Fundamentals of Interactive Journalism

It’s amazing how small the world has become since the onset of the Internet, and especially Facebook. At any given time I have friends living or visiting in tens of different countries around the world, on every continent. If there’s an earthquake in Indonesia, I can immediately check if my friend in Jakarta has updated her Facebook status saying that she is okay. Or if there’s a huge snowstorm going on in Australia, I can check my Aussie friends’ statuses to see if they are making snow angels. And sometimes I like to take a little imaginary around-the-world trip just by looking at my friends’ Facebook statuses:

-Amy should have been leaving for Egypt today!

-Laurie is two hours away from vacation and a nice 18 hour drive to FL!

-Amit is getting ready to party in Beirut!

-Ange is packing for Strasbourg .

-Amanda will be going away for the weekend… Going to Hangzhou!

-Henna is home in Finland!

–Gemi is 宅居在家

-Katja is stoked about jetting of to London in only three days time, weehay!!

-Tepa is doing some AWESOME diving in Solomon Islands! And yeah.. LOVIN it! =)

-Laura is “Finland Finland here I come” sooooon…….

-Kathryn is waiting for a phone call from sunny Perth…

-Zara and 10 days to Cuba!

-Ed is wondering why he’s come to Madurai.

-Ross is enjoying Sweden.

-George: Last Weekend in Paris !!

-Jordan is ready to go to Florida for the weekend.

-Mark is enjoying a Bintang in Luanbajo, Flores.

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So where does your status take you?

It was impossible to avoid the news of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest this week. Federal prosecutors charged him with blazing a trail of corruption in pay-to-play schemes, culminating with a “show me the money” approach to appointing Barack Obama’s successor as senator.

The 24-hour cable news channels reveled in the scandal. After the feel-good story of Barack Obama’s historic election, which inspired millions of people, I think the media enjoyed the chance to wallow in the mud of political sleaze.

Today the New York Times published an analysis of Illinois’ history of political corruption. It suggests that residents of the state are comfortable with a degree of criminality in their politicians. Being a major cynic and a former Illinois voter (who helped elect Blagojevich to Congress in 1996), I don’t find his behavior at all shocking. While it’s definitely objectionable, it’s the kind of thing I assume goes on all the time in American politics but in most cases is never exposed to public view.

I thought it would be interesting to see how Blagojevich’s woes were playing out in the social networking arena. If you search for the governor’s name on Facebook, the top results include earnest-sounding citizen groups with names like Impeach Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and People for the Removal of Rod Blagojevich as well as satirical groups, including Rod Blagojevich for President, 2016. That group’s page includes a hilarious possible explanation for the governor’s behavior. Under all those results, however, you’ll find what appears to be Blagojevich’s actual Facebook page, which features the photo below.

The official page lists “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” as a favorite quotation and “Getting things done for people” as the governor’s job description. Those statements may have seemed like throwaway platitudes a week ago, but now they’re bursting with ironic double-entendre potential.

The Facebook account boasted 1,780 supporters as of this evening. The group Citizens of Illinois Against Rod Blagojevich, by contrast, has 5,156 members, almost three times as many. Judging by sheer numbers, it seems that Illinoisans may not be so comfortable with corruption after all. Then again, the number of supporters on the governor’s page was 1,769 earlier today. So despite his ethical troubles (or who knows, maybe because of them), he’s still gaining fans.

Researching my election day story is a welcome break from calling city agencies. I’m guessing at least some of you guys have had the pleasure of this task. I have spoken to more recorded messages in a single day than ever in my life. My patience has reached its limit and I am planning to storm some offices today. I could vent a lot more. There are words I wish I could use to describe how I feel about city agencies right now. Unfortunately this forum ain’t that free.

I took a break and ventured into the realm of Facebook to research the election day piece. I have to find ultra conservative groups that are so peeved by John McCain and his mistress Palin, that they will give up their right to vote this coming election. They are so angry they won’t vote at all. People are stupid. I can say that here right? Republicans against McCain, 615 members strong.

OUCH! I also found a group called Vietnam Vets against McCain. Im dreaming of infiltrating this group. I doubt I’ll be able to pass off as a Vietnam vet, but a girl can dream. Oh yes and to all of you concerned about our political leanings, Robert Voris is exploring the PUMAS. Party Unity My Ass, a group created after Hillary’s downfall. There will also be some study into anarchist groups for those of you with no political bias at all.

This past Friday night marked my one-week anniversary as a member of Facebook – or should I call it Crackbook? I joined because I view it as a requirement of my education as a journalist. No, really. But after eight days, I don’t remember life before Facebook. It seems like it has always been there.

Admittedly, I was an aggressive engager in this, my first foray into social networking. I looked up people from all of my social zones over the years – work, school, acquaintances, family. I made (or remade) 50 friends in my first 24 hours. I had a lot to catch up on in the experience of The Facebook and I wasn’t sure how long it would hold my interest. 

So I dove in and got busy posting status updates – “Brian is enjoying the weekend on Fire Island” and “Brian is watching the debates”; joining  networks and groups – “CUNY Graduate School of Journalism” and “Local 52 on Facebook”; writing on friend’s walls and sending messages – “Welcome back to NYC. Looking forward to seeing you” and “Wow! I’m so flattered you remember me.”; posting links to other sites – two from Mac World with articles about Facebook etiquette and one to a YouTube video (of me, playing the ukulele); becoming a fan of institutions and celebrities – The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and Lynda Carter (as in TV’s Wonder Woman).

At times, I felt uncomfortable having so much information about me out on the interweb – my thoughts, whereabouts, interests, but who really cares? I don’t have anything to hide. And if I did have a secret, I’m not compelled to share it with anyone, in or out of Facebook. Then why was it I was feeling a little creeped out? Compared to most of my friends, I am a virtual blank slate. I chose (for the moment, at least) to leave out information about my activities, interests, favorite music, etc. But of course, based on the information in the previous paragraph, any stranger has some idea about my worldview.

Maybe it’s not the strangers I’m concerned about.

Maybe it’s the CIA.

More likely it’s the marketers.