“A beautiful citizen uprising!” Apparently, that’s what I said — and there’s video to prove it.
One of the most excellent regional unconferences (imo) is Transparency Camp, put on by the Sunlight Foundation. This year, I was interviewed as one of the participants, and my few moments of fame open and close the video.
I started writing for the Washington Examiner dot com a few weeks back. James Dellinger, who works there and is a web content and content marketing guy, has been on a mission to add a local blogging component to The Examiner online. The new section is called the Local Opinion Zone. James told me that he’s been reading a number of blogs, liked mine and wanted me to be a part of this new endeavor at The Examiner. So, I decided to accept his offer and take this opportunity for a ride.
Yesterday, while down in D.C. getting my do done, on a whim, I emailed James to see if 1) his offices were relatively close to the salon where I was and 2) if he had a chance to meet for a quick cup of coffee. He did. And we did.
Now, I find James interesting. I like my geeks. Smart, thoughtful, service-oriented geeks are often more cutting-edge and insightful than others may think. James is no exception. He brought to my attention a concept that he believes is key in the new-new media: posting rights.
See, as more people are using/connected in online content publishing realms (blogs, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, podcasts and more), how and where we publish which and what content is going to matter more. While it was most certainly hip and cool to have “just a blog” four or five years ago, that approach is becoming flooded with others who’ve joined the ranks of the hip and cool. This creates an increasing value when someone can post XYZ-related content on a site focused on XYZ, yet post ABC-related content on a site focused on ABC.
Personally, I’m a fan of the “hey, I have a blog because I want to say what I want to say” reason behind blogging. And I express that belief in my own blog, thankyouverymuch. Still and yet, the concept of posting rights and delivering content on more audience-focused sites makes a lot of sense. For myself, as my awareness of and relationship to readers beyond my original vision of my hometown, Columbia, has expanded, this concept of posting rights and placing more of my geo-specific content on a regional site is something I find appealing.
So, without further adieu, here are my first three posts as a WashingtonExaminer.com Local Opinion Zone writer –
Rock on.
I was interviewed late last year for an article about marketing to different generations. In and of itself, that’s so-so news, as I get interviewed fairly often on the subject. What filled me with joy is that another person interviewed for the same article was my super-hero on the subject of generational theory: Neil Howe. I find generational theory an immensely informative structure through which to view cultural change, technology adoption, communication styles, marketing preferences, political leanings and much more. I’ve studied — and applied – the work of William Strauss and Neil Howe for over a decade, so it was, for me, a feather in my cap to be quoted alongside someone whose work I admire and respect tremendously.
Here’s a podcast by Neil Howe that accompanied the article for which I was also interviewed. I listened to it and found it quite informative, particularly on likely human migratory 
patterns re generations and exurbs, suburbs, cities and forgotten small towns.
A Letter to the Editor I submitted to the Columbia Flier was published this week. It’s about Freecycling.org and using the site for sharing your wealth of perennials … or about receiving from the abundance of others. I’m glad the Flier ran the editorial. And — just to be super-clear about my hypocrisy on this subject – I hate*hate*hate Freecycle’s culture and style. I won’t go on about why other than to say I pine for the day that another tool pushes Freecycle’s sorry-ass site out the door and into the pastures — or graveyard. Perhaps that will happen when someone with enough balls comes in and takes over the system. Alas, that day isn’t here yet and while Freecycle has the most archaic-we-haven’t-evolved-since-the-1990s feel to it — in ALL respects — it is the only such tool that has any audience to speak of at the moment. *sigh*
So, I had to say that. Yes to the concept. Boo-hiss to the deliverer/delivery/organization/culture/system/tools.
Will somebody please wrest this beast to the ground and force it to evolve or die? In the meantime, it’s available for use inside the local community for moving physical items around in a free exchange.
