Wildfires broke out all around San Diego in October 2007, leaving residents in panic and fear. Where did they turn for their news? Not the television, not the radio, but instead they turned to the more unconventional social networking website, Twitter.
Local and national media outlets flooded the scenes of the wildfires, jamming the airwaves and providing little detail as to what sort of resources were available to citizens. This is when San Diego natives Nate Ritter and Dan Tentler stepped in with a unique solution. The two began posting rapid-fire updates on Twitter, after conducting interviews from friends as well as observing first-hand reports. Twitter provided the people of California real insight into just exactly what sort of danger they were really in.
Twitter, known by most as a website that allows the average people to keep up to date with the lives of their favorite celebrities, is a micro-blogging social network website that allows people to publish 140 character messages that can be read by followers. In the face of a natural disaster, though, Twitter provided a new, invaluable service that other media outlets could not provide.
Not only is Twitter a useful way to provide personal accounts of natural disasters; it is also much speedier than any other news source. Twitter accounts are updated and maintained by average citizens, which means that information can be posted immediately rather than having to wait to go through production, as it does television news media. Reporters take the time to set up a story, and get an angle on the story. With Twitter, information can flow rapidly, before it ever reaches the major news outlets. It provides information immediately, which is what people want in the face of a natural disaster.
Twitter, the free social network site, has evolved from a simple gossip network into an important source of news in the face of a natural disaster. The world of journalism is always evolving, providing citizen journalists the opportunity to serve their fellow citizens in an invaluable way.
SoCal Earthquake a Powerful Reminder of Twitter’s Potential.. (July 29, 2008). http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/29/socal-earthquake-a-powerful-reminder-of-twitters-potential/
Poulsen, Kevin. Firsthand Reports from California Wildfires Pour Through Twitter. (October 23, 2007). http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2007/10/firsthand-repor/
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Broadcast script
[Kristin] Good evening, and welcome to the Black Bear News. I’m your host, Kristin Tormollan, and here is what’s happening.
[Take VO]
[CG: University of Maine Rotaract Club at last year’s Relay for Life]
The University of Maine Rotaract Club is still looking for ways to raise money for their team in the annual Relay for Life event held on campus. Relay for Life, a 24 hour marathon for runners and walkers held yearly to raise money for the American Cancer Society, will take place on April 16 at the Orono campus. Rotaract set a fundraising goal of 800 dollars for the event, and has raised around 300 dollars thus far.
[TAKE VO-SOT]
[CG: Alison Dunn]
[TRT: 0:10]
[Kristin] And that’s the latest news.
[Take VO]
[CG: University of Maine Rotaract Club at last year’s Relay for Life]
The University of Maine Rotaract Club is still looking for ways to raise money for their team in the annual Relay for Life event held on campus. Relay for Life, a 24 hour marathon for runners and walkers held yearly to raise money for the American Cancer Society, will take place on April 16 at the Orono campus. Rotaract set a fundraising goal of 800 dollars for the event, and has raised around 300 dollars thus far.
[TAKE VO-SOT]
[CG: Alison Dunn]
[TRT: 0:10]
[Kristin] And that’s the latest news.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Club Strives to Improve UMaine
The University of Maine Rotaract club spent most of their Tuesday night meeting organizing some of the major activities remaining on their calendar this semester.
The Rotaract club, a Rotary-sponsored service club that focuses on gathering 18-30 year-old men and women together to serve their communities, consists of around 15 male and female students looking to better the UMaine environment, as well as the Bangor/Orono community as a whole.
Currently, the group is working with the University’s Alumni Association in its annual Phonathon. Rotaract members are volunteering their time to call alumni in order to raise money for the school. Also on the Rotaract agenda is the University’s Relay for Life event, taking place on April 16, 2010. The Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer research, requires teams to raise money in order to participate. The Rotaract club has set a fundraising goal of $800 for this event, and is currently brainstorming on ways to reach that goal. They have raised $295 thus far, but still have a ways to go in order to reach their goals. The club is participating in a Penny War, as well as holding events such as a traveling bake sale, in order to