For me, communications in an aboriginal community is a brand-new experience. I had never known a group of people who were incapable of communication and expression. For example, the victims did not know how to organize a self-help association, or how to reach an internal consensus before asking the outside world for help. Even the elites knew little about the importance of giving
themselves voices, not to mention having the right to speak back. I always wished I could have held a workshop on community media for tribal youth but I had no chance. It depresses me a lot.
To an educator, field study is a good way of learning by doing. Here I would like to share an example of how we told a non-commercial story. A female student interviewed a victim aged around 40. At first she said she was willing to accept our interview, but after a series of trivial questions she broke down. The cameraman reacted quickly, zooming in and “catching” the close-up shots of her sadness.
For commercial television, the shots could certainly be used for raising TV ratings. But my instinct told me, “Are we consuming her tragedy?” When she cried, I was on the spot. It struck me as if I could actually feel her pain. After the interview, the only way I could comfort her was to give her a hug and let her feel warmer.
We substituted her sad face with the scene of her ruined house, making the story less sensational.
From this example, I hope that students can understand the difference between commercial and non-commercial media processes.
The situation mentioned above is a very valuable life education for students. Yan, the student who interviewed that middle-aged woman, mentioned in her journal that it was not until she visited the victim did she realized how deeply they were hurt.
“…Without any hint, she couldn’t help crying out. Frankly, I was a little bit scared, I did not realized that the flood water has not yet receded in their hearts, and her tears made me sorry and upset. My interview reminded her something she was unwilling to remember. Although she told me after the interview, she simply needed to vent, I still felt as if I hurt her. To my sadness, I dare not tell her that "I know your suffering" to comfort her. After all, I am just a college student and under the comfortable shelter of my parents. As someone who has never experienced such a great "loss" in his or her life, I am not qualified to say this to her.”
Learning by doing is also a chance to practice and ruminate theories learned in class. Before going to Da Niao, students had doubted the power of grassroots communication although they had learned some concepts of citizen journalism. After witnessing the following subsequence after our reports were published on PeoPo, now they have different views about empowerment in local voices.
“Our voices, or voices of the community, ARE heard, even though only a small amount of people really care about it. However, if no one made the first movement like what we had done, the voice of the aboriginal community might remain in seclusion.”
Not until we visited Da Niao did we realize that our understanding of an ethnic minority is meager. Then through images, digital technology, a little passion and persistence, we helped this remote village to exhibit its sincerity, adamancy, and strength of action for the world to see.
News on the Internet is always “under construction” — so is Da Niao’s story.
References
Atton, C. (2002). Alternative media
Coghlan, D. & Brannick, T. (2001). Doing action research in your own organization. London: Sage.
. London, UK: Sage.
Davis, R. (1999). The web of politics: The internet’s impact on the American political system
Dick, B. (2002).
. NY & Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Action research and evaluation online Downing, J. (2001).
(areol). Retrieved May 25, 2010, Available at:
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/areol/areolhome.html
Radical media: Rebellious communication and social movements
Forde, S., Foxwell, K., & Meadows, M. (2003a). Through the lens of the local: Public arena journalism in the Australian community broadcasting sector.
. CA: Sage.
Journalism
Forde, S., Meadows, M., & Foxwell, K. (2003b). Community radio and local culture: An Australian case study.
Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, 28(3):231-253.
, 4(3):314-335.
Harris, U. S. (2007). Community informatics and the power of participation.
Pacific Journalism Review, 13
Hirschheim, R. (1985). Office automation: A social and organizational perspective. Chichester, Sussex: Wiley.
(2), 29–45.
Hollander, E. & Stappers, J. (1992). Community media and community communication. In N. Jankowski, O.
Prehn., & J. Strappers (Eds.)., The people’s voice: Local radio and television in Europe
Hollander, E., Stappers, J., & Jankowski, N. (2002). Community media and community communication. In N.
Jankowski & O. Prehn (Eds.).
, pp. 117-27.
London: John Libbey.
Community media in the information age: Perspectives and prospects Jankowski, N. W. & Prehn , O. (Eds.). (2002).
, pp.
19-30. NJ: Hampton Press.
Community media in the information age: Perspectives and prospects
Meadows, M., Forde, S., Ewart, J. & Foxwell, K. (2009). Making good sense: Transformative process in community journalism. Journalism, 10(2): 155-170.
. NJ: Hampton Press.
McTaggart, R. (1991). Principles for participatory action research. Adult Education Quarterly, 41 Nigg, H. & Wade, G. (1980).
(3):168-187.
Community media: Community communication in the UK: video, local TV, film, and photography
Reason, P. & Bradbury, H. (2001).
. Zürich: Regenbogen-Verlag.
Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice Rodriguez, C. (2001).
. London:
Sage.
Fissures in the mediascape: An international study of citizens’ media.
Sun, M. (2009). Citizen journalism 2.0: Exploring citizen journalism and “the reshaping of new agricultural culture” in Taiwan. Chinese Journal of Communication and Society, 9(2): 153-180.
NJ: Hampton Press.
Tacchi, J., Slater, D., & Hearn, G. (2003). Ethnographic action research: A handbook. New Delhi: UNESCO.
無研發成果推廣資料