I found on a computer I rarely use nowadays, a white paper I wrote for a client several years back. It’s a best practices research and report, examining how to support middle-school age girls in Howard County through the residential program, Journeys. A number of world-class girls organizations, plus some smaller, niche groups are highlighted in the paper. I like writing these kind of papers. Here are some others I wrote for the National Defense University on social media, the military and generations (hah! you’d think I wrote this paper 10 years ago … amazing how quickly the DoD has changed its tune) and The Baltimore Metropolitan Area – Class B Office, Light Industrial and Retail Markets – A Perspective.
I found this post while in San Francisco, of all places. A Google Alert on my name brought me to a website by David Hobby, who took the pic of me I use on this blog. I’ve known Dave for close to 20 years, and about two years ago he asked if he could photograph me as both part of a series of portraits he wanted to do and for a blog post he was writing and lesson he was creating about a certain lighting effect to be created.
I was happy, as I’d wanted a good photo of me for some time. Equally, I was nervous, as I’ve been typically camera-shy. It was so easy to be photographed by Dave. I didn’t have to grin and hold a faux-smile pose. He preferred the opposite actually, that I not smile. Just that I think interesting thoughts and turn where and when he told me to. All told, I think it took less than two hours for him to set up, shoot the pictures and send me off.
If you’d like to check out Dave’s Marylander’s collection of portraits, you’ll find it here
I got some press on some press I got … if you can follow that. A blog post about an interview I did re social media was published earlier today. It sure is nice to see what I believe echoed back by others’ perspectives.
I’m fascinated — though certainly not astounded — by the speed with which social media and the cultural shift in/around/from/through it is occurring. Fourteen months ago I went looking for a job integrating social media and communications. And a whole lot more. No such job existed in the DC-Balt area. I didn’t expect it to. So I created a doc called “My Ideal Job.” I just figured if I knew what direction was calling me, I could make anything happen.
And here we are now; barely a year later. I know job descriptions and job titles are rife — I mean “full” — with Web 2.0 terms and needs. Social media has become the topic du jour. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if in that short, sweet time, 50,000 people have miraculously emerged as social media gurus in the U.S. alone.
That’s cool. It’s all good. I find myself fascinated by the speed of the shift. Oh, how I love the possibility of what can be. And, on a practical and enjoyable note, I’m moving toward “my ideal job” more each day.
I don’t be talking much about my j-o-b on this blog, but here’s a little tidbit. I was interviewed recently about my job vis-a-vis social media. The interview — and it’s a bit long — is here.
Trenchant observations … Smart and spry.
That’s how my blog and I were described in today’s Balt Sun article about Howard County bloggers. Smart and spry I understood. Trenchant, while it sounded good, I had to look up on m-w.com. So, first, if you’re here reading my blog because of the article, welcome. May I offer that your curiosity may be tickled more by checking out –
Now, on to some “trenchant observations.”
While I spoke to the Sun reporter in late December or early Jan, and the photographer came to our January HocoBlogs party, I found it quite interesting that the article ran the same week the Balt Sun just laid off another round of folk (60 people this time). Interesting timing, ja? Not sure if it was conscious and specific, or just one of the juxtapositions of events that makes life a fascinating treasure hunt for meaning and connection.
I also found it interesting that while listing a number of bloggers and their website, the online version of the story included no links. Fer real. No links to outside content. Now, here’s an article about blogs, Web 2.0, connections, right. And the Balt Sun folk, dying on the vine, can’t muster the courage to trust that their audience will come back to their site if they provide links to content other than theirs.
That’s just sad.
And one more thing, the Sun sent a professional photographer to our event. I’m sure at least a dozen pics of the hundred-plus she took turned out great. She’s a professional, right? Yet the article only included links to the two pics: the same two featured in the print version. That’s just sad. People like pictures. Pictures tell stories.Traditional journalism is getting kicked in the *ss, in part, because it insists on continuing to deliver what is not highly desired by the market today.
Now, while I doubt few would advocate for the wholesale loss of journalism as an art form and business, I find myself less and less interested in the adamant insistence that the industry stay as it’s been.
