Members of this group in New England may be interested in this event:
http://dbs.hosting.crocker.com/wiki/index.php/Newsout
"In the last 18 months, some 15,000 U.S. working journalist have lost their jobs through retirement, buyouts or layoffs. New England newsrooms have not been immune.
If independent, watchdog journalism is critical to participatory democracy, then what should communities do when the lights dim -- to use a metaphor -- at news organizations? Who will watch the school board? Check public records before planning, zoning and conservation boards? Champion those in need? Connect the dots on critical regional issues?"
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10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. -- Kickoff speaker -- Stephen Clift
* Stephen Clift, director, eDemocracy/Democracies Online, Minneapolis, Minn., Clift received a prestigious Ashoka Fellowship for his work teaching citizens and local governments how to forge strong ties, open records, meetings and deliberations. His topic: "The Intersection of E-Democracy and E-Journalism: How can the Internet support local and state government?" Clift's job is to frame the questions for the rest of the day in a talk and interactive dialog with participants.