Cheap digital technology and broadband access have broken the moving-image monopoly held by production companies and broadcasters. In its place a new theatre of public information has emerged.
It is a messy, alternative realm of video creation and exchange that extends across the internet, television, festivals and campaigns. This report charts the rise of the ‘Video Republic’ across Europe, a new space for debate and expression dominated by young people.
Drawing on extensive research with experts and young people in the UK, Turkey, Germany, Romania and Finland, it argues that the stakes are high, both for the contributors to this realm and for the democracies they live in. Confusion about regulation, copyright and privacy means that young people are plunging headlong into an uncertain set of new relationships online. And around Europe, new types of expressive inequality are emerging as many are held back
from participating by poor access and a lack of resources.
As young people experience greater freedoms online, many are choosing to ‘route around’ political and cultural institutions rather than take them on directly. This poses a profound challenge to decision-makers, but it also creates new opportunities. For democracies starved of legitimacy, it offers hope for a new sphere of democratic expression and participation. With a range of recommendations for government, media and the private sector, this report outlines how we can channel the creativity locked inside the Video Republic.
Drawing on extensive research with experts and young people in the UK, Turkey, Germany, Romania and Finland, it argues that the stakes are high, both for the contributors to this realm and for the democracies they live in. Confusion about regulation, copyright and privacy means that young people are plunging headlong into an uncertain set of new relationships online. And around Europe, new types of expressive inequality are emerging as many are held back
from participating by poor access and a lack of resources.
As young people experience greater freedoms online, many are choosing to ‘route around’ political and cultural institutions rather than take them on directly. This poses a profound challenge to decision-makers, but it also creates new opportunities. For democracies starved of legitimacy, it offers hope for a new sphere of democratic expression and participation. With a range of recommendations for government, media and the private sector, this report outlines how we can channel the creativity locked inside the Video Republic.
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The problem of channeling the creativity of young voices is a challenging one, clearly these people have a lot to say and this could be a sign of differing veiws from the older generations as has been the norm since the '40's but never before has such a system as youtube existed.
Lessons using Web 2.0 have got to be the way forward.
This might have Daily Mail columnists tearing their hair out, but we think it’s 100% right.
It’s not just safety education about child abduction and privacy that are important for kids to understand for their internet identities.
One picture posted today may well cost you that promotion in fifteen years, and the chances are you’ll never know about it.
But beyond even that, the trend for connecting with people and organising information in new ways over the internet is here to stay. It’s the most powerful form of leverage the 21st century has created, and denying this truth won’t make it go away, nor will it stop organisations from using it to communicate, find the best contractors, acquire information quickly or hire talent.
As of right now, people who don’t know how Del.icio.us Twitter can be, or why Facebook can be as important to your career as any other book, is at a distinct disadvantage. If the National Curriculum is designed to prepare kids for adult life, embracing this new technology, especially in our service oriented economy – is an absolute must.
The only problem we see with this idea is that the kids know more about the subject than the teachers.
And cheekily... check out this page for a whole host of ways to bring ICT learning right into the heart of the classroom.
suggest a look at OhmyNews, citizen journalism site in South Korea.
http://english.ohmynews.com
Mostly text on the english version but more video in Japan and Korea where the broadband is better. They have now had several conferences on citizen journalism, follow the menu to find the video.
By the way, I have a bus pass so am way outside your target audience. But I think the ideas are more general.