Here’s what we’ve found as we’ve traveled the local PDX web (complete with our comments) for May 4th:

• Comic: Least I Could Do
  – PAgent found this on-topic gem; do click through to set the stage visually for the next few links, won't you?
• How hyper is your local? | Cold Type
  – Columbian employee John Hill shared his own thoughts about BarCamp Portland in this post, including this excerpt: "How hyper is your local? Love that. I can’t recall who said it, but some witty soul at PDX BarCamp III shared that in a lively discussion I cohosted with two coworkers (Web editor Jeff Bunch and Web developer Patti Hill, no relation) today at Cubespace. Our session: “You are publisher of a daily newspaper. How do you escape the carnage?” '

  Unfortunately, we didn’t walk away with any clear answers on how to avert disaster, something our newspaper is facing head on these days. We did, however, seem to agree that so-called hyperlocal journalism and advertising is likely to be the last idea standing after the shakeout that’s begun in the newspaper industry.

• abrahamhyatt.com » Announcing Digital Journalism Camp Portland, August 2009
  – Abraham has given us some marching orders here: "It’s official: Sometime in mid August, Portland will be home to a one-day conference on digital journalism. What’s digital journalism? This is my definition: It’s where traditional print and broadcast journalism, blogging and web-based innovation meet. This is not some far-off future for the industry. It’s happening right now, all around us. And reporters, bloggers, editors, and broadcasters have a lot they can learn from each other.

  I want us to shut up about about the death of newspapers and start talking about how we, as journalists, are innovating right now — what’s working, what’s not, and how we can get better at what we do.”

  Amen, brother. A-MEN!

• BarCampPortland Journalism Recap — Another Blogger
  – I was going to follow up with my own notes from the recent journalism sessions at BarCamp Portland – but why should I bother when Aaron Hockley's already done so?
• CC to Feed PDX News–from Sacramento | Oregon Media Insiders – Lynn calls it as she sees it: "I am continually amazed at how the media conglomerates are strangling themselves. LOCAL IS ALL YOU HAVE, YOU DOLTS."

Related Posts

• July 25, 2009 -- SLL: Dude, Where’s My Newspaper? (3)
• May 1, 2009 -- Merging ‘old’ media & ‘new’ media, right here in PDX (0)
• November 19, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for November 19th (1)
• June 13, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for June 13th (2)
• June 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for June 4th (0)

Our own Aaron Hockley has long held strong opinions about the flaws in today’s traditional media models. But rather than just criticize, Aaron suggested a way we might come together to discuss needed changes when he wrote this blog post a few weeks ago: Journalism and Media: Let’s Discuss Changes at BarCampPortland.

Do click through to read his analysis, but the key paragraph is this one, in my opinion:

As the news industry faces radical changes and many traditional news operations face financial peril, it is obvious that journalists need to adapt or die. I think the distinction between the work of journalists and the method of delivery needs to be recognized… journalism and newspapers (or TV) are two separate things, and the failure of the delivery mechanism does not mean that journalism itself is a failure.

Rick Turoczy picked up on Aaron’s post and agreed to co-facilitate a session, suggesting this – BarCamp Portland: Proposed Adopt a Blogger/Adopt a Journalist session. Rick’s conclusion?

Long story short, journalists and bloggers have a great deal to learn from one another, so why don’t we?

The session’s now been scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at 10 am – and it promises to have some smart people in the room from both camps (side note: I’ve been on both sides of the fence & have been instructed to bring my old media schwag — if I can still find it, that is — to prove my ’street cred.’ Have been told that the old ancient Village Voice onesie both kids once wore back in the day just won’t cut it, though…!)

Should be a barn-burner, right? Well, hold on to your hats, media mavens.

Hot on the heels of today’s announcement that the Vancouver-based Columbian has filed for bankruptcy, 3 Columbian employees proposed this BarCamp topic: “You run a daily newspaper. How do you escape the carnage?” After a bit of schedule finessing, this session now run right afterward at 11 am in the very same room at CubeSpace.

So if you, too, want to be part of helping media merge from ‘old’ media & ‘new’ media into just plain media — news and information for citizens of the 21st century, that is — why not join us?

And once you’re there, why not stick around? (Click here to see the rest of the BarCamp Portland Schedule.)

Surely we all have things to learn from one another, no? And that’s what BarCamp is all about: sharing what you know.

