Youth Media Reporter: A Resource to the Field
21 Jul 2008
As the field of youth media has expanded and developed over the past few decades, it has become clear that in order to sustain this growth, best practices must be shared to further increase the visibility and credibility of the field.
Youth Media Reporter (YMR) was incubated at the Open Society Institute (OSI) in 2005 as a field-building initiative, primarily as an online newsletter for practitioners to share information across the field. Currently, YMR hosts reports, publications, and evaluation tool kits released by OSI.
In 2006, OSI awarded management of YMR to the Academy for Educational Development (specifically, the Center for Schools & Communities) to continue as a widely read vehicle for people to learn about the field. As one major portfolio of work under AED’s Youth Engagement Team, YMR underwent two significant changes. First, a full-time editor was hired; next, YMR became a journal released ten months a year, with four articles in each issue, and bound annually in print form.
I came aboard as editor for YMR in December 2006, bringing a background in academia, music, and teaching young people—adding to the mix of personalities and backgrounds common to the field’s many practitioners across the nation. In order to allow YMR the greatest impact in the youth media field, my goals for the publication are to reach a wider, more diverse audience; to increase the visibility of this tool to fields that are complementary to youth media; and to professionalize articles that serve as a resource and documentation of the field.
About YMR
Under AED’s management, YMR has successfully launched a new issue every 15th of the month. The first print version of YMR will be released in early 2008, covering all of 2007 in Volume 1. The print publication will be disseminated (at no expense for the first year) to youth media organizations across the U.S. and to several universities, a strategy that will increase career pipelines in the field of youth media. The print journal will have a “special features” section of a dozen articles unavailable online. (To request a copy, email idahl (AT) aed.org).
This year, YMR has published articles, interviews with practitioners, and reports on various media conferences across the globe, examining topics such as:
The news, trends, perspectives, updates, case studies, and reports featured on YMR increase the field’s knowledge base to ensure best practices, innovation, and critical analysis—with a strong focus on content and approach.
New Steps
To build ownership of YMR across the field, YMR formed a Peer Review Board (PRB), conducted site visits across the nation, and made plans to co-sponsor youth media convenings.
This year, we invited ten leaders in youth media and the broader youth-engagement field to be PRB members, advising YMR during its growth. The PRB is one strategy to ensure YMR is owned, informed, and trusted by diverse leaders in the field. (See a list of our members)
Site visits to youth media organizations across the nation have brought YMR face to face with practitioners. Each visit and conversation draws us closer to understanding the depth and changes within the field—putting the finger on the pulse of youth media across the nation. Barbara Cervone from What Kids Can Do stated, “YMR has been a strong center to make the youth media movement more visible and loud. YMR looks across the field as it reports. It has been a source of connection and is part of building the field.”
In October 2007, YMR will co-sponsor two convenings: “The Cost of Copyright Confusion: Educational Consequences for Media Literacy” at AED in New York City; and an informal youth media gathering, with Global Action Project and Youth Media Learning Network, at NAMAC’s “The Frontier is Here” conference in Austin, Texas.
NAMAC Members
By providing media professionals and youth media leaders a forum to report on the field, YMR uses its monthly publication to stimulate thought, vision, ideas, and knowledge for social change and activism. Accessibility and innovation of youth media increases its use and visibility in communities—a trend YMR plans to cover.
To meet the diverse needs of our readers, we are in continued dialogue with leaders and practitioners in the youth media field. Our writers—practitioners in the field—directly investigate issues through both macro and micro lenses, including: analyzing youth media as activism; reflecting on youth work, development, and teaching; changing the face of media; media reform; public media; marketing and distributing youth media; media literacy and advocacy; and educating with media.
We welcome NAMAC members to write for YMR, reporting from multiple perspectives on trends, tensions, best practices, and challenges in the field. YMR is an excellent platform to share your insights and connect with like-minded media professionals across the globe. We are interested in publishing your opinions and spotlighting your work. I invite you to discuss your ideas by contacting me at idahl (AT) aed.org or 212-367-4623.
INGRID HU DAHL is the editor of Youth Media Reporter. She is a founding member of the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, plays guitar in the band Boyskout, and gives lectures/workshops on women’s leadership at various universities.
Youth Media Reporter (YMR) was incubated at the Open Society Institute (OSI) in 2005 as a field-building initiative, primarily as an online newsletter for practitioners to share information across the field. Currently, YMR hosts reports, publications, and evaluation tool kits released by OSI.
