http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/ The Center for Social Media showcases and analyzes strategies to use media as creative tools for public knowledge and action. It focuses on social documentaries for civil society and democracy, and on the public media environment that supports them. The Center is part of the School of Communication at American University. en-us socialmedia@american.edu Copyright 2010 2010-02-06T19:14:48+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/how_do_you_measure_medias_influence_in_a_networked_ecosystem/ Influence is one of the "elements of impact" that we're exploring in this series of blog posts leading up to the Making Your Media Matter conference. How can we best evaluate the role of public media projects in shaping users' understanding of an issue, moving users to action (whether that's seeking further information, voting, or political organizing), or affecting policymaking? These are by no means new questions. Throughout the 20th century, scholars, journalists and political commentators offered up various and often competing theories about the influence of mass media. Studies of related fields of communication—advertising and PR, propaganda, campaigning, entertainment—shed light on the prospects for media to move people to what critics often characterized as negative forms of action: impulse… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-02-06T19:14:48+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/how_do_you_measure_medias_influence_in_a_networked_ecosystem/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/realscreen_and_cold_realities/ RealScreen Summit, February 1-3, the annual coming together of documentary cable programmers and hopeful producers, is also an annual cold shower in the realities of making television today. At a panel on product placement in reality programming, one speaker said with not a trace of irony (and remarkable clarity), “Our audiences come to us to escape from reality. That’s the first thing we have to satisfy.” A keynote speaker celebrated the fact that changing technologies make it ever more possible for content producers to tailor their content to the needs of advertisers. The overarching theme seemed to be, Embrace the advertiser. The road to audience attention seemed to be ever more edge-of-seat sensationalism. The makers of “Whale Wars,” a Discovery… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-02-04T14:50:44+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/realscreen_and_cold_realities/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/voice_for_the_voiceless_a_table_talk_lunch_series_at_kay/ On Thursday January 28th, American University's Kay Spiritual Life Center’ sponsored a panel, Tweets & Blogs: Social Media as a Voice for the Voiceless. (CSM cosponsored.) The speakers included:. Emily Jacobi is the Co-Founder and Director of Digital Democracy, a New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering civic engagement through digital technologies. David Johnson is a Professor of Journalism at American University and teaches courses in digital journalism, interactive storytelling and convergence media. Matt Wood is the Associate Director of the Media Access Project, non-profit law firm and advocacy organization. Emily Jacobi from Digital Democracy began the talk with a Powerpoint reviewing her current work in Burma, Moldova and Haiti.You can watch it on Slideshare here Of particular note is… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-02-01T21:44:12+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/voice_for_the_voiceless_a_table_talk_lunch_series_at_kay/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/crying_shame_at_ucla_fair_use_videos_and_higher_ed/ The University of California at Los Angeles has decided to forbid teachers from posting videos (or, apparently, pieces of them) to their electronic teaching platforms, after an educational media association complained about the practice. It is just a crying shame that UCLA has capitulated to the association’s demands, without considering the effect either on pedagogical practice in its own institution or on the wider world of higher education. (Read about it at Inside Higher Ed here.) The original provisions of Sec. 110 of the Copyright Act, special educational exemptions, were never designed for the digital era, and the amendments to it provided under the 2003 TEACH ACT are crabbed and constrained, the product of tough negotiations between the relatively weak… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-30T19:22:10+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/crying_shame_at_ucla_fair_use_videos_and_higher_ed/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/true_tales_of_fair_use_katy_chevigny/ Going into the fifth year after the publishing of Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, filmmakers are beginning to be each other’s teachers. On a recent trip to New York, I had the pleasure of dining with Katy Chevigny, executive director of Arts Engine. Along with making splendid films, Arts Engine runs the Media That Matters film festival. Katy Chevigny is a “born again” fair user, she says. She also teaches about fair use, both at the IFP Rough Cut Lab and with Arts Engine’s Media That Matters filmmakers. She tells a compare-and-contrast story that’s worth sharing. “When I made Deadline [a film on the death penalty], I was not yet educated in fair us and I was… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-28T20:58:05+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/true_tales_of_fair_use_katy_chevigny/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/media_makers_have_your_sayfcc_call_for_comments_and_the_free_press_communit/ The Federal Communications Commission has issued an unprecedented call for comments