Please explain why your idea/project, is suited/perfect to using... 'media' ...to bring about A BETTER "WORLD"...the entire planet...?
Aloha Michael,
Journalism is important, in that, it parallels a persons ability to tell the truth about any situation. We love this fact. Members of our T³ - ThinkTankTeam, are journalists & bring very important aspects to the table, without which, we would lack the direct & open perspective journalism offers.
Our world has suffered enough from money-journalists. Essentially, bringing home the bread & butter needs not be the focus when presenting the story. But, as times have changed (as we sat by and allowed it) it is now time to re-change or recycle the power that empowers people to invest in oral traditions, namely, WORD OF MOUTH! WE REMEMBER A TIME, when true journalism was a good conversation where we learned from DEEP OBSERVATION & THE WISDOM OF TRIED & TRUE EXPRESSION. We hope AJA will INSPIRE THE ENTIRE WORLD using media as, one bone, in the backbone of humanity, to speak plainly "&" most importantly, clearly, with itself!
Here we are at the threshold of a new WORLD on the same old planet,
a.
[teamLEOnardo].
PS: We'd love to be a part of your think tank; please let us know about all your progress. Because NATURE COUNTS MORE THAN EVERYTHING ELSE; our environment is the backbone of our existence, until we leave for the Moon & Mars...as some of us can become far too focused on this reality, even though EXPLORATION...TOO, IS a very necessary truth. We LOVE a firm balance! Peace~!
One important catchword in your comment is "open perspective". My experience as a journalist is that editors tend to "narrow" the perspective of stories and news. "Bad news is good news" -- good because well selling... The alternative experience from our way of reporting (solution oriented, "constructive journalism" ) is that the broad public is very keen to know more about "good news". They are "good" not only because of good feelings they evoke but because of their contend: information about changemakers and visionaries, doers and thinkers, unknown heroes and successful social entrepreneurs.
Another aspect you mentioned is nature and environment. Let me inform you about one of our projects, "Life Counts" . This was a multimedia effort to raise awareness about biodiversity and endangered species. Our first thoughts were how to attract a mass public to such a complex topic. The idea we came out with was a global census in nature: We found a scientific partner, the World Conservation Monitoring Center (Cambridge, UK) who helped us to COUNT ALL ANIMALS ON EARTH! This was a multi-million untertaking. Then we created an innovative way to present all these figures in form of fascinating graphics and illustrations. Third step: We sent out reporters to a lot of biodiversity-rich regions to research "best practices": how could people in poor countries use animal populations without destroying them? "Life Counts" is still a great success; the book was published in the US, Germany, Spain and Latin America, and China. It got a lot of awards like "Science Book of the Year" and Book Prize of the German Environmental Foundation".
Conclusion: What the public appreciates is to know about positive change in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use.
Indeed, LIFE COUNTS! Hope that answers your question :–))
I find extremely interesting and new to report about inidividuals, who make changes in their communities providing also background information necessary for understanding of local and broader situation, in which these individuals live and act. Professionally this is very challanging and definitively a hard work, which takes time, proper reserach and serious field work - and in the competition with media daily news and stories on bombings, destruction and violence, which is the standard of conflict reporting. It is very advanced journalistic skill to be able to bring into media reports about incredibly brave individuals from some distant corners of the world, who manage to secure peace in their communities, reconciliate sides in conflicts, build a school, give a shelter to tortured women and who stand up against violence and mistreatment, but followed with analytical and background insight of the current situation in the region. Quite demanding journalism... This way of reporting opens space for solutions and moves away from depressive pasivity of individuals, who wait for the help from outside and forget that they have to be actors of change. I find that quite new.
In my eyes it is somehow much easier to go for war reporting (what i did before) because it is event-orientated: you get dramatic action "for free".
Far more challenging is to report on peace processes: they are very complex, slow, longterm, full of setbacks, sometimes not visible at the first glance. You have to come very close to the protagonists (changemakers, peace entrepreneurs) of your story. By telling their story (their methods, hopes, progresses, fears, ....) you can illustrate the more complex context of peacebuilding processes.
Inspiring approach to show how constructive conflict management can work and how!