Related Posts

• October 6, 2009 -- OurPDX Shared Links for October 6th (0)
• August 9, 2009 -- SLL: Turoczy and the Tiara of Truth (0)
• May 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for May 4th: The ‘future of journalism’ edition (0)
• August 13, 2008 -- Lunch 2.0: My Twitter-y Experience (11)
• August 12, 2008 -- Lunch 2.0 tomorrow at CubeSpace! (2)

Sometimes, you get what you pay for.

And sometimes, you get far far more.

You get a job. A great new employee. An important contact. New business. The tip that helps you solve that problem that’s been keeping you up at night. New friends. Connections. An answer to a question. Or the confirmation that the problem’s bigger than we all might have realized (which, amazingly enough, helps you sleep better at night knowing you’re not out there alone in the wilderness by yourself.)

All this plus breakfast. Plus lunch. Plus snacks (cookies, even, if you’re really lucky.) And that all-important social lubricant: beer.

All this for the bargain basement price of: free. Free? Really?

Yes, really. You see, the Legion of Tech (the non-profit, all-volunteer group behind events like Ignite, BarCamp, WhereCamp and more) doesn’t charge to attend their events. Instead, they want to make sure they’re accessible, so events are always free. Instead, LoT pays for the food and the beverages and the cookies and the rental space by getting sponsors to subsidize the cost. (Then, there’s putting the events together — also done by an all-volunteer team with lives and jobs and families and loved ones.)

This year, though — while there are always people ready to whip out their checkbooks to help sponsor LoT events (and bless them for that!) — well, this upcoming BarCamp (scheduled for May 1-2 at CubeSpace) could use some love. (What is BarCamp, you wonder? See this Wikipedia page for a better explanation than I can give here…)

So if you’ve ever attended (or spoken at) Ignite Portland and had an amazing time? Pay it forward. Found a job (or a gig, or a new client) at last year’s BarCamp? Volunteer at this year’s event. Can’t be there, but have a connection to a sponsor, or someone who can donate food or snacks? Let Legion of Tech know.

This post gives you all the details: Donate, Volunteer or Sponsor to Help Make BarCampPortland a Success.

(Full disclosure ahead)

Yes, I’m on the Legion of Tech Advisory Board (so much for the notion that they just wanted my ‘advice’, no?) And yes, I’ll be going to BarCamp myself. But I’ll be volunteering at BarCamp as well. And I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is and kick in a hundred bucks on behalf of OurPDX (massively cashflow-negative operation that it is, heh) to help support BarCamp.

Can you help, too?

Related Posts

• May 6, 2009 -- Time is Running Out: Submit your Ignite Portland 6 Proposal! (2)
• May 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for May 4th: The ‘future of journalism’ edition (0)
• May 1, 2009 -- Merging ‘old’ media & ‘new’ media, right here in PDX (0)
• April 28, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for April 28th (1)
• October 21, 2008 -- Two Cool Mid-Week Events I Won’t Be At… (1)

After the last BarCamp Portland a month or so ago, Aaron Hockley wanted to spearhead a similar informal Saturday un-conference for WordPress users, developers, and/or designers – or even for WordPress wanna be’s, for that matter.

While I don’t fall into either category, I’d already blocked September 27th off on my calendar and am volunteering my time to help make this happen – I really loved the energy at BarCamp & am a total WordPress idiot savant (brilliant at some things, not so hot at others), so am thrilled to see this coming together.

Aaron’s worked hard to find a space (thanks, CubeSpace!), a date, and even some tentative guest speakers (if you want to be part of the planning process – we could use someone to help find sponsors, for example – feel free to join the WordCamp Portland Google Group.) And now, there’s even a WordCamp Portland website!

There’ll be more news later, of course – but for now, we want you to a) save the date, and b) let us know you’re interested via the Upcoming links available.

(Thanks to Reid Beels for his work here getting the site up and running…)

Related Posts

• September 21, 2009 -- SLL: Martini Lesson for Matt Mullenweg (2)
• August 17, 2009 -- SLL: WordcampPdx 2009, Urban Airship and PIE (0)
• May 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for May 4th: The ‘future of journalism’ edition (0)
• May 1, 2009 -- Merging ‘old’ media & ‘new’ media, right here in PDX (0)
• April 23, 2009 -- Give Some Love to BarCamp Portland (1)