Articles

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking PBS documentary series P.O.V., the Center for Social Media interviewed several of those who have led the project through its last two decades on the goals, challenges, and the vision for one of television's most productive sites for imagining and innovating the future of public media.

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pov.pdf

Questions

Where are the publics? Are there particular "home front" publics?

To what extent does The War Tapes organize publics different from those of other Iraq war or war on terror films?

Do the issues raised by The War Tapes organize distinctive publics? Are the publics organized into pro-war and anti-war clusters, or does the film begin another discussion related to the war in Iraq and the war on terror?

Does the film festival change or amplify the conversation about the issues raised in the film?

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War_tapes_maps.pdf

The War Tapes

The War Tapes has missing publics. War front and home front bloggers do not discuss the film significantly. The film also is discussed less significantly than other Iraq war and war on terror films. The conversation that arises from The War Tapes relates most significantly to the "citizen soldier" as well as "real war," as opposed to anti-war or pro-war discussions. Read more...

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maps_conclusion.pdf

This report analyzes the results of a survey of public radio stations and highlights the successes and challenges of integrating new social media tools into the mission of public radio.

The Center for Social Media collaborated with the Arab Media and Public Life (AMPLE) project at American University for a year-long conference series on public media in the Arab world and focused on changes in the media environment, the role of the state, and what "public media" means in the Arab world. The Center's latest report highlights the proceedings of the project.