Mini-video Impacts 2008 Presidential Election

This 2008 Brave New Films video short "McCain's Mansions" (with over 600,000 views) boiled up through the media food chain into the mainstream.  It impacted the campaign, as shown by this self-promotional video, "The Making of McCain's Mansions."

Article examined funding of Boy Scouts

After Andy Birkey's investigative piece appeared in The American Independent, some corporate foundations -- with policies of not supporting groups that discriminate against gays -- reappraised their backing of the Boy Scouts.  Did this piece play a role in the Boy Scouts changing their policy on excluding gay scouts and leaders?

Youngest guest ever on Colbert . . .

. . . was 16-year-old indy blogger and Rookie Mag publisher Tavi Gevinson, interviewed on Thursday.

Journalists too cozy with their official sources?

 In 2003, a CNN executive boasts about giving the Pentagon an advisory role on who its on-air experts would be during the Iraq war. . . . . . At 2007 Radio-Television Correspondents Association Dinner, top journalists were literally dancing with a top source. These are social/charitable events where journalists and newsmakers are expected to have some fun, but is it symbolic of too much coziness? . . . . . Whether dealing with political leaders or athletes, the quest for access to newsmaker sources can undermine independent journalism, according to indy TV host Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, one of the most successful web-based TV shows.

Brave, indy blogger launches major controversy

Former IC journalism student Chris Lisee reports on the impact that a single off-key journalist can have.

"Independent Media in a Time of War" featuring Amy Goodman

Video made by a volunteer group (Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center) based on an April 2003 speech by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! At the time, many in mainstream media were cheering what they believed was a successful, nearly-completed invasion of Iraq.

"Stickin' It To The Man"

In the movie "School of Rock," a substitute teacher (played by Jack Black) explains the purpose of rock 'n' roll to his 5th grade students. Do rock & roll and independent media share a similar purpose?

Droning On at PBS

So-called public TV aired a documentary about drones -- used for intelligence and warfare. A problem: One of the funders of the documentary is a major drone manufacturer.

The Daily Show on Struggles at NY Times

The Daily Show's cruel 2009 look at the New York Times' "aged news."  It made me feel unusually sympathetic toward the Times.

Former MoveOn.Org Leader Eli Pariser . . .

. . . explains the declining power of mainstream newspaper front pages, and the increasing ability of mission-driven organizations to make and distribute news. Pariser cofounded Upworthy -- "a site dedicated to using social media to make mission-driven content go viral online." Here's a recent NY Times piece about Upworthy written by David Carr.

Syllabus for Independent Media course

Spring 2013 syllabus "Independent Media: Issues and Challenges"

Links to Student Blogs

Ava Carmeli . . . Jaclyn Cataldi . . .  Steve Derderian . . .  Joe Gentile . . . Andrew Kristy. . . Chengqi Li . . . Angela Mammino . . . Katie Mattner . . . Sara McCloskey. . . Ryan Myers . . . Karly Redpath . . . Megan Renner . . . Robyn Schmitz . . . Jamie Swinnerton