{"id":20863,"date":"2014-08-09T19:40:43","date_gmt":"2014-08-09T09:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=20863"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:57:54","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:57:54","slug":"a-collaborative-thesis-by-margokingston1-stories-of-citizen-journalism-with-webdiary-and-nofibs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/a-collaborative-thesis-by-margokingston1-stories-of-citizen-journalism-with-webdiary-and-nofibs\/","title":{"rendered":"A collaborative thesis by @margokingston1: Stories of citizen journalism with Webdiary and @NoFibs #MediaMargo"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Margo<\/a>

Margo Kingston speaking at Project SafeCom’s Don’t Mention the Refugees forum, 2005.<\/p><\/div>\n

IT’S official, folks. I have a scholarship to do a Doctorate in Creative Practice at Macquarie University on the topic: ‘Experiments in collaboration between professional and citizen journalists: from practice to theory’.<\/p>\n

The thesis comprises a book for publication and an exegesis. I\u2019m told the first year of the PhD adventure entails reading and thinking through exactly what will be tackled – whittling down the topic to something where one researches in depth and becomes a bit of an expert.<\/p>\n

The book will be a professional memoir which seeks to explain my journey from mainstream political journalist to Sydney Morning Herald<\/em> political blogger and editor with Webdiary<\/em>, website owner when I went independent in 2005, and my new project after a seven-year break, No Fibs<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve decided to start a\u00a0No Fibs<\/em>\u00a0series on other people\u2019s stories and how they interact with mine, with a view to learning more and referencing these posts in my thesis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019ve always been a practitioner, not a theorist, so I need to examine what shaped my beliefs and practice of journalism and led me to see collaboration as a way of saving the job of political journalist and ensuring its place as a key pillar of a vibrant democracy.<\/p>\n

My story is a one of many stories of online political awakening. Between 2000 and 2005 I was so busy editing and writing for Webdiary<\/em> I barely knew what was happening \u2018out there\u2019 in the new media. What I do know is that former Webdiarists, now avid Twitter users, lifted me up and gave me a place in Twitter\u2019s world. I see No Fibs<\/em> as the successor to Webdiary.<\/em><\/p>\n

So I\u2019ve decided to start a No Fibs<\/em> series on other people\u2019s stories and how they interact with mine, with a view to learning more and referencing these posts in my thesis.<\/p>\n

The series kicks off with a reflection by Michael Burge<\/a>. He is a professional sub-editor who volunteered to report the seat of Bowman for the federal election as part of the 2013\u00a0No Fibs<\/em> citizen journalism seat report project. Mike then became No Fibs’<\/em> chief sub-editor and our arts columnist, and is now a joint holder of the No Fibs<\/em> dream, along with my co-publisher and geek Tony Yegles and my chief reporter Wayne Jansson.<\/p>\n

Mike\u2019s experience working on No Fibs<\/em> qualified him for a new job – deputy editor on\u00a0a\u00a0Fairfax\u00a0online portal.<\/p>\n

If you would like to tell your story for this series, contact me by DM and we\u2019ll talk.<\/p>\n

\"margo-no-fibs-adventure\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

No Fibs\u00a0on NEWsMeBack<\/h3>\n

The NEWsMeBack<\/em> website collates citizen journalism projects from around the world. No Fibs<\/em> was added<\/a> this year. Here\u2019s their questions and my answers.<\/p>\n

What motivated you to create No Fibs<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

After seven years’ retirement from journalism, I felt compelled to comment on a political story in late November 2012, and did it through Twitter and an opinion piece published by an independent media website. Tony Yegles, who had participated in my last collaborative journalism project, the Sydney Morning Herald\u2019s Webdiary<\/em>, built a website to\u00a0archive the topic. Someone gave me an iPad, and others expressed the wish that I have another go at journalism. I left journalism before Twitter, and was excited by its possibilities for collaborative journalism. I conceived No Fibs<\/em> as a Twitter-based website, using Twitter handles and hashtags in its headlines. The first site was called Australians for Honest Politics.<\/em><\/p>\n

My reports on returning to journalism:<\/p>\n

November 30, 2012
\nA question of character?<\/a><\/p>\n

December 11, 2012
\nMargo Kingston: My welcome to Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n

February 23, 2013
\nBuilding bridges<\/a>, an interview<\/p>\n

March 1, 2013
\nManifesto for @NoFibs<\/a><\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before the September 2013 election, I edited the site, using Twitter to ask for contributions, and investigated underdone stories using citizen journalists as collaborators. Tony managed the site and published posts. We then received a grant from Macquarie University which allowed us to work full-time for six months, focusing on citizen journalist seat reports for the federal election. We could not handle the volume of work and were saved by an old friend, Julie Lambert, who had just been made redundant as AAP\u2019s chief sub-editor. She volunteered to sub-edit the citizen journalists, improving quality and directly helping citizen journalists improve their work.<\/p>\n

After the election I brooded over whether to continue in journalism or finish my nursing degree, which I\u2019d already deferred in 2013. My profound attachment to Webdiary<\/em> saw me nearly exhaust my financial resources when I took her independent in mid-2005, and resulted in my forced retirement due to a physical and emotional breakdown.<\/p>\n

