wikipedia Great Lakes web page

["Shannon Briggs" <briggssl@michigan.gov>]

FYI:
Please note the beach page is not done
http://www.greatlakeswiki.org/index.php/Main_Page

Wednesday, January 31, 2007
By Jeff Alexander
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Michigan State University today unveiled a Wikipedia-style Great  
Lakes online encyclopedia that allows anyone to enter and edit  
information about regional environmental issues.

Officials at MSU's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism called  
the new Web site, www.greatlakeswiki.org, a "revolutionary attempt to  
encourage grassroots journalism" by allowing anyone to "report on the  
Great Lakes story."

"The Web site lets those who know the lakes best report on their  
ecology, pollution, commerce, culture, policy, recreation, music and  
more," according to a press release.

"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."

Wikipedia is a well-known online encyclopedia that allows  
contributors to post information and commentary without prior editing  
with regard to fairness or accuracy. In traditional news sites,  
trained journalists collect information, check facts and write  
articles that strive for objectivity and accuracy.

The only safeguards against factual errors or biased information are  
users of the site, said Cliff Lampe, co-leader of the Great Lakes  
Wiki project and an assistant professor in MSU's Telecommunication,  
Information Studies and Media department.

Lampe said the Web site's self-regulation process is not perfect, but  
has worked well with other wiki sites. And, he added, mainstream  
media outlets are not immune to mistakes or occasionally allowing  
bias to creep into news stories.

"From what I know from working with other wiki-like projects, poor  
spelling, grammar and writing are more common problems than malicious  
behavior," Lampe said.

Lampe said he hopes Great Lakes Wiki can be a site where  
environmental and industry groups can discuss multiple angles of  
issues and stories.

MSU students designed the Web site and gathered interviews,  
information, videos and images to provide a template. It is one of 10  
citizen journalism projects nationwide to receive startup funding  
last year from J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism.

"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," Lampe said.  
"That's why wikis work."

Anyone can post headlines linked to stories they've written or to  
other user-created content -- images, videos, audio clips, charts or  
other stories, Lampe said.

MSU officials said the project is ideal for citizens hoping to draw  
attention to particular lakes, streams and other natural resources in  
the region.

The university plans to hold workshops to help groups use the  
technology for creative storytelling. Anyone interested in attending,  
hosting or organizing such workshops may contact Lampe at  
lampecli@msu.edu.

©2007 Muskegon Chronicle


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