Roberto Suro at Re:Public discussing participatory journalism and the journalism of participation, aka democratic governance (Susan sez: this is a good distinction). Suro talks about journalism as a form of social action, knowledge, civic mobilization. "These two concepts of participation are sometimes confused. The act of participating in journalism is not the same as effective participation in civic progresses..if you are weighing journalism's role as a social actor you have to weigh the outcomes, not just the means."

Suro is doing a tremendous job here; this is a powerful talk...but how about where we are right now with how journalism, media, and community are shifting? I want to hear more about that.

Suro is discussing how does journalism fit with civic engagement--do we focus on creating informed elites or mobilizing the citizenry (Susan says: And why not both? I do not think the
elitist gatekeepers" he is discussing are relevant right now to anyone but themselves...those dinosaurs in the elephant graveyard, again...)

Are we really aristocrats or Jacobists? Suro says yes, I question that. Strongly. Broad participation will come because of the tools--look at YouTube--no discourse was needed, there.