Thereby AJA shows not automatically the very famous ones but people like you and me - that allows identification and becoming inspired by their work and characters. The reports root out ways of constructive management by strengthening local actors.
For me I can identify two aspects:
One is to accompany journalists to find exciting stories of people building peace: individuals in their surrounding. This is a very special way of transporting competencies by focusing on the local circumstances and conditions. Both sides can learn from each other: The local journalists learn to have a closer look on the little steps that are happening in their neighbourhood. And the AJA journalists get to know which specific ways of spreading news and stories are common and useful in other parts of the world. Such a mutual learning process can be productive for both sides and for the audience, too.
And this means the second aspect: showing these stories to a wide range of audience can inspire them through best practices, can encourage them as role models by getting to know new ways of dealing with conflicts and problems in their own society and in different other regions all over the world. This means an additional learning process for the third target group.
In conclusion I can see a very effective role of journalism in peacebuilding processes, as long as people know how to report on peace processes.
In our eyes "peace reporting" requires high quality journalism. Reporters should be sensitive, emphatic, and follow the DO NO HARM principle (reporting should not contribute to escalation of the conflict or endanger a person). The journalists should be able to analyze the deep rooted causes of the conflict. And they should be willing to include the perspectives of positive change. Their reports should include aspects like: Where are possible solutions for the conflict, who are the changemakers, peace entrepreneurs, social inventors. That´s what we define as Constructive Journalism at the Advanced Journalism Academy. We are very confident that the broad public really longs for positive news and constructive perspectives, especially in the context of reporting from conflict regions.
The world of journalism is overloaded with bad news and desaster - time for change has come: Give the good news a chance!
With his Life, Peace and Culture Counts Projects Michael Gleich has been the promotor of a sustainable and constructive approach for many years. Now his idea of the Advanced Journalism Academy is a very logical next step: Show collegues how they can make a difference, how they can report on solutions instead of failure. How they can use their power as multiplicators in a very positive way. Undoubtedly it is a long way from the commonly known "bad news is good news"-ideology to a journalism that is thoroughly constructive. But especially in conflict regions this new attitude can become a very powerful tool for a de-escalation.
From my point of view, the academy is a brilliant idea to bring journalism to the next level. In many countries worldwide, most of the journalists go for money and sensations. However, it is important to publish role models, visions and people on their way to improve society.
A very nice exemaple of how this could work - at least if it comes to photojournalism is on of leading publication for women and lifestyle: BRIGITTE. They decided not to work with models anymore but do photo productions with "women next door" - a brilliant idea which even increases the reader's identification with the magazine.
That is is a complete new focus for journalists. Because of economic pressure the majority of them tend to concentrate on calamities, desasters, and the failures of institutions. Constructive Journalism highlights positive perspectives, could show us how we could face the future optimistically and realistically.
I totally agree. When a women´s magazine decides to stop working with anorexic fashion models it indicates a shift towards more authenticity in journalism. The today´s media mainstream is characterized by either hero worshipping (celebrities, politicians, CEOs as protagonists for articles...) or by catastrophism (calamities, wars, murder,...). Constructive journalism – bringing solutions and positive role models to the broad public – is a crucial new voice in media.
Especially in difficult times where journalism is a mere shadow of what it is supposed to be. In times of decline and the dictate of advertisement, when reporting is often only a tool to fill the gaps next to the ads. When magazines and newspapers close down or don't have money (or pretend to) to do responsible, investigative or simply good reporting. Wehn people only focus on celebrities, brain candy, scandals and sensationalism - a body changemakers and its proxies Peace Counts, Nature Counts and Culture Count is desperately needed. It inspires journalists and readers alike. conflict resolution, sustainability, and diversity is much needed.
Carsten, you are right: The Advanced Journalism Academy is a catalyst to promote responsible journalism. "Constructive" journalism (as Michael coins it) is sustainable instead of fast, and it embraces societal responsibility – two virtues not recently connected with journalism, but badly needed. I am convinced that constructive journalism, with its focus on solutions and role models, has the power to trigger change.
