This is a diagram that arose out of a conversation at our Public Media BarCamp last fall. It has some elements specific to our public radio station, but the three main intersection points seem to be relevant to our discussions about what and who is "Public Media".
All very interesting stuff. I've been engaged in an email exchange w/ Jessica Clark from the AU Center for Social Media about what public media is ... their concept is very specific: that engaged "publics" must organize such media for a specific purpose or action; and that as such, noncommercial arts programming that lacks immediate civic relevance is EXcluded from the definition. My own experience with public media -- as a producer and not a theorist -- is much more encompassing and pragmatic, to include creative, cultural and civic dialogue that is outside of existing commercial institutions. I want to expand the definition more to consider "public media" a subset of the Commons, in which it needs no justification for its existence except that it is put forth in a non-commercial context for the purposes of public engagement/participation. Beyond that, when we try to define or exclude, I fear we enter the realm of the censor, as well as the tastemaker, both of whom REDUCE the public sphere rather than expand it.
Great diagram. I'm wondering how these circles would look if staff and budget size were taken into account: the orange Public Radio and TV circle would dwarf the others, no?
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Comments (2)
Josh Wilson said
at 9:58 am on Mar 11, 2009
All very interesting stuff. I've been engaged in an email exchange w/ Jessica Clark from the AU Center for Social Media about what public media is ... their concept is very specific: that engaged "publics" must organize such media for a specific purpose or action; and that as such, noncommercial arts programming that lacks immediate civic relevance is EXcluded from the definition. My own experience with public media -- as a producer and not a theorist -- is much more encompassing and pragmatic, to include creative, cultural and civic dialogue that is outside of existing commercial institutions. I want to expand the definition more to consider "public media" a subset of the Commons, in which it needs no justification for its existence except that it is put forth in a non-commercial context for the purposes of public engagement/participation. Beyond that, when we try to define or exclude, I fear we enter the realm of the censor, as well as the tastemaker, both of whom REDUCE the public sphere rather than expand it.
jdlasica said
at 11:26 am on Mar 11, 2009
Great diagram. I'm wondering how these circles would look if staff and budget size were taken into account: the orange Public Radio and TV circle would dwarf the others, no?
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