Networked: a contemporary history of news in transition

178 Pages·2011·0.743 MB·English

by  Adrienne Russell

Networked
For my dad
Networked
A Contemporary History of News in
Transition
Adrienne Russell
polity
Copyright © Adrienne Russell 2011
The right of Adrienne Russell to be identifi ed as Author of this Work has been asserted in
accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published in 2011 by Polity Press
Polity Press
65 Bridge Street
Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK
Polity Press
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148, USA
All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism
and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
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recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-4951-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-4952-8(pb)
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Contents
Acknowledgements vi
1 Introduction: The Rise of Networked Journalism 1
2 Participatory Journalism: The Wealth of Networks 33
3 From Personalization to Socialization 71
4 News Parody, Satire, Remix: When There’s Nothing to
Do But Laugh 101
5 Public Life and the Future of News 131
Index 159
v
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the Annenberg Center for Communication at the
University of Southern California for time and funds and for the
inspiration I drew from my colleagues there as the ideas of this
book were coming together. Thanks to the American University
of Paris and to the University of Denver for providing the rich
personal and academic environments in which I undertook this
project and for the time and money that were essential for me to
get things done. And thanks to my colleagues at the University of
Denver’s Digital Media Studies Program who have deepened my
understanding of technology and culture in ways that have greatly
infl uenced this book.
Thanks also to my editors at Polity, Andrea Drugan and Lauren
Mulholland, who are great at what they do, and to the anonymous
reviewers of the fi rst, very rough draft of the book.
I am grateful to the many journalists who shared their time and
expertise; in particular I want to thank Kevin Anderson, Nick
Bilton, Denis Burgierman, Gabor Vajda, and Derek Willis. Special
thanks to my great friend Kerry Lauerman, who sat for many
interviews with me over the years and whose smart and candid
stories of his work as an editor have helped shape this book.
I would also like to thank the many friends and colleagues
who offered advice, encouragement, and criticism over the years:
Chris Anderson (the one at Indiana University not at Wired),
Michela Ardizzoni, Rod Benson, Lynn Schofi eld Clark, Waddick
Doyle, Nabil Echchaibi, Corinna di Gennaro, Ted Glasser, Jayson
vi
Acknowledgements
Harsin, Alfred Hermida, Mimi Ito, Risto Kunelius, Merlyna Lim,
Howard Rheingold, Tony Shawcross, Matt Tegelberg, and Barbie
Zelizer. Many thanks to Liz Fakazis, a great and careful reader,
for passing her eyes over every word and sending vital late-stage
feedback.
Thanks to my mom, Jay Duchene, for her encouragement and
for taking care of the kids while I traveled and for inviting me
repeatedly and always with a smile to hole up in San Francisco to
write. Thanks to Sammy and Sofi a: World Champion Distractors.
Most of all, thanks to John Tomasic. His insight into his own
work as a journalist greatly infl uenced my own understanding of
where the fi eld is and where it is going. More than that, his patient
encouragement and practical help – talking through ideas and
editing and reediting drafts of the book literally over the course of
years – went far beyond the call of duty. It’s not really possible to
thank him enough.
vii