“Corporate Blogging” – North Shore Music Theatre Blog

In our current Web 2.0 world, it is more important than ever that we embrace our new social media tools.  Blogging is one of them.  Chris Anderson says in his book, The Long Tail, “…collectively blogs are proving more than an equal to mainstream media.”  Journalism is literally changing as we know it, and we have no choice but to adapt to these changes.

I thought it would be interesting to search around and find various performing arts organization blogs.  One of the best ones that I came across was the North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) blog.  North Shore Music Theatre is one of the largest non-profits professional theaters in New England that creates “some of the most vibrant classic, contemporary and new musical theater in the country” according to its website. Through the use of photos, video, informative text, and a human voice, they truly provide a behind the scenes look into their productions.  This blog is fairly new, but if they keep it up, it will be a huge success.  Additionally, they are extremely open to audience suggestions and questions.  In their first blog posting of their newly revamped site, NSMT says:

North Shore Music Theatre is happy to announce the return of THE NSMT BLOG. Our new exciting format will be an informative and exciting editorial magazine style that will mix interviews with video and photo essays. However what we are most excited about is that we want your input on the content. Let us know what you want to read or see and we will update the blog regularly with answers to your questions as well as many other fun facts and insider information.

As a patron of the arts (and NSMT) this blog makes me very excited to see its upcoming production of Bye Bye Birdie –  which I will actually have the opportunity of seeing next weekend!  Here is the video of Bye Bye Birdie they provide on their blog that gives viewers an insider look to their rehearsal process:

Additionally, NSMT uses similar social media tools for its children’s productions.  Another video podcast was created for their recent performance of Frog and Toad.  Here is the video clip for that one:

I’ve always enjoyed productions at NSMT; I even used to be a yearly subscriber to their musical season when I lived in the Boston area.  If I could, I still would be!  Just a bit difficult being an 8 hour drive away…

I’d just like to thank NSMT for embracing these new social media tools.  It is a such a joy to read their blog and watch their videos.  See you next weekend!

Web 2.0 Fills the Gap Created by Mainstream Media Coverage of the War

Web 2.0 has changed reporting as we know it.  This is especially apparent with combatant-reporters from Iraq — real soldier correspondents eager to share what they have seen and experienced with the rest of the world.  For my assignment this week, I have been asked to explore various military blogs (aka miliblogs) as well as any other blogs and YouTube clips pertaining to the war.

The shear mass and detailof reports and footage coming from soldiers in Iraq and other parts of the world is simply incredible.  The Internet, with its Web 2.0 features, brings it all to us instantly, with a click of a mouse.  Gone are the days when we have to wait for the morning paper, or a magazine, to see or read about breaking news updates or graphic photos of a major event.  (FYI, Without a functional updated website, Life Magazine has still yet to fully embody Web 2.0 which is not in their best interest since the popularity of individual blogs and Flickr sites have been overwhelming) – Update: Wow, I’m a space cadet.  Thanks, Crystal, for letting me know that Life folded last year.  However, reports show that they intend to keep their website.

I believe that seeing and reading about the war is a good thing, although hard to stomachat times.  It is in America’s best interest to have this much access to the front lines and show the reality of the war to as many people as possible in order to make our country feel directly connected to it.  This new way of sharing information provides us with a broader understanding of the war leading us to make properly informed opinions of the war, and hence appropriate decisions on what should be done.  Blogs and YouTube clips from combatant-reporters also provide Americans with alternative views of the war that perhaps the mainstream media left out.  Colby Buzzell, a famous blogging soldier, agrees in his blog when he talks about military bloggers,

In the sleepy on-base hours between missions, they share their stories directly with the world, unfiltered by the biases of the “mainstream media” many of them distrust.

Also, I read about one of the biggest online controversies involving Kevin Sites’ video clip.  While being an independent journalist in Iraq, Mr. Sites videotaped a soldier shooting a wounded and unarmed Iraqi.  Mr. Sites provides an in-depth explanation about his experience, as well as the aftermath of releasing his video to the world in the following YouTube clip: 

From blogs to Flickr to Twitter to YouTube, soldier-reporters have a lot to show and tell us, and it is in our best interest to watch and listen.

Global Voices Online: Saudi Arabia

For this week’s blog posting, I was asked to explore a country beginning with the first letter of my name (first or last) via the website Global Voices Online.  I chose Saudi Arabia.

It was fascinating to get a peek into a world that I do not know much about.  I stumbled upon topics that were both controversial and mundane – yet, each and every blog played an important role in shaping the humanity of people I’ve never met, living in a far off country I’ve never traveled to, and living under rules, laws, and religious regulations I’ve never been exposed to.

Through this website, I was able to come across a personal blog by a student from Hijaz, Saudi Arabia studying in the U.S.  This blogger writes passionate articles on issues, events, and news of racism, internet censorship by Saudi officials, and even an extremist riot that bombards the opening of a theatrical performance.  This student also posts video whenever possible, although many have been taken down.  I found a clip about a Saudi Arabian female author on the subjects of Women, Sex, and Taboos particularly interesting and insightful to the mindset of a large portion of this country.  Here it is: 

Additionally, I sampled articles directly from the Global Voices Online website.  I learned that there are no movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, and one person from the country is advocating for them.  Another person from Saudi Arabia blogs about his experiences at his new job, and how he was accidentally locked in his office overnight.  Pretty amusing.  Not so amusing is that a Turkish barber is under arrest and could possibly be beheaded “for using God’s name in vain” while in Saudi Arabia.

It is a truly eye opening experience to be able to read these translated blogs, or portions of blogs, from non-professional writers that are experiencing this stuff first-hand.