on the future of media, and the information needs of communities in a digital age. If you're concerned about this topic, don't miss this chance to weigh in on the debate about how policy can shape our media ecosystem. You don't need to be a lawyer or a lobbyist to contribute; as the call for comments notes: The future of media is a topic of great consequence to all Americans, so this discussion should not be the purview of only communications companies and their Washington representatives. All Americans rely on the availability of national, international and local news and information. Consumers can offer views or analysis either through the… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-27T17:07:09+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/media_makers_have_your_sayfcc_call_for_comments_and_the_free_press_communit/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/center_for_social_media_featured_on_miro_guide/ Great news! The Center for Social Media's blip.tv channel, where we host all of the videos from our events (like the Human Rights Film Series and last year's Making Your Media Matter) is being featured on the Miro Channel Guide here. Check out the promo for our upcoming Making Your Media Matter Conference, and sign up for the RSS feed of our videos, so you can always see the latest that's happening at the Center! News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-27T15:38:20+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/center_for_social_media_featured_on_miro_guide/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/public_participation_as_public_media_digital_participation_and_the_national/ We're pleased to present this guest post from Christopher Ali, doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Ali holds an MA in Media Studies from Concordia University in Montreal and his research interests include local and community media, broadcasting, and telecommunication policy in Canada and the United States. The Center for Social Media defines “public media” as platforms and projects that convene publics around shared issues. In this post, I’d like to take that notion one step further, to include that of public participation in policy making through digital platforms. Take for instance the National Broadband Plan (NBP). For the past few months the Federal Communications Commission has scoured the nation in search of… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-27T15:35:01+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/public_participation_as_public_media_digital_participation_and_the_national/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/voices_of_terezin_art_as_a_strategy_for_survival/ The Center has partnered up with organizations and schools all over campus in an effort to remember survivors of a prison camp from World War II in a city northwest of Prague called Terezin. The camp, during the course of the war held about 100,000 people, a large number of which were artists and musicians. We'll be featuring the film Fighter as part of the program but not until April 7th. In the meantime, check out some of the other amazing events leading up to a play March 19-21 at the Katzen Arts Center. For more information please visit: http://www.american.edu/cla/terezin. News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-27T14:50:33+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/voices_of_terezin_art_as_a_strategy_for_survival/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_im_using_clips_from_a_tv_show_to_make_a_musi/ Hello, QUESTION: Dear Center for Social Media, I have a question that seems to have been touched on, but I'm not sure about my situation and if/where it falls within the Code. I have recently decided to create a music video to a favorite childhood television show. The visuals for the music video are various clips from the show, which is currently the subject of Youtube removals. I also used some music from Youtube that is not, to my knowledge, being removed. My question: Is taking clips from a tv series and stringing them into a short music video changing its meaning or purpose, or would it not be considered fair use because it's overusing the tv and music clips?… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-27T14:21:45+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_im_using_clips_from_a_tv_show_to_make_a_musi/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_at_the_sundance_film_festival/ The Sundance Film Festival isn’t just a showcase for movies, but also a place to meet people and exchange information. At the Filmmakers’ Lodge, the festival annually provides space to nonprofits supporting independents at their Outreach Table. Here’s Center fellow Mike Shubbuck’s report from the (cold) front at the 2010 fest: “On Jan. 24 I had the pleasure of introducing some of the Center for Social Media's reports to filmmakers at the Sundance Film Festival’s Outreach Table. Although it was a Sunday morning, quite a few people stopped by to learn more about topics that the Center covers, such as fair use. After talking with a number of documentary filmmakers, what was surprising to me was how many of them… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-26T19:10:45+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_at_the_sundance_film_festival/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/vote_for_pat_as_a_gamechanger_at_wemedia_feb._3_deadline/ The Center’s Pat Aufderheide was nominated as a GameChanger by members of the WeMedia community. If enough people vote for her, Pat could be chosen to give a keynote at the WeMedia annual conference, where cutting-edge strategies in collaborative and participatory media are featured. It was Pat’s work on fair use that attracted attention in the WeMedia community. Fair use, which creates a “floating” public domain composed of copyrighted work, is a critical tool for a vibrant participatory culture. It’s also a critical part of the movement to loosen restrictive copyright, or what Cory Doctorow calls “copyfighting.” Please vote for Pat here: http://wemedia.com/awards/2010-community-choice-finalists/. And tell your friends! Thanks so much. News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-26T14:47:28+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/vote_for_pat_as_a_gamechanger_at_wemedia_feb._3_deadline/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_in_the_military/ On January 22, communications experts from the Department of Defense got together in northern Virginia, to share their challenges with incorporating social media. It was an honor to make a presentation on fair use. This was a knowledgeable, engaged, and (as is typical of the military) nicely diverse crowd. I learned a lot too. It’s not as easy as you might think to bring Twitter and Facebook to the Army, as the creators of my.army.mil and of the site for JIEDDO (Joint IED Defeat Organization) explained. Government sites can’t have advertising on them, and need customized applications; generals may not really want to share information; someone has to decide what level of security a piece of tweeted information actually is;… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-25T20:32:08+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_in_the_military/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_at_educause_learning_initiative/ At Educause's Learning Initiative conference, the tech experts at universities around the country get together to compare notes on how best to use technology to help learning. At this year's meeting on Jan. 19 in Austin, TX, members discussed with me how university copyright policies get in their way. They need fair use to be able to help faculty and students make videos for class; to help faculty understand what they can and can’t put on their websites; to help librarians move productively to a digital environment. Too often they face general counsels who don’t know the law, faculty who deal with copyright confusion by trying to hide material on their Blackboard sites, and librarians using inaccurate, limited or outdated… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-25T20:22:39+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_at_educause_learning_initiative/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/check_out_this_interview_with_precious_producer_lisa_cortes/ As we gear up for next month's Making Your Media Matter Conference on February 11 & 12 (if you haven't yet registered, you still can here), we're looking forward to hearing what Lisa Cortes, producer of Precious, is going to have to say on our Fiction for Change panel. Since its debut at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, Precious has been making waves for its gripping portrayal of 16 year-old Precious, an obese, illiterate and pregnant teenager who is struggling to change the direction of her life. As SVP of Production for Lee Daniels Entertainment, Lisa Cortes is responsible for finding and developing new projects and directors. Her other producing credits include Shadowboxer and The Woodsman, but she began as… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-25T15:34:03+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/check_out_this_interview_with_precious_producer_lisa_cortes/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/assessing_how_media_spurs_engagement_responses_to_the_haiti_crisis/ How can media best be used in response to a sudden and devastating crisis? The outpouring of coverage, aid and volunteer labor that followed the catastrophic January 12 earthquake in Haiti reveals the myriad of strategies that producers of both old and new media are using to inform and mobilize publics around this disaster. Celebrities appeal for dollars—and users jam circuits in rush to respond TV hosts, entertainment and political celebrities, and high profile journalists have all been offering up air and face time to convince viewers to contribute aid. This is traditional fundraising in a broadcast mode—capitalizing on mass appeal to capture as many eyeballs and dollars as possible. There's no doubt that this works—Larry King's January 18 Haiti… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-23T19:10:04+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/assessing_how_media_spurs_engagement_responses_to_the_haiti_crisis/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/assessing_inclusion_as_a_central_element_of_public_media_2.0/ On February 11-12 the Center will be holding its annual Making Your Media Matter conference, and this year’s theme is “Real Stories, Real Impact.” Leading up to the conference, and over the course of the spring Research Fellow Katie Donnelly and I will be examining methods for assessing various elements that contribute to high-impact public media projects. At their best, such public media 2.0 projects reach millions of diverse users. They rely on the media makers to provide trusted, relevant content and tools that engage them to effectively tackle and solve contested problems, and to influence public debates through personal or collective deliberation and action. Each of these elements of impact—reach, inclusion, trustworthiness, relevance, engagement and influence—play a supporting role… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-15T21:00:26+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/assessing_inclusion_as_a_central_element_of_public_media_2.0/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/worlds_fair_use_day/ The Washington, D.C. public interest organization Public Knowledge hosted World’s Fair Use Day on January 12, providing a much-needed focus on fair use as a key asset of copyright policy. For too long, chic chat on copyright has focused on the (all too real) creative stranglehold of “long and strong” copyright ownership, without featuring part of the solution: the highly flexible and adaptable doctrine of fair use. This lively day demonstrated that fair use has become a central part of copyright reform, and that a large part of that reform is within the grasp of anyone who wants to educate themselves about their rights. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) kicked off the day, having discovered the importance of fair use when… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2010-01-13T15:34:02+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/worlds_fair_use_day/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_its_fair_use_in_my_film_but_what_about_on_th/ QUESTION: Dear Center for Social Media, I'm working on a documentary about the history of American journalism--particularly the points in history when journalists were able to use their profession to uncover the truth, or "speak truth to power," like Watergate. We've interviewed a number of journalists for the film, but we're also making substantial use of newsreel footage and archival photographs. I've read the Documentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, and it's been really helpful. I feel like I have a good understanding of where I can claim fair use in the film, but I still have a question. We are also building a website where we'd like to use some of the archival photographs from these… News from the Future of Public Media 2010-01-04T17:18:39+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_its_fair_use_in_my_film_but_what_about_on_th/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/in_2010_the_future_of_public_media_project_moves_from_analysis_to_action/ After many months of deliberation about "What is public media?" pieces have started to fall into place. Public broadcasting leaders, innovators both within and outside of the sector, nonprofit and educational leaders, funders, and policymakers are all shifting into a new gear—and they're looking to the reports and tools that CSM has created for guidance about how best to transform to serve publics in an open, participatory media ecosystem. Interest in public media 2.0 outside of the usual circles is also growing. I spent the last few months of 2009 describing related possibilities and complications to a range of audiences. At the Library of Congress, I suggested to attendees of the annual FLICC Forum that the "future of reading" might… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-12-27T00:14:00+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/in_2010_the_future_of_public_media_project_moves_from_analysis_to_action/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/why_does_public_media_2.0_matter/ Don't miss this recent short by Nonso Christian Ugbode of the National Black Programming Consortium on why public media 2.0 matters: Why Does Public Media 2.0 Matter? from Nonso Christian Ugbode on Vimeo. We are excited to partner up with NBPC in their upcoming Public Media Corps project. Over at Current, Ugbode explores the potential of this project further, asking: Is public media — often slow to innovate or take risks — capable of creating this new media town square on your TV, on your computer, on your phone? Do public media have a chance of reaching as many Americans as the audiences of commercial media such as CNN? Not today. As it stands, public media's resources for experimentation and… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-12-17T17:35:41+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/why_does_public_media_2.0_matter/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/missed_mary_lampson_and_taking_root/ As part of the Center's Human Rights Film Series, documentary film editor Mary Lampson was on campus on October 15th to screen one of her latest projects,Taking Root, and to present a filmmaking master class to students on working as an editor in documentary film. It was great to have her on campus, and a wonderful learning experience for all. If you couldn’t make it to the screening and the class, you can still watch clips from them here. Also, keep an eye out for our Pull Focus interview with Mary, where we will discuss her editing process for Taking Root and her other projects—it should go live in the next few weeks! In the meantime, here is the Q… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-12-10T16:58:36+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/missed_mary_lampson_and_taking_root/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/new_report_on_copyright_and_doc_filmmaking_in_south_africa/ The International Copyright Balance and Documentary Film Project of American University, is releasing a groundbreaking report and film on the experiences of South African documentary filmmakers with copyright clearance obligations. The report and film, sponsored by the Ford Foundation, are being simultaneously released at a film screening and workshops with filmmakers December 10-12, 2009, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and on the web at wcl.american.edu/pijip/go/internationalfilm. The report finds that in South Africa as in other countries, documentary filmmakers need to quote other material-including music, still images, news footage or even images from commercial films-in order to tell their stories. Such material is normally copyrighted. Copyright laws in South Africa and around the world allow for the use of such material by… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-12-10T15:30:02+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/new_report_on_copyright_and_doc_filmmaking_in_south_africa/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/universities_on_fire_in_europe_--using_social_media_to_mobilize_for_action/ Students in Austria have sparked a new, European-wide movement using social networking tools, as Global Voices Online reports; it's a fascinating example of participatory, grassroots public media in action. Faced with underfunded university systems across Europe, students have used social networking tools to find each other, brainstorm approaches, and mobilize for action, through the movement they call unibrent (university on fire.) Launched in October 2009, within a month the movement spread to Germany, Switzerland, Albania, Serbia, France, Italy, Croatia and the Netherlands. Students are using a traditional non violent method of sit-ins but are incorporating various social media tools to organize and communicate. All the sit-ins are filmed so as to avoid any rumors that students are behaving violently. Global… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-12-02T19:37:29+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/universities_on_fire_in_europe_--using_social_media_to_mobilize_for_action/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/on_mediashift_today_new_policy_directions_for_public_media_2.0/ Check out my piece over at the MediaShift site, reflecting on how attendees at this week's FTC hearing on the future of journalism should broaden their thinking to include public media 2.0. It's been a busy season for prognosticators who examine the intersection of public policy and media. Today will be particularly hectic for them, as journalists, bloggers, public broadcasters and policy wonks pack into a session at the Federal Trade Commission to ponder, yet again, "How Will Journalism Survive the Internet Age?".....Of course, any increase in taxpayer dollars for public broadcasting might be earmarked to support even more reporters. But serious policy proposals need to go further. Simply producing additional news doesn't address the demand side of the issue.… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-12-01T19:03:23+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/on_mediashift_today_new_policy_directions_for_public_media_2.0/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/making_your_media_matter_registration_open/ Sign up here for Making Your Media Matter, Real Stories, Real Impact February 11-12th at American University See below for a short promotional trailer and the abbreviated schedule. Our keynote speakers this year are Paco De Onis and Pamela Yates. Thursday, February 11 5pm-8pm Registration Introduction and Welcome by Pat Aufderheide and Dean Larry Kirkman Keynote: Pamela Yates and Paco De Onis, Strategic Design Reception Friday, February 12 9am-5pm Registration, Coffee/bagels, and Demos Welcome Connecting the dots - Developing synergies to build your conversation Lunch Ethics Workshop Spotlight on new tools and outreach strategies Fiction for change - how mainstream media can use grassroots methods for impact Reception News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-12-01T13:00:36+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/making_your_media_matter_registration_open/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/idfa_ivens_oranges_and_more/ If you want to take the pulse of documentaries as interventions in public life, the International Documentary Film Festival at Amsterdam (IDFA)--which just wound up on Sunday--is an excellent stop. The largest international documentary film festival in the world, it exhibits hundreds of films, takes in thousands of international visitors, attracts passionate audiences that pack theaters on a Sunday morning for impossibly obscure experiences, and hosts a vigorous market. It focuses on documentary with a social agenda, rather than the burgeoning field of “factual entertainment.” Sure, you could take a boat ride on the canals, but there will always be something more compelling, between the screenings, the exhibits of experimental digital multiplatform projects at DocLab, the panels and discussions, and… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-11-30T14:55:59+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/idfa_ivens_oranges_and_more/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_clearing_music/ QUESTION: Dear Center for Social Media, I'm about to start production on a documentary regarding musicians. Is it fair use to film a musician rehearsing or playing a piece they have not composed? It will mostly be classical music and some jazz music. I assume if it is a personal composition, I will have no problem. But what if it is a piece of Mozart or Beethoven or something they have not composed? Thanks, Ivana ANSWER: People often think that music is a special category of fair use, but music is subject to the same reasoning and logic that you'll use for any other fair use decision. The Documentary Filmmakers' Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use can be your… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-25T14:43:14+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_clearing_music/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/public_media_2.0_and_the_future_of_photojournalism/ Magnum Photographer Christopher Anderson spoke to a packed audience of students and industry professionals as part of The Center for Social Media’s Camera as Catalyst Series. Anderson’s list of awards and recognition includes POYi Magazine Photographer of the Year, The Robert Capa Gold Medal, Kodak Young Photographer of the Year, and the Visa d’Or Daily Press Award. Since the early nineties, Anderson has photographed a wide range of subjects including Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the economic crisis in Russia, the election of Evo Morales in Bolivia, Haitian migration to the United States, and the war between Hezbollah and Israel. During his