PLANETA

CJ: Flickr
by Ron Mader

PLANETA FORUM

Little round planet in a big universe
Sometimes it looks blessed, sometimes it looks cursed
Depends on what you look at obviously
But even more it depends on the way that you see
- Earth Notebook

www.flickr.com

PHOTO GALLERY: CJ

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INDEX: Citizen Journalism - What is it? - Flickr - Latin America - Media Releases

CJ, aka CITIZEN JOURNALISM

The term citizen journalism is used to describe the way in which citizens play an active role in collecting, reporting and distributing news and information (adapted from the Wikipedia entry).

PICTURE THIS

A phenomenal example of citizen journalism is the popular Flickr website (featured in the mtw spotlight) and "breakout of the year" winner at the 2005 Webby Awards.

The founders were featured among the 100 people who change our world by Time magazine.

Collaborative groups hosted by Planeta.com include City Parks and World Museums.

HURRICANE WILMA

Hurricane Wilma caused great damage to Mexico's Yucatan. In December 2005 journalist Steve Bridger was inspired.

Steve explains in his blog's about section:

We all saw the scenes of devastation on the TV news bulletins. We rarely get to see -- or read -- of the recovery. On November 14th in London, I spoke with Gabriela Rodríguez Gálvez, Tourism Minister for Quintana Roo, the state that is home to Cancún, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox and the Riviera Maya. We discussed the challenges ahead; among them my belief that traditional PR and marketing methods are losing their grip on customers as we take recommendations from each other.

It is no longer good enough to bombard people with positive messages about how Cancún, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya are open for business. It is now a conversation. Word-of-mouth is more powerful than an expensive TV ad. Consumers themselves are sharing good and bad experiences online.

The result was the creation of afterwilma.info, a great example of citizen journalism and commons-based peer production. Steve's tireless work included editing a blog as well as supervising a collaborative Flickr gallery, the afterwilma pool.

TRADITIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

"Flickr is a revolutionary change and provides unprecedented freedom of expression," says Enrique Cantu, publisher of the real estate magazine Trato Hecho. His galleries document the Mexican stae of Oaxaca. "Flickr is an information system and one that's easy to learn. I'm not a professional photographer, but I have received positive reviews which have inspired me to communicate more."