Participatory media: Interdisciplinary Undergrad thesis

May 2007

As a graduation requirement of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University, B.Phil candidates were required to synthesize four years of self-directed coursework into an 80-page analytical paper and an optional creative component. Upon completion, I defended my work to a panel comprising faculty across the university.

I observed mainstream news outlets’ discomfort with the proliferation of blogs, YouTube, forums, and social bookmarking. As a would-be journalist, my thesis was an opportunity to explore participatory media (which includes citizen journalism), future trends, and how they would shape mainstream media.

• Participatory media: Democratizing the mediascape (analytical) - An examination of why legacy media is so obstinate toward alternative media, including participatory frameworks, and how journalism can more broadly move toward achieving its civic duty.

• Exploring the mediascape (creative) - What does participatory media look like off the Internet? An ethnographic glimpse into media activism, digital storytelling, and low-power FM.