I also find some of the examples of “change making” at www.aja-online.org extremely convincing. The Advanced Journalism Academy would well deserve some extra funding...
positive social change is indeed the core of our new project, the Advanced Journalism Academy (AJA). Journalists often claim that they have to be "objective". There is a famous quote by reknowned German TV-presentor Hans-Joachim Friedrichs: "Ein Journalist sollte sich mit keiner Sache gemein machen, auch nicht mit einer guten." (roughly translated: Journalists should not get too much involved, not even for "good causes"). Truth is that most of the journalists have a very subjective approach to their topics, although unconciously. They also have a responsability for the societies they live in and work for. Does their work empower people, the protagonists of their reporting as well as the public/the readers? Does it make them aware of social problems as well of possible solutions and social inventions?
The concept of a CONSTRUCTIVE JOURNALISM (the core of AJA) bears in mind that journalists have a "social responsibility", too. Especially in conflict regions where AJA plans to carry out its programms they can contribute to the problem (spreading hatred...) or to the solution (highlighting the capacities of the civil societies for conflict resolution.
We already have done a lot of constructive journalism in our projects Nature Counts (solutions for sustainability), Culture Counts (living diversity constructively), and Peace Counts (successful peacebuilders). However, AJA would be the chance to spread this approach in more countries and conflict regions.
Every child has a role model - mostly his parents. We want to be like them - role models are important to motivate us to act and behave correctly. But in the media you look for role models in vain. AJA tries to change this by showing peace makers and social entrepreneurs in action who struggle to make this world just a little better than it was. Their projects are efficient, their visions inspiring, their success impressing. They are role models because they work on solutions. And AJA writes about them when most of the medias shows only the problems. So AJA should be a role model for other media.
It was a pleasure reading the words of truth you spoke/wrote today. We hope AJA receives the recognition it deserves as it serves communities far & wide. We also hope to be a beacon of positive & useful media as we take to local streets from day to day, and on tour far & wide sometime in 2010 for the health or little planet earth; thanks again for your words.
Comments
Please explain why your idea/project, is suited/perfect to using... 'media' ...to bring about A BETTER "WORLD"...the entire planet...?
Aloha Michael,
Journalism is important, in that, it parallels a persons ability to tell the truth about any situation. We love this fact. Members of our T³ - ThinkTankTeam, are journalists & bring very important aspects to the table, without which, we would lack the direct & open perspective journalism offers.
Our world has suffered enough from money-journalists. Essentially, bringing home the bread & butter needs not be the focus when presenting the story. But, as times have changed (as we sat by and allowed it) it is now time to re-change or recycle the power that empowers people to invest in oral traditions, namely, WORD OF MOUTH! WE REMEMBER A TIME, when true journalism was a good conversation where we learned from DEEP OBSERVATION & THE WISDOM OF TRIED & TRUE EXPRESSION. We hope AJA will INSPIRE THE ENTIRE WORLD using media as, one bone, in the backbone of humanity, to speak plainly "&" most importantly, clearly, with itself!
Here we are at the threshold of a new WORLD on the same old planet,
a.
[teamLEOnardo].
PS: We'd love to be a part of your think tank; please let us know about all your progress. Because NATURE COUNTS MORE THAN EVERYTHING ELSE; our environment is the backbone of our existence, until we leave for the Moon & Mars...as some of us can become far too focused on this reality, even though EXPLORATION...TOO, IS a very necessary truth. We LOVE a firm balance! Peace~!
Aloha and Guten Tag!
One important catchword in your comment is "open perspective". My experience as a journalist is that editors tend to "narrow" the perspective of stories and news. "Bad news is good news" -- good because well selling... The alternative experience from our way of reporting (solution oriented, "constructive journalism" ) is that the broad public is very keen to know more about "good news". They are "good" not only because of good feelings they evoke but because of their contend: information about changemakers and visionaries, doers and thinkers, unknown heroes and successful social entrepreneurs.
