GLIN==> Wiki revolution reaches Great Lakes, MSU

["List Manager" <adminpst@great-lakes.net>]

Submitted by Dave Poulson <poulson@msu.edu>

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Wiki revolution reaches Great Lakes, MSU

Jan. 31, 2007



EAST LANSING, Mich. - In a revolutionary attempt to encourage grassroots 
journalism, Michigan State University students have launched a project that 
helps citizens, scientists, industry leaders, students, policy makers and 
others report on the Great Lakes story.



The Web site (www.greatlakeswiki.org) lets those who know the lakes best 
report on their ecology, pollution, commerce, culture, policy, recreation, 
music and more. Using the same technology as that of the popular online 
encyclopedia Wikipedia, they can report on issues in a way that integrates 
them with each other - much like what happens in the real world.



"The Great Lakes represent a complex story often incompletely told or 
ignored by mainstream media," said Dave Poulson, associate director of MSU's 
Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. "The story requires many authors 
with diverse views, intimate knowledge and a passionate stake in nearly 20 
percent of the world's fresh surface water."



Students designed the project and gathered interviews, information, videos 
and images to provide a template. It is one of 10 citizen journalism 
projects nationwide to receive start-up funding last year from J-Lab: The 
Institute for Interactive Journalism (www.j-lab.org).



"Mainstream reporters struggle to compete with the 'wisdom of crowds'

because they can't

possibly have the collective knowledge, energy and motivation of their 
diverse and numerous readers," said Cliff Lampe, co-leader of the effort and 
an assistant professor in MSU's Telecommunication, Information Studies and 
Media department. "That's why Wikis work."



Anyone can easily post headlines linked to stories they've written or to 
other user-created content - images, videos, audio clips, charts, other 
stories. The site at www.greatlakeswiki.org provides help files to get users 
started.



The project is well-suited for citizens hoping to draw attention to 
particular lakes, streams and other natural resources within the region. MSU 
plans workshops to help groups use the technology for creative 
story-telling. Groups or individuals interested in attending, hosting or 
organizing such workshops should contact Cliff Lampe at lampecli@msu.edu.





Press Contact: Dave Poulson, Associate Director, Knight Center for 
Environmental Journalism, 517-432-5417, poulson@msu.edu



Press Contact: Cliff Lampe, Assistant Professor, Department of 
Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, 517-432-1334, 
lampecli@msu.edu



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