We Media Hits Miami

The same day that staffers at the Rocky Mountain News learned that their paper was to be shuttered last week, a conference was taking place in Miami celebrating bright new innovations in the online media world.

We Media, which occurred February 24-26, brought together some 200 digital media executives, experts and entrepreneurs for panels, speeches, awards and networking. Highlights included a talk by expert pollster John Zogby; an interview of Rev. Lennox Yearwood, President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucusl; and University of Miami President Donna Shalala by U of Miami School of Communications Dean Sam Grogg and a talk on the future of media by Knight Foundation CEO Alberto Ibarguen.

Awards included the Pitch It awards - where new media innovators 'pitched' their concepts to a panel of judges to vie for start-up funding and the MF-sponsored Game Changes awards to innovators whose work inspires involvement and action through media.

For a roundup of coverage on the We Media conference, click here:
http://wemedia.com/2009/02/27/roundup-of-we-media-coverage

To see a Poynter item on Alberto Ibarguen's comments on the future of news as well as broader messages from We Media, click here:
http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=159170

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Your Vote Counts

Voting is en vogue these days. The impressive public interest in the national elections should lead to a record turnout in the general election and, as we know, participation is a key indicator in measuring the health of a democracy.
Now we have another way for you to express your opinion. The We Media Game Changers is a new MF-sponsored awards program that seeks to recognize people, groups, ideas and projects using media to connect people and create change. You can rate and review the 35 finalist nominees at: http://gamechangers.wemedia.com/.
The nominees range from digital projects at mainstream news organizations to blogs to funders of new media innovation. And in this race, your vote will count: The Community Choice winner, selected from online ratings, will be showcased at the We Media conference in Miami in February 2009. That's incentive enough to use media to inspire change!

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WeMedia 2008: It's Live Now

Trying to get a handle on social and digital media? You don't have to be one of the lucky ones in Miami to reap the benefits of WeMedia 2008: They're streaming video and blogging live on their Web site. http://ifocos.org/we-media-miami-2008

Organized by MTF grantee iFOCOS, WeMedia brings together a couple hundred bloggers, journalists, academics, investors and techies annually to brainstorm and discuss the digital landscape.

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