Another aspect you mentioned is nature and environment. Let me inform you about one of our projects, "Life Counts" . This was a multimedia effort to raise awareness about biodiversity and endangered species. Our first thoughts were how to attract a mass public to such a complex topic. The idea we came out with was a global census in nature: We found a scientific partner, the World Conservation Monitoring Center (Cambridge, UK) who helped us to COUNT ALL ANIMALS ON EARTH! This was a multi-million untertaking. Then we created an innovative way to present all these figures in form of fascinating graphics and illustrations. Third step: We sent out reporters to a lot of biodiversity-rich regions to research "best practices": how could people in poor countries use animal populations without destroying them? "Life Counts" is still a great success; the book was published in the US, Germany, Spain and Latin America, and China. It got a lot of awards like "Science Book of the Year" and Book Prize of the German Environmental Foundation".
Conclusion: What the public appreciates is to know about positive change in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use.
Indeed, LIFE COUNTS! Hope that answers your question :–))
Best regards,
michael gleich
I find extremely interesting and new to report about inidividuals, who make changes in their communities providing also background information necessary for understanding of local and broader situation, in which these individuals live and act. Professionally this is very challanging and definitively a hard work, which takes time, proper reserach and serious field work - and in the competition with media daily news and stories on bombings, destruction and violence, which is the standard of conflict reporting. It is very advanced journalistic skill to be able to bring into media reports about incredibly brave individuals from some distant corners of the world, who manage to secure peace in their communities, reconciliate sides in conflicts, build a school, give a shelter to tortured women and who stand up against violence and mistreatment, but followed with analytical and background insight of the current situation in the region. Quite demanding journalism... This way of reporting opens space for solutions and moves away from depressive pasivity of individuals, who wait for the help from outside and forget that they have to be actors of change. I find that quite new.
In my eyes it is somehow much easier to go for war reporting (what i did before) because it is event-orientated: you get dramatic action "for free".
Far more challenging is to report on peace processes: they are very complex, slow, longterm, full of setbacks, sometimes not visible at the first glance. You have to come very close to the protagonists (changemakers, peace entrepreneurs) of your story. By telling their story (their methods, hopes, progresses, fears, ....) you can illustrate the more complex context of peacebuilding processes.
Inspiring approach to show how constructive conflict management can work and how!
Thereby AJA shows not automatically the very famous ones but people like you and me - that allows identification and becoming inspired by their work and characters. The reports root out ways of constructive management by strengthening local actors.
For me I can identify two aspects:
One is to accompany journalists to find exciting stories of people building peace: individuals in their surrounding. This is a very special way of transporting competencies by focusing on the local circumstances and conditions. Both sides can learn from each other: The local journalists learn to have a closer look on the little steps that are happening in their neighbourhood. And the AJA journalists get to know which specific ways of spreading news and stories are common and useful in other parts of the world. Such a mutual learning process can be productive for both sides and for the audience, too.
And this means the second aspect: showing these stories to a wide range of audience can inspire them through best practices, can encourage them as role models by getting to know new ways of dealing with conflicts and problems in their own society and in different other regions all over the world. This means an additional learning process for the third target group.
In conclusion I can see a very effective role of journalism in peacebuilding processes, as long as people know how to report on peace processes.
In our eyes "peace reporting" requires high quality journalism. Reporters should be sensitive, emphatic, and follow the DO NO HARM principle (reporting should not contribute to escalation of the conflict or endanger a person). The journalists should be able to analyze the deep rooted causes of the conflict. And they should be willing to include the perspectives of positive change. Their reports should include aspects like: Where are possible solutions for the conflict, who are the changemakers, peace entrepreneurs, social inventors. That´s what we define as Constructive Journalism at the Advanced Journalism Academy. We are very confident that the broad public really longs for positive news and constructive perspectives, especially in the context of reporting from conflict regions.
The world of journalism is overloaded with bad news and desaster - time for change has come: Give the good news a chance!
With his Life, Peace and Culture Counts Projects Michael Gleich has been the promotor of a sustainable and constructive approach for many years. Now his idea of the Advanced Journalism Academy is a very logical next step: Show collegues how they can make a difference, how they can report on solutions instead of failure. How they can use their power as multiplicators in a very positive way. Undoubtedly it is a long way from the commonly known "bad news is good news"-ideology to a journalism that is thoroughly constructive. But especially in conflict regions this new attitude can become a very powerful tool for a de-escalation.