And, yo, read your generational theory stuff. You’ll get what you need there, but here’s the short version: GenXers are the gen ascending into mid-life. Whatever gen is in mid-life holds cultural dominance, regardless of whether you like it. GenXers want real-now-functional-practical info, and for journalism, much of that need translates to hyper-local, real-time, access-it-anywhere news that is highly customized and personalized to the reader’s specific and individual interests. Sorry to be the breaker of bad news, but haven’t you all figured out by now that your current model isn’t working?
Anyway, remembering my manners after my minor rant, many thanks to the Sun for running the article. And, please, join us in the world of hyper-local news. We need you to survive. But you guys (read: BOOMER-dominated media organizations) won’t ever make it unless you understand that we (read: GENX-I’ll-do-what-I-need-to-do-regardless-of-how-much-you-stand-in-my-way individuals) have an equal, if not — dare I say — more important voice to express at this time in this age.
Well, that’s just my two cents, in any case.
I like the people at Folk Media. They’re a local firm that develops really good audio, video and social media content. I was interviewed a while back about how and why I felt different generations use social media for different core purposes and values. The podcast — about 10 minutes long — is here.
I’ve been selected by Peter Corbett of iStrategyLabs to be among his group of iStrategists. I’m honored and delighted. 11.05.08 update: Article, “37-year olds in Facebook; it’s a GenX thing,” posted to istrategylabs.com here.
I’ll be the guest speaker at two Horizon Foundation Council meetings this month. The subject I’ll be addressing is community building and relationship development using social media.
American City Girls, a project/approach/way of being/endeavor/business that I do with my BFF, had a write-up in HOWARD Magazine, a lifestyle magazine about Howard County. Thanks to Lisa Kawata, the write who crafted the story, for her diligence, good work and articulation of a fairly complex set of dynamics.
I was on the Aaron Brazell Show yesterday, talking about generational dynamics in the current American culture. Listen in here, if you’d like.
I was interviewed for two recent articles addressing generational dynamics: At About.com, I was quoted in an informative article about mobile giving (a new way to raise charitable funds via cel phone texting). In Advantages, a magazine for the Advertising Specialities Institute, I was a resource for an article about cross-generational marketing. The author does a stellar job of explaining the four-part cycle of generational dynamics in short order.
I’ve been invited to participate in a strategic communications workshop at the National Defense University. I’m one of the few social media strategists who’ll be joining military Co-Com leaders from throughout the world at this strategic planning event.
***
Follow-up: I was hired to write an after-action review about social media, generational dynamics and the military. The piece is here.
CA Monthly & Timebanking
5.3.08 – I was interviewed for a front page article in the Columbia Association’s CA Monthly publication. The subject? Time banking. Pic and article here, though the link probably won’t work in a month.
Curious about how different generations communicate? And what technologies and social media tools they use to do it? I certainly am. And Jonny Goldstein is too. He’s invited me to be the guest on his show this Wednesday, April 16th, at 9 p.m. You can participate in the concurrent online conversation, while watching the live broadcast on your computer. It’ll be on jonnyspartay.com. Last week’s guest was a nerd rapper and world-class yo-yo star. Til then.
UPDATE from Jonny: How to watch the archived show
Hi Jessie,
Right now, it’s a couple of steps for people to be able to watch your show. If and when an easier solution comes along, I’ll let you know. Here is how people can view the show now (note it’s currently the default video on the channel now, but this will change after tomorrows episode. The instructions below are for after tomorrow.)
1) Send people to http://www.mogulus.com/jonnyspartay
2) They should click on the button at the bottom that says”On Demand”
3) They should click on the episode called “Jessie Newburn”
I’ll be the guest on Jonny’s Par-tay this Wed., April 16th at 9 p.m. Our conversation will focus on cross-generational communications and marketing with an emphasis on how to use social media to address these challenges. As well, I’ll be speaking at PodCamp DC this Sat., April 19, at 10 a.m. My presentation will be on the same subject. Podcamp DC press here and photos here.
Just heard that I was mentioned by name on the Kojo Nnamdi Show (WAMU 88.5). Valerie Gross, Hoco Library’s executive director, discussed this particular blog post I wrote. I don’t come out of this story glowing and sweet. Whether I was civil or not is personal perspective.
Your Neighbors Say