So I decided that I would not attach to No Fibs<\/em>. I felt that while it had energy it would survive and develop, and when it lost its energy it would fold. I felt that its best chance for innovation and delight was for it to be wholly voluntary – everyone, including me, would work for No Fibs<\/em> because they wanted to.<\/p>\n

Three other key players shape the site. Tony is the geek. Michael Burge, a professional sub-editor, is chief sub, and Wayne Jansson is chief reporter. Several columnists upload their own work and also keep an eye on the site, as do several proofers. It is understood that the buck stops with me; my policy is to allow people I trust to make calls on content, in the knowledge they will check with me if they sense an issue of ethics, legals or some other matter I need to be consulted on.<\/p>\n

I have crowd-funding for a professional journalist, Peter Clarke, to investigate an ABC matter, and several FOI requests.<\/p>\n

What are No Fibs<\/em>\u2019 current projects?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No Fibs<\/em>\u2019 big project last year was our citizen journalist seat reports for the federal election. After the election, I funded a pilot project by a professional journalist, Stephanie Dale, who edited citizen journalist reports on community protests against Coal Seam Gas mining. No Fibs<\/em> participated in a social media campaign to save Australia\u2019s last fruit processing company SPC, #SPCsunday, and delivered Australia\u2019s most comprehensive reporting of a social media-based protest against the current government called #MarchinMarch. This year I have focused on live-tweeting civil disobedience at Australia\u2019s first blockade of a coal mine, the #leardblockade.<\/p>\n

No Fibs<\/em> has become a site documenting political activism, written by professionals collaborating with citizens, and by citizens with assistance from professionals in accordance with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) code of ethics. It also gives me a platform to promote my ambition for vigorous public debate on media regulation, the question of what a journalist is, and the ethics of our practice.<\/p>\n

Reports:<\/p>\n

March 19, 2013
\nJournalist @margaretsimons stands up to Oz intimidations, speaks out on media reform<\/a><\/p>\n

March 27, 2013
\nCan the cross bench deliver citizens accountability from newspapers?<\/a><\/p>\n

April 9, 2013
\nPaddy Manning pays the whistleblowers’ price<\/a><\/p>\n

May 23, 2013
\nThe Press Gallery contemplates reform: join the conversation<\/a><\/p>\n

June 7, 2013
\n@NoFibs new directions<\/a><\/p>\n

June 15, 2013
\nImmersion journalism for democracy<\/a><\/p>\n

June 21, 2013
\nABC loses plot on ethics and news : citizen journos shine<\/a><\/p>\n

August 4, 2013
\nReady to go on @NoFibs citizen journo seat reports<\/a><\/p>\n

October 7, 2013
\nNew No Fibs citizen journalism project: The CSG social movement<\/a><\/p>\n

December 2, 2013:
\nReporting Indi: A reflection by Margo Kingston<\/a><\/p>\n

February 27, 2014
\nPress Council upholds @margokingston1 complaint against @dailytelegraph on #Ashby<\/a><\/p>\n

April 13, 2004
\nGetting #leardblockade arrested, WTF is journalism and who\u2019s the extremist: @margokingston1 interview with @dailytelegraph<\/a><\/p>\n

April 29, 2014
\nReporting grassroots green shoots when hope in establishment politics dies<\/a><\/p>\n

May 20, 2014
\nOff the rails with Margo Kingston<\/a>\u00a0Interview<\/p>\n

August 5, 2014
\nTime for @mediaalliance to take charge of secret tapes ethics debate<\/a><\/p>\n

As a former journalist, you can draw a real parallel between\u00a0traditional and citizen journalism. How do you see these two types of\u00a0journalism?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To me journalism is a state of mind and ethical practice is its underpinning. I don\u2019t see a difference between citizen and professional journalists except in experience and skills. I see myself as a current journalist!<\/p>\n

According to you, can citizen journalists offer quality content and is\u00a0their reporting credible enough?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes and, sometimes, yes!<\/p>\n

Are citizens interested in citizen journalism training and what do you\u00a0expect from them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. Stephanie Dale created training materials<\/a> as part of her brief to edit our CSG reports. During the election I created a Facebook group for our citizen journos so they could ask questions and discuss issues as they arose. It would be great to find a volunteer to look after the training materials resources of the site, and be available to help novice citizen journalists.<\/p>\n

What do you think of the media in Australia?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mainstream media is in existential crisis. New media is booming. All is fluid, dynamic, ever-changing. I\u2019m interested in how new and old media can collaborate to the benefit of all. I can\u2019t see a bright future for Australia\u2019s democracy without a strong, ethical mainstream media presence.<\/p>\n

What are\u00a0No Fibs’<\/em> plans for the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To see where the energy takes it.\u00a0I\u2019ve begun a PhD in collaborative political journalism, and hope Tweeps will collaborate with me.<\/p>\n

How do you see the future of citizen journalism?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Very, very bright.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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