[ecrea] Call for participation: Online Reporting of the 2010 UK Election Symposium

>Invitation to participate in a symposium on the
>
>** Online Reporting of the 2010 UK Election **
>
>Organised by the Centre for Journalism and Communication Research
>The Media School, Bournemouth University
>
>Friday 25th June, 2010
>
>This symposium will be an opportunity to discuss 
>and reflect upon the role of online news 
>reporting during the May 2010 UK General 
>Election. It will provide a forum for academics, 
>researchers, journalists and bloggers to discuss 
>emerging and established forms and practices of 
>online election news. We aim to provide a lively 
>discussion forum evolving around pertinent 
>issues arising from the election campaign and aftermath.
>
>You are invited to express interest in 
>contributing your reflections (5-10 minutes 
>each) or early findings from relevant research. 
>Please submit expressions of interest to attend 
>or contribute as a speaker (indicating your 
>topic) by 4th June to Einar Thorsen at 
>(ethorsen /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk) or online via http://j.mp/cVckrF
>
>** Discussion points **
>Below is an indicative list of questions that 
>could be addressed by the symposium, though you 
>are welcome to suggest and contribute on other relevant topics.
>
>- To what extent did online journalism live up to expectations?
>- How did online reporting compare to rival print and broadcasting journalism?
>- What role did citizen journalism have in the 
>media landscape during the election?
>- How have Twitter and Facebook changed the way 
>in which journalists connect with their audiences?
>- To what extent did journalists use social 
>media, blogs and user-generated content as a source of election news?
>- What were the strengths and limitations of live blogging?
>- How did the speed, depth and immediacy of 
>online news impact on the campaign?
>- To what extent did news organisations succeed 
>in facilitating public debates and comments?
>- How did online journalism help inform the electorate?
>
>** Schedule **
>The symposium will take place 25th June in the 
>city centre at The Executive Business Centre, 
>Bournemouth University, 89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB.
>
>The event is free and open to all interested 
>parties, but please register your interest to 
>attend in advance by emailing Einar Thorsen at (ethorsen /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk).
>
>Deadline for contributors to register interest 
>is 4th June. Conference outline will be published shortly after.
>
>Lunch and beverages will be provided.
>
>** Background **
>Elections represent a great spectacle of 
>journalism and are therefore ideally suited to 
>reflect upon the current and future state of 
>political news and journalism, particularly in 
>online contexts. In the words of Jon Snow: "Once 
>an election is called, journalists go into 
>overdrive. Its a genuinely exciting time ­ a 
>voyage into the unknown whose ending will affect all our lives."
>
>The 2010 UK General Election was expected to be 
>a historic milestone and it certainly lived up 
>to promise. Politically it offered the closest 
>contest in years, returning the first hung 
>parliament since 1974, and a coalition 
>government between the Conservatives and the 
>Liberal Democrats. The media campaign was 
>groundbreaking too, dominated by the first ever 
>televised prime ministerial debates, hosted by ITV, Sky and the BBC.
>
>Online news reporting in its various guises was, 
>unlike previous elections, no longer just a 
>curious oddity at the fringes of the media 
>landscape, but an essential part of online 
>political journalism. Both newspapers and 
>broadcasters invested heavily in election 
>micro-websites, many of which included 
>continuous campaign updates through live 
>blogging. Journalists used Twitter and Facebook 
>for breaking news or unconfirmed rumours, and 
>also as a valuable source of public sentiment 
>and insight into the political process. Ordinary 
>citizens, for their part, used social media to 
>hold politicians and mainstream media to account.
>
>** Centre for Journalism and Communication Research **
>The Centre for Journalism and Communication 
>Research was launched in 2009. It brings 
>together two research groups ­ the Journalism 
>Research Group and the Narrative Research Group 
>­ from within the Media School at Bournemouth 
>University. Researchers affiliated to the Centre 
>represent a diverse array of interests and 
>expertise, while sharing a commitment to engage 
>in real-world issues of pressing significance.
>
>Website: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/imcr/cjcr/
>
>With apologies for any cross posting.
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Dr. Einar Thorsen | Lecturer in Journalism and Communication
>
>E-mail: (ethorsen /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)
>Twitter: http://twitter.com/einarthorsen
>Phone: +44 (0)1202 965749
>
>Editor of Three-D, official newsletter of 
>MeCCSA: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/newsletter
>
>Co-Editor (with Stuart Allan) of Citizen 
>Journalism: Global Perspectives: http://citizenjournalism.me/
>
>Personal blog and list of publications: http://multimediajournalism.info/
>
>Centre for Journalism and Communication 
>Research: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/imcr/cjcr/
>
>Address: The Media School, Bournemouth 
>University, Talbot Campus, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK
>
>

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