Fairfux Presentation
Well hello again!
I just wanted to write a quick little post (which as you know, are never really 'quick') about the online communities presented in the tutorial this afternoon. I found the first group’s presentation about an alternative media online community entitled Fairfux really creative. Using a model similar to Crikey, Fairfux is primarily aimed at journalism students and media industry professionals. Its mission statement was to provide an alternative and collaborative media environment, encouraging its users to actively read, respond and interact with political news, images, cartoons and debates. I think this mission statement works well with Amy Jo Kim’s (2000) ideas regarding the importance of defining the specific purpose of your online community. Kim (2000, 1) states that “articulating your purpose up front will help your focus your thinking and create a coherent, compelling and successful Web community.” I think that this group justified their definition of Fairfux, through confirming its Unique Selling Proposition (USP), or point of difference between alternative-media competitors such as Crikey and IndyMedia. The group addressed Fairfax’s USP in their aim to create an objective community environment, which encourages diversity of opinions concerning Australia media policy legislation. Fairfux had four main areas within their site, which I think worked effectively to support the community’s purpose. These areas included:
a)Articles – where users can view up-to-date news articles written by the industry professionals employed by the site and other users;
b)Real-time chat – where users can correspond with each other in a modernised format similar to talk back radio;
c)Humour – where users can view a gallery of political cartoons and jokes; and
d)Politics – where users can comment on forums and vote on polls concerning a number of media and political issues.
The group also suggested that these areas would most likely expand as the community expanded. For example, as the Fairfux grows, new sub-groups may emerge, who are bound by strong left and right wing political views. In Community Building on the Web, Amy Jo Kim suggests that this is necessary for the longevity of online communities like Fairfux as “successful online communities evolve to keep pace with the changing needs of members and owners” (2000, 3).
Although these guys went way over the time limit, I really enjoyed their presentation. Unfortunately, after today there will be no more presentations I can comment on! I hope you enjoyed this post, I’m sure you were riveted. ;) Until my next edition, have a great weekend!
Em x
References
Kim, Amy Jo. 2000. 'Purpose', in, Community Building on the Web, Berkeley: Peachpit Press, pp.1-26.
I just wanted to write a quick little post (which as you know, are never really 'quick') about the online communities presented in the tutorial this afternoon. I found the first group’s presentation about an alternative media online community entitled Fairfux really creative. Using a model similar to Crikey, Fairfux is primarily aimed at journalism students and media industry professionals. Its mission statement was to provide an alternative and collaborative media environment, encouraging its users to actively read, respond and interact with political news, images, cartoons and debates. I think this mission statement works well with Amy Jo Kim’s (2000) ideas regarding the importance of defining the specific purpose of your online community. Kim (2000, 1) states that “articulating your purpose up front will help your focus your thinking and create a coherent, compelling and successful Web community.” I think that this group justified their definition of Fairfux, through confirming its Unique Selling Proposition (USP), or point of difference between alternative-media competitors such as Crikey and IndyMedia. The group addressed Fairfax’s USP in their aim to create an objective community environment, which encourages diversity of opinions concerning Australia media policy legislation. Fairfux had four main areas within their site, which I think worked effectively to support the community’s purpose. These areas included:
a)Articles – where users can view up-to-date news articles written by the industry professionals employed by the site and other users;
b)Real-time chat – where users can correspond with each other in a modernised format similar to talk back radio;
c)Humour – where users can view a gallery of political cartoons and jokes; and
d)Politics – where users can comment on forums and vote on polls concerning a number of media and political issues.
The group also suggested that these areas would most likely expand as the community expanded. For example, as the Fairfux grows, new sub-groups may emerge, who are bound by strong left and right wing political views. In Community Building on the Web, Amy Jo Kim suggests that this is necessary for the longevity of online communities like Fairfux as “successful online communities evolve to keep pace with the changing needs of members and owners” (2000, 3).
Although these guys went way over the time limit, I really enjoyed their presentation. Unfortunately, after today there will be no more presentations I can comment on! I hope you enjoyed this post, I’m sure you were riveted. ;) Until my next edition, have a great weekend!
Em x
References
Kim, Amy Jo. 2000. 'Purpose', in, Community Building on the Web, Berkeley: Peachpit Press, pp.1-26.
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