Jump in, the water is fine! Keep up with NCEW pilot
project, and explore social networking phenomenon.
by Roth, Eddie
Facebook has become home base for many things Opinion Pool--the
NCEW project to build model online templates for opinion journalism.
The best way for NCEW members to follow project developments in
real time is to:
a) Go to Facebook.com.
b) Join up. It's free and easy.
c) Search for "The Opinion Pool" group.
d) Ask to join.
Why Facebook?
Because it was full-featured, free of charge, and ready to
go--enabling the project to get off to a fast start. See for yourself:
The site is ingenious, intuitive, immensely useful, low maintenance, and
entirely democratic. All members can start a discussion and post
comments, pictures, videos, and links without the assistance of an
administrator.
The Opinion Pool on Facebook thus serves as a repository for
information, strategies, progress reports, and focused discussions
relating to our project--which everyone can look in on and contribute to
at their leisure.
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Does it compete with the NCEW listserv? I would say it complements
it.
The listserv is the primary and irreplaceable discussion vehicle
for the organization. But its ephemeral nature does not lend itself to
being a repository. Plus, not everybody who's interested in The
Opinion Pool subscribes to the list--or wants to.
The listserv is "email"; the Facebook group is a
"hard drive"
Joining Facebook is an important and timely exercise in another
respect.
Commentators on community affairs need to experience and understand
the growing social networking phenomenon first hand--and without delay.
Not only is this where the world is going; it's where large parts
of local communities already are, right now, and not just teenagers and
college kids.
NCEW members have good and noble reasons to check out The Opinion
Pool In the process they can get to know Facebook and imagine its
implications for opinion journalists searching for new ways to connect
with the community.
The Opinion Pool on Facebook ... jump in!
Eddie Roth is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton
Daily News. Email eroth@laytondailynews.com
COPYRIGHT 2007 National Conference of Editorial
Writers Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights
reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.