From my point of view, the academy is a brilliant idea to bring journalism to the next level. In many countries worldwide, most of the journalists go for money and sensations. However, it is important to publish role models, visions and people on their way to improve society.
A very nice exemaple of how this could work - at least if it comes to photojournalism is on of leading publication for women and lifestyle: BRIGITTE. They decided not to work with models anymore but do photo productions with "women next door" - a brilliant idea which even increases the reader's identification with the magazine.
That is is a complete new focus for journalists. Because of economic pressure the majority of them tend to concentrate on calamities, desasters, and the failures of institutions. Constructive Journalism highlights positive perspectives, could show us how we could face the future optimistically and realistically.
Babette,
I totally agree. When a women´s magazine decides to stop working with anorexic fashion models it indicates a shift towards more authenticity in journalism. The today´s media mainstream is characterized by either hero worshipping (celebrities, politicians, CEOs as protagonists for articles...) or by catastrophism (calamities, wars, murder,...). Constructive journalism – bringing solutions and positive role models to the broad public – is a crucial new voice in media.
Especially in difficult times where journalism is a mere shadow of what it is supposed to be. In times of decline and the dictate of advertisement, when reporting is often only a tool to fill the gaps next to the ads. When magazines and newspapers close down or don't have money (or pretend to) to do responsible, investigative or simply good reporting. Wehn people only focus on celebrities, brain candy, scandals and sensationalism - a body changemakers and its proxies Peace Counts, Nature Counts and Culture Count is desperately needed. It inspires journalists and readers alike. conflict resolution, sustainability, and diversity is much needed.
Carsten, you are right: The Advanced Journalism Academy is a catalyst to promote responsible journalism. "Constructive" journalism (as Michael coins it) is sustainable instead of fast, and it embraces societal responsibility – two virtues not recently connected with journalism, but badly needed. I am convinced that constructive journalism, with its focus on solutions and role models, has the power to trigger change.
I also find some of the examples of “change making” at www.aja-online.org extremely convincing. The Advanced Journalism Academy would well deserve some extra funding...
Daniela,
positive social change is indeed the core of our new project, the Advanced Journalism Academy (AJA). Journalists often claim that they have to be "objective". There is a famous quote by reknowned German TV-presentor Hans-Joachim Friedrichs: "Ein Journalist sollte sich mit keiner Sache gemein machen, auch nicht mit einer guten." (roughly translated: Journalists should not get too much involved, not even for "good causes"). Truth is that most of the journalists have a very subjective approach to their topics, although unconciously. They also have a responsability for the societies they live in and work for. Does their work empower people, the protagonists of their reporting as well as the public/the readers? Does it make them aware of social problems as well of possible solutions and social inventions?
The concept of a CONSTRUCTIVE JOURNALISM (the core of AJA) bears in mind that journalists have a "social responsibility", too. Especially in conflict regions where AJA plans to carry out its programms they can contribute to the problem (spreading hatred...) or to the solution (highlighting the capacities of the civil societies for conflict resolution.
We already have done a lot of constructive journalism in our projects Nature Counts (solutions for sustainability), Culture Counts (living diversity constructively), and Peace Counts (successful peacebuilders). However, AJA would be the chance to spread this approach in more countries and conflict regions.
Every child has a role model - mostly his parents. We want to be like them - role models are important to motivate us to act and behave correctly. But in the media you look for role models in vain. AJA tries to change this by showing peace makers and social entrepreneurs in action who struggle to make this world just a little better than it was. Their projects are efficient, their visions inspiring, their success impressing. They are role models because they work on solutions. And AJA writes about them when most of the medias shows only the problems. So AJA should be a role model for other media.
Aloha Anne,
It was a pleasure reading the words of truth you spoke/wrote today. We hope AJA receives the recognition it deserves as it serves communities far & wide. We also hope to be a beacon of positive & useful media as we take to local streets from day to day, and on tour far & wide sometime in 2010 for the health or little planet earth; thanks again for your words.
Pace the Peace WiTHiN Patience~!,
a.
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