Vermont Public Television recently broadcast an hour-long show about the May 29, 2008 symposium in Burlington that explored the community impact of Vermont becoming an “e-state”… that is, full broadband and cell coverage of the entire state. Lots of compelling speakers, including a bit about Front Porch Forum.
Rich Gordon writes today about his journalist-programmer program at Northwestern’s journalism school. He’s looking for a project idea…
For more than half a century, newspaper readership has been declining – and so have a variety of other indicators of civic and community engagement, such as participation in PTA’s, membership in bowling leagues and turnout on Election Day…
What I’ve been wondering about is whether new technologies can, in any way, help rebuild social capital among people who live in the same community. We know that online communities enable people with common interests to build powerful connections even if they are halfway around the world from one another. I’m intrigued by the possibility that we could apply these online community tools to strengthening local bonds.
It’s also hard to ignore that when conversations about the news occur on the Web, they often turn ugly — or, at best, fail to advance the discussion beyond ranting and raving…
Evidence that local media can play a role in fostering community conversation can be found in newspaper history. David Paul Nord’s fascinating book, “Communities of Journalism,” for instance, describes many instances in which newspapers served as community forums…
Cass Sunstein in his book Republic.com – [argues] that online communities can foster isolation and division by enabling people to connect only with those whose characteristics and attitudes are like theirs.
What I might challenge our students to do is come up with ways to improve online conversations about the news — to build social capital and raise the quality of these conversations.
Of course, this is what Front Porch Forum is all about!
The Snelling Center for Government continues to push on its e-state work. I spoke at the event it co-hosted recently focusing on the question of building the sense of community locally as Vermont moves forward on broadband and cell phone coverage.
Tune in online for conversation and on TV on August 21, 2008 at 8 PM EST for a fresh look at all this… Vermont Public Television.
And the Snelling Center’s blog is starting to get some traction. Check it out.
Scott Heiferman of MeetUp.com writes today…
I’ve come to realize that the uphill battle Meetup faces isn’t just getting people away from the screen to go offline & face strangers — nor even having them embrace community or realize the power of self-organized groups. Perhaps the biggest challenge is getting people to see the value in institution, in organization, in structure… a “Meetup Everywhere about Most Everything” means there’s a grounded community organization in-place when you need it. When your social network can’t do what you need. The social graph is great for a lot of things (eg. relationships & help & events), but there’s a need for Organizations. Just-in-time organization is flimsy. It’s not there when you need it. Relationships aren’t in-place. Infrastructure isn’t there. Commitments are weak. Engagement begets durability — structure & relationships that weathers storms.
Based on our growing experience operating Front Porch Forum, I think he’s on to something. People increasingly see FPF as part of the infrastructure around our pilot area. And often the initially weak social connections that happen through FPF grow strong over time because they are made with clearly identified nearby neighbors.
And some folks want FPF to be more than it is… to become an “institution” as Scott describes above. But it’s not that (yet)… FPF is best at introducing people and catalyzing connection and community among neighbors. But they still need the bowling leagues, neighborhood associations, churches, scout troops, schools, etc., to be there over the long haul.
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more