presentation, Anderson shared his past work and showed images from his most recent book, Capitolio, which explores the complex… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-23T21:28:54+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/public_media_2.0_and_the_future_of_photojournalism/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fiords_rhubarb_juice_and_copyright/ Documentary filmmakers in Scandinavia joined scholars and lawyers to discuss the “clearance culture”--the custom of paying for all uses of copyrighted material in films-- in Bergen, Norway on November 18. I got to keynote the event, which was thrilling, but even better was seeing the reach of the Center's copyright scholarship. At a conference more than a year ago, Professor Leif Ove Larsen, a film history scholar and student of public sphere theory, learned of the research that Center director Pat Aufderheide and WCL legal scholar Peter Jaszi had done on the “clearance culture” and how to leave it. He tracked the success of the best practices model in fair use (centerforsocialmedia.org/fairuse). And then he and graduate student Torgeir Naerland… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-11-19T17:49:08+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fiords_rhubarb_juice_and_copyright/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/the_internet_free_expression_and_authoritarianism/ Earlier this week at Georgetown University's Mortara Center, I participated in a conference on issues of authoritarianism and the Internet. Headlining was Open Society scholar Evgeny Morozov followed by a panel with NPR's Andy Carvin, Human Rights Watch’s Arvind Ganesan, World Bank's Shanthi Kalathil, and George Washington University Professor Marc Lynch. Morozov's presentation focused largely on authoritarian regimes’ use of the Internet to control and censor populations. He shared a multitude of examples from China, Iran, Russia, Nigeria and Burma. You can watch his PowerPoint here. The general theme of the talk was a reminder to take a step back and see the larger picture of what's happening with networked participatory systems globally, "Just because its decentralized doesn't mean its… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-11-19T16:14:29+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/the_internet_free_expression_and_authoritarianism/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/FCC_comments_by_CSM_fellow_reveal_how_public_media_can_spur_broadband_adopt/ This week, Center for Social Media Fellow Ellen Goodman--a professor at Rutgers University School of Law in Camden--submitted the attached response to a request from the Federal Communications Commission for public comment on the development of a national broadband plan. Titled "Digital Public Media Networks to Advance Broadband And Enrich Connected Communities," Goodman's comments examine a variety of current public media projects that rely on high-speed connections to reach and engage users, and observe that universal broadband service is needed to support further innovation in this sector. What's more, she suggests that public media should be understood as a key asset to drive broadband adoption by a wide array of publics. However, this can only happen "if public media systems… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-13T15:46:30+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/FCC_comments_by_CSM_fellow_reveal_how_public_media_can_spur_broadband_adopt/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/missed_jennifer_maytorena_taylor_and_new_muslim_cool/ Documentary filmmaker Jennifer Maytorena Taylor was on campus on October 22nd to screen her new film New Muslim Cool and to present a filmmaking master class on how to build narrative and character arcs when you're working with verite footage. If you couldn't make it to the screening and the class, you can still watch clips from them here. Also, keep an eye out for our Pull Focus interview with Jennifer, where we will discuss her process for making New Muslim Cool and how she's been working to expand the impact of the film--it should go live in the next few weeks! In the meantime, here is an excerpt from her filmmaking master class: And here is the Q &… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-11T19:37:26+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/missed_jennifer_maytorena_taylor_and_new_muslim_cool/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/a_tale_of_two_reports_part_iii/ Over the past few weeks, I've been reading through two reports on the future of journalism in order to consider new models and structures for independent journalism in the networked era: The Reconstruction of American Journalism, by Columbia Journalism Professor Michael Schudson and Leonard Downie Jr., Vice President at Large for The Washington Post The Big Thaw: Charting a New Future for Journalism, by Tony Deifell of Q Media Labs for The Media Consortium, a multiplatform network of 40 independent journalism organizations Independent reporting--shielded as much as possible by interference from either corporate or government influence--is a crucial component of public media. However, definitions of what constitutes "independent" journalism are contested. In last week's look at the report by Michael… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-06T23:57:16+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/a_tale_of_two_reports_part_iii/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/new_media_in_the_south_caucasus_engaging_publics_in_unstable_regions/ Had a great time yesterday giving a presentation on New Media in the South Caucasus at the Foreign Service Institute. I've put my presentation up on Slideshare if you want to check it out. The conversation centered on public media 2.0 principles and then branched out