As we say "goodbye" to 2009, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to reflect back on all of the accomplishments that we achieved in 2009.  It was certainly a challenging year for many, but it was also a year of change, growth, introspection and new beginnings.

Personally, what I enjoyed most about 2009 was watching my son Devin grow from little helpless being, to a walking, babbling little boy.  Friends and family told me to enjoy these precious moments and time has flown by as predicted.

Professionally, I embarked on a new social media venture at Public Broadcasting Atlanta.  You're looking at the labor of my work, Lens on Atlanta.  It has been an exciting and innovative project for PBA, and though the community is very much in its infancy, overall we're pleased with the progress.

The greatest challenge has been getting people to contribute and participate in the conversations, but that is expected with a new venture like this.  Lens on Atlanta represents a paradigm shift in the way that Public Broadcasting does business.  PBA is a traditional broadcasting organization in every sense of the word, and a learning curve is required as people become aware and learn how social media can be beneficial.

What I do know is that social media enables people to share their experiences, observations, and even break news.  We all have stories to tell and share.  It's important that we do so because it can help us understand our neighbors, community, and world better.

Have a safe and happy new year, and we'll talk some more in 2010.

When we were developing Lens on Atlanta and researching what it takes to create a thriving online community, one of the issues that often comes up in online discussions is s****.  I'm talking about spam.

Spam can be community killer.  Unsolicited messages to community members is annoying at best, and can destroy the community's trust in the site at worst.

Certain safeguards on Lens on Atlanta like captcha codes can minimize the activity of spammers, but they can be a tricky bunch and often will go out of their way to blast out their messasges.

At anytime feel free to report any abuse from your fellow members on Lens on Atlanta.  We are diligently working to prevent any spam attacks, and are trying to secure any loopholes that spammers may use to share their unsavory messages with you.

You may be wondering why does the Internet need another social network?  What makes Lens on Atlanta different?  How can I benefit?

 

Though Lens on Atlanta is a social networking community, but it is more than that.  Lens on Atlanta was designed to give you a voice and a way to communicate with like minded individuals who share your passions and interests to create change in the community.

 

If you browse some of the profiles, you'll see that many of the members are invovled in community intiatives, nonprofits, or civic groups.  It only takes a moment to connect with someone, and Lens on Atlanta is building a community of like minded individuals who are passionate about  creating change in metro Atlanta.

 

Here are some ways you can connect with others in this community:

 

• Visit a profile, and send an email
• Befriend a member
• Write a blog (comment on a blog)
• Ask a question in the Forums section

 

It doesn't take much time, and Lens on Atlanta makes it easy to connect with like minded individuals.

 

Give it a try.

Amani Channel

From MyUrbanReport

"I’m participating in a journalism roundtable discussion at Georgia State University today. A variety of news professionals will be on hand to help the university develop its curriculum for students, and help the academics develop areas of future research.

I’ll be sharing my insights as a news professional, and social media practitioner. I’ll also share the abstract from my current graduate study. My thesis is titled “Gatekeeping and Citizen Journalism: A qualitative study on participatory media.” I’m currently collecting the data, and the plan is to graduate this semester. I only have two interviews to complete. Then I’ll be in the lab writing." 

CONTINUE READING

Here is a link to the video I produced for the presentation.

I believe that Lens on Atlanta could be a vital part of the media evolution, or revolution depending on how you look at it.

The news media hardly ever covers issues oriented information, plus news is subjective.  If the story doesn't involve the police, fire engines, or some kind of tragedy the chance of coverage diminishes.

That doesn't mean your event, or activity isn't important enough to be shared.  Your neighborhood watch meeting could be considered newsworthy to people in the group especially if you  are working on plans to change or improve the community.

There are arts exhibits that don't get any media coverage.  Lens on Atlanta presents the opportunity for every organization, community group or individual to share some information that can help us gain greater perspective and understanding of what our collective community is experiencing.

If you're reading this, please share your thoughts.  Click on the headline of this post.  Scroll down and leave a comment. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

 

This is a test of a new feature on the Lens on Atlanta blogs section.

 

You can now share your favorite videos from sites like YouTube on the community and it's real easy (this works for photos too).

 

When you create a blog, you'll notice a new box that allows you to, "Embed your Video Link."  That enables you to copy and paste what's called an embed code.  You'll find this code on most internet video and photo sharing sites. 

 

After you find a video, or photo that you'd like to share on your blog, copy and paste this code into the designated box.  

 

Then you can write your copy in regular text edit section, then you can add your new blog to the site.

 

This is the first time I've tested the feature so I'm curious to see how it displays.

 

If you have any questions, give me shout. 

Last night about forty or so Lens on Atlanta Beta testers, PBA employees, and community members gathered at Apres Diem to celebrate how far we've come with the site.

 

I was one of the first to get to the venue, along with members of the Green Chamber of the South, and Lens on Atlanta Director Jeannie Ericson.  I was pleased to watch the crowd quickly grow, and everyone seemed to have a good time.  PBA's President Milton Clipper was there and did a great job of working the room.  One of the topics of the night was, how do we grow Lens on Atlanta and help community members get the most value out of the site?

 

We all agreed that usability is important, and people need to be able to quickly grasp the concept and how they can benefit from the tools here.  Internally the Lens on Atlanta staff has decided to take a proactive approach.  We're all creating content, whether it be taking photos, blogging, or creating groups that focus on a specific topic or action.

 

We understand that there is a learning curve for some of our users, and some people just don't know what to talk about.  I believe that if we focus on community related convesations, and mixing real life community actions with online activities there will be positive results.

 

Thanks to all of the people who came out and supported us.  If you attended, what did you think of the event?

So I've been thinking.  Since Lens on Atlanta is all about affecting change in the community,  I've been trying to conceptualize a way that this virtual community, can start working to do so.

 

One idea I've been tossing around is organizing a community day.  I'm not sure what this event would actually be, but it would be an opportunity for PBA employees, Lens on Atlanta community members, and anyone else to come together for a day of community service.

 

I've been involved with other organizations that have done neighborhood clean ups, and helped clean up the homes of residents who were unable to do so themselves. 

 

It's always a good feeling when you go out of your way to help someone who deserves it, and I think that something like this would be a great way to put our actions where our mouth is.   Plus a little good will can go a long way.  

 

So what do you think?  Any ideas or suggestions?  I wouldn't mind some kind of environmental, or neighborhood clean up.  We just need to identify what the action is, and who will show up to help.

 

Share your ideas and thoughts.