as it 
applies to the web influencing TV content. Here is his request, 
please respond directly to him at the address below as he's not 
subscribed to this list (I'm working on that...). Thanks.
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I am interested in studying Current TV, and could use some guidance 
as I begin reviewing the relevant literature.  Current TV (launched 
by Al Gore and partners about a year ago) is both a web site 
(Currenttv.org) and a digital cable channel that provides "news" 
content targeting 18-34-year-olds.  While Current TV has a staff of 
tv producers and reporters who generate short films (what they call 
"pods"), they also invite ordinary people to make and upload films 
onto the web site.  From there, both the producers and users select 
particular films to then be shown on tv.  Current TV thus represents 
convergence both between television and the web, and between 
producer- and user-generated content.  It seems to be an attempt to 
harness the chaos of the web - a mix of hierarchical, top-down 
programming and horizontal, citizen media (they mark the films 
produced by users as "viewer-created content" or VC2.)  The web site 
also has links to community forums, blogs, etc. What I am most 
interested in, though, is the turn toward citizen journalism, and in 
particular, bringing what primarily has been a web phenomenon to 
television (which of course is almost entirely the province of 
corporate media).  

If anyone has suggestions about mandatory reading (either seminal or 
contemporary) I would greatly appreciate it!  Please direct any 
responses directly to me at <gdbaym at uncg.edu>.  

Thanks so much,

Geoffrey Baym