In 2006, OSI awarded management of YMR to the Academy for Educational Development (specifically, the Center for Schools & Communities) to continue as a widely read vehicle for people to learn about the field. As one major portfolio of work under AED’s Youth Engagement Team, YMR underwent two significant changes. First, a full-time editor was hired; next, YMR became a journal released ten months a year, with four articles in each issue, and bound annually in print form.
I came aboard as editor for YMR in December 2006, bringing a background in academia, music, and teaching young people—adding to the mix of personalities and backgrounds common to the field’s many practitioners across the nation. In order to allow YMR the greatest impact in the youth media field, my goals for the publication are to reach a wider, more diverse audience; to increase the visibility of this tool to fields that are complementary to youth media; and to professionalize articles that serve as a resource and documentation of the field.
About YMR
Under AED’s management, YMR has successfully launched a new issue every 15th of the month. The first print version of YMR will be released in early 2008, covering all of 2007 in Volume 1. The print publication will be disseminated (at no expense for the first year) to youth media organizations across the U.S. and to several universities, a strategy that will increase career pipelines in the field of youth media. The print journal will have a “special features” section of a dozen articles unavailable online. (To request a copy, email idahl (AT) aed.org).
This year, YMR has published articles, interviews with practitioners, and reports on various media conferences across the globe, examining topics such as:
- How youth media organizations can think of new ways to incorporate career pathways in program development (Volume 1: Issue 6 | June 2007)
- Mainstream coverage of youth media (Volume 1: Issue 6 | June 2007)
- A funder’s perspective on revenue-based models within the field (Volume 1: Issue 5 | May 2007)
- How professionals can utilize new technology such as blogs, Second Life, and Web 2.0 (Volume 1: Issues 5 and 6)
- Opportunities to partner with universities and gain evaluation research (Volume 1: Issues 1 and 2)
The news, trends, perspectives, updates, case studies, and reports featured on YMR increase the field’s knowledge base to ensure best practices, innovation, and critical analysis—with a strong focus on content and approach.
New Steps
To build ownership of YMR across the field, YMR formed a Peer Review Board (PRB), conducted site visits across the nation, and made plans to co-sponsor youth media convenings.
This year, we invited ten leaders in youth media and the broader youth-engagement field to be PRB members, advising YMR during its growth. The PRB is one strategy to ensure YMR is owned, informed, and trusted by diverse leaders in the field. (See a list of our members)
Site visits to youth media organizations across the nation have brought YMR face to face with practitioners. Each visit and conversation draws us closer to understanding the depth and changes within the field—putting the finger on the pulse of youth media across the nation. Barbara Cervone from What Kids Can Do stated, “YMR has been a strong center to make the youth media movement more visible and loud. YMR looks across the field as it reports. It has been a source of connection and is part of building the field.”
In October 2007, YMR will co-sponsor two convenings: “The Cost of Copyright Confusion: Educational Consequences for Media Literacy” at AED in New York City; and an informal youth media gathering, with Global Action Project and Youth Media Learning Network, at NAMAC’s “The Frontier is Here” conference in Austin, Texas.
NAMAC Members
By providing media professionals and youth media leaders a forum to report on the field, YMR uses its monthly publication to stimulate thought, vision, ideas, and knowledge for social change and activism. Accessibility and innovation of youth media increases its use and visibility in communities—a trend YMR plans to cover.
To meet the diverse needs of our readers, we are in continued dialogue with leaders and practitioners in the youth media field. Our writers—practitioners in the field—directly investigate issues through both macro and micro lenses, including: analyzing youth media as activism; reflecting on youth work, development, and teaching; changing the face of media; media reform; public media; marketing and distributing youth media; media literacy and advocacy; and educating with media.
We welcome NAMAC members to write for YMR, reporting from multiple perspectives on trends, tensions, best practices, and challenges in the field. YMR is an excellent platform to share your insights and connect with like-minded media professionals across the globe. We are interested in publishing your opinions and spotlighting your work. I invite you to discuss your ideas by contacting me at idahl (AT) aed.org or 212-367-4623.
INGRID HU DAHL is the editor of Youth Media Reporter. She is a founding member of the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, plays guitar in the band Boyskout, and gives lectures/workshops on women’s leadership at various universities.
