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Catalyst Radio is a weekly radio show with hosts Linda Gellasch and Denise Cheng that looks at the behind-the-scenes of Rapidian reporting as well as grassroots and nonprofit efforts around the community. The show comprises a media analysis and developments portion, interview segment and calendar of events. You can catch it on air at noon every Friday on WYCE 88.1 FM or streaming on the Grand Rapids Community Media Center Website.
In studio this week, Drew Stoppels and Jamie Brown will be sharing some of the new initiatives of the LGBT Network of Western Michigan. On the horizon is a day of service, where LGBT and ally volunteers will be helping do home improvements for those in the south east community.
Music this week is "Samba de Orfeu" from a "Best of" release by local musicians Sonny Stitt and Eddie Russ.
MEDIA ANALYSIS
Colombian journalist granted visa to start fellowship at Harvard
After much pressure from human rights, journalism and many other groups, the U.S. government has granted a visa to Hollman Morris to assume his journalism fellowship with Harvard's Nieman Lab. Morris is a video journalist who has opened up much conversation between right-wing militia groups and the government. He produces a television news show Contravía and has been critical of the Colombian government. He was originally denied a visa on the grounds of terrorism activity under the Patriot Act.
[Read more: Boston Globe, PBS]
Paper identifies the local in over 90,000 pages of classified information on the war in Afghanistan
In the face of thousands of pages, one publication is contextualizing the WikiLeaks information for its readers. The Omaha World-Herald knew most wire stories would be looking at the big picture when analyzing classified documents released in late July by Wikileaks. To make it relevant to its audience, Omaha World-Herald produced stories that localized the stories, citing casualties from the area and interviewing local experts.
[Read more: Columbia Journalism Review]
Android hacking dominating in China, potentially good news for developing countries
Use of Android, an open-source smartphone platform developed by Google, grew by 883% in the second quarter of the fiscal year. Its next target is China, where companies have already begun to customize the Android platform and branded their work as "OPhone." Google recently published compatability guidelines for open-source developers that act as the development standard. Chinese companies are ignoring those definitions with their own hacked versions, resulting in anxiety over incompatability issues for users. However, this is potentially good news in developing countries where the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible as a tool for information.
[Read more: Ars Technica, RCR Unplugged, O'Reilly, Labda Hata Mimi]
Facebook creates resource page for media
Facebook recently launched a media page for journalists and developers to develop best practices around social habits on the networking giant. The tools show analytical information that imply the best times to post news content as well as effective presentations.
[Read more: Nieman Lab]
2010 Knight News Challenge winner: GoMap Riga
Two social entrepreneurs from Riga, Latvia were awarded $250,000 to leverage existing technologies and graphing out those services in a map format. GoMap Riga will take content from existing social networks such as Twitter, video sites and news RSS feeds and lay them over a map to encourage residents to interact directly and civically with the things that are going on in their neighborhood. This is the only project outside of the U.S. to be awarded a News Challenge grant this year.
[Read more: Knight, Nieman Lab]
CALENDAR
[EDUCATION] Workshop: Know your rights when it comes to the police
Saturday, August 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Bloom Collective, 671 Davis Ave. NW
The first in a series of “know your rights” classes, this workshop will confront the issue of dealing with police at home, on the streets, in a vehicle and more. For more information, visit the G-Rad calendar.
[More info]
[EDUCATION] Special Topics: Feminism (Part of GR Free School)
Tuesday, August 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Cherry Park, 725 Cherry St. SE
This event is one in a series of facilitated discussions on feminism today, in the past, and towards the future. For more information, visit the G-Rad calendar.
[More info]
[FILM] Compass Arts Graduation Ceremony
Wednesday, August 11 at 7 p.m. at the Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE
The 2010 Compass Film Academy graduates will premiere their thesis films and attendees can learn about the entire on-set process from the filmmakers themselves. Behind-the-scenes footage from shoots, trailers for films and the premiere of the four short thesis films will be featured. Find more infromation on the GRCMC calendar.
[More info]
[LITERATURE] Poetry Night Downtown
Thursday August 12 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Schuler Books downtown, Schuler Books Downtown, 40 Fountain Street NW
Grand Rapids’ Eoaura Publishing is making its bookstore debut with two brand new poetry chapbooks featured at Schuler Books’ Featured Poetry Night. "Observations from Elsewhere," by former journalist Patrick Revere, is a collection of poetry that examines life from the perspective of an honest man who has come to realize the pertinence of traveling to the fringes, geographically, emotionally and spiritually. "S," by Azrael, is a collection of short stories about life as a schizoaffective individual. Both will be featured. Find more information on the Facebook event page.
[More info]
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