to look at various case studies of emerging new media projects in the South Caucasus region. In the South Caucasus, the evolution of public media 2.0 is complicated by the historic role played by state-run media. Our Public Media 2.0 white paper notes that, "What is needed for the future of high-quality content is at least partial taxpayer support for the many existing operations and for innovative new projects." However, in a region where… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-11-06T19:12:54+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/new_media_in_the_south_caucasus_engaging_publics_in_unstable_regions/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/ellen_goodman_and_jake_shapiro_on_redesigning_public_media_for_the_21st_cen/ Check out this video of Center for Social Media Fellow Ellen Goodman, a professor at Rutgers University School of Law, who's been working on current policy issues related to public media 2.0. She and Jake Shapiro, Executive Director of the Public Radio Exchange, discuss the role of public media in providing news and information and empowering publics to communicate and organize. Does the United States have a system of public media that is able to support the kinds of communication essential for democratic functions? What new policies might foster public media 2.0? Find out what they think! (Thanks to the Berkman Center for Internet and Society for allowing us to re-post this.) News from the Future of Public Media 2009-11-05T16:44:03+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/ellen_goodman_and_jake_shapiro_on_redesigning_public_media_for_the_21st_cen/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/a_tale_of_two_reports_part_ii--what_kind_of_journalism_are_we_trying_to_sav/ Last week, I began reading and analyzing two reports on the future of journalism: The Reconstruction of American Journalism, by Columbia Journalism Professor Michael Schudson and Leonard Downie Jr., Vice President at Large for The Washington Post The Big Thaw: Charting a New Future for Journalism, by Tony Deifell of Q Media Labs for The Media Consortium, a multiplatform network of 40 independent journalism organizations This week, I'm taking a closer look at the first of these reports, and related reactions. More on The Big Thaw to come. Much of the debate that The Reconstruction of American Journalism has kicked up since its release centers on the question of whether journalism should be subsidized by taxpayers--or even conducted by nonprofit… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-10-30T20:24:47+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/a_tale_of_two_reports_part_ii--what_kind_of_journalism_are_we_trying_to_sav/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/pubcamp_high_on_innovation_low_on_diversity/ While the "unconference" format of the first national Public Media Camp was open and inclusive, a look around the room revealed many missing participants. "The question of diversity within public media is a serious weakness in the structural core of many 'public broadcasting gone public media 2.0' conversations I have witnessed in recent months — at conferences, webinars, and 'unconferences' alike," observes Nonso Christian Ugbode, National Black Programming Consortium's new media director. "Having the right people in the room is not the final destination," he continues. "But it is also not simply the step we missed on the way to the unconference. It says that we still see as successful things that marginalize and exclude the very voices that can… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-10-29T19:58:12+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/pubcamp_high_on_innovation_low_on_diversity/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/honest_truths_conversation_continues/ At the New York University Institute for the Humanities on October 23, Center director Pat Aufderheide spoke about "Honest Truths: Documentary Filmmakers on Ethical Challenges in Their Work." The luncheon group, composed of fellows of the Center including writers Janet Malcolm and Philip Lopate, briskly discussed the ethical questions raised in the report. As with other public discussions of the Center's pathbreaking report, there was both curiosity about and astonishment at the wide array of techniques filmmakers use to portray reality. Fellows debated whether and when reenactments were appropriate, how much restructuring of a conversation was appropriate, and how viewers can find out about genuine malfeasance. Filmmakers David Van Taylor, George Stoney and report co-author Mridu Chandra were on hand… News from the Future of Public Media, Copyright & Fair Use 2009-10-27T17:20:00+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/honest_truths_conversation_continues/ http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_using_copyrighted_material_for_commenting_an/ QUESTION: Dear Center for Social Media, When comedy and commentary shows like the "Daily Show" use video clips of tv shows and news coverage to comment on the copyrighted material either directly or indirectly, is this protected under Fair Use? There are youtube content creators who use copyrighted pictures (of celebrities, magazine covers, tv shows, etc) superimposed next to a talking head to illustrate the person or topic they are commenting about. They do this much in the same way news anchors and shows like "Daily Show" do. Does this count as protected fair use? What does a content creator need to do if presented with a takedown notice from youtube even if their use of copyrighted material falls under… News from the Future of Public Media 2009-10-26T13:50:28+00:00 http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/blogs/future_of_public_media/fair_use_question_of_the_month_using_copyrighted_material_for_commenting_an/