Reboot

RebootUSA -- Documenting 100 days to change America

THE OPPORTUNITY

The United States, and journalism, are each at a crossroads. The incoming Obama administration faces the challenge of transforming the nation in ways as fundamental as Reconstruction, or The New Deal. At the same time, the institutions of journalism are changing and diminished. There is deep uncertainty about the impact of a changing media landscape on participatory democracy.

It is a moment for a new collaboration between citizens, journalists in newsrooms and journalists without newsrooms.

HOW IT WORKS

RebootUSA will apply the techniques of social networks and the immediacy of the World Wide web to continuously inform, reveal, challenge and celebrate the effects of policies of the new U.S. administration during its first "100 days". Not by concentrating on Washington, D.C., but by soliciting and elevating the sentiments, ideas, needs of ordinary Americans where they live and work, as seen by their co-workers, friends, plus working and retired journalist contributors. They will contribute via:

• A wiki-format news network
• Videos and photographs
• Participation in community discussions
• what else?

FEATURES, BENEFITS

RebootUSA is more than a bulletin board for sharing and commenting on journalism that matters. It is also the first community to explore ideas developed at "Blueprinting the Information Valey Economy," a Dec. 3-5, 2008 summit at the Reynolds Journalism Institute in Columbia, Mo. Among features which will be tested by RebootUSA:

• A place for participants to securely describe and save information about their person web preferences
• An exchange for receiving credits from working to rate and review other members' contributions
• A home base for sharing ideas and knowledge with the nation's journalists
• what else?

WHAT IS REBOOTUSA?

RebootUSA is an initiative of the Information Valet Project at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism. Our goal is to pilot a new form of collaboration among professional, displaced and "amateur" journalists and engaged citizens. Part "wiki," part blog and part traditional news resource, RebootUSA will document, assess -- and perhaps help guide -- a transformation of the United States economy, civic sphere and outlook.

WHAT IS RJI?

The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) is a non-profit research center at one of the nation's oldest, largest and most respected journalism schools. It's mission is to bring together journalists and citizens to foster ideas, experiments, research and solutions that sustain and redefine journalism in support of participatory democracy. With a founding grant of $31 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, RJI supports revolving fellows, numerous special and standing projects, and convenes meetings, summits, seminars and workshops.

WHAT IS THE INFORMATION VALET PROJECT

The Information Valet Project is an RJI research initiative. It's goal is to rally news and information-industry support for a shared-user network which will help consumers to take control of their personal demographics and privacy, and use the "currency" resulting to discover and access the information they want to reach their full potential as engaged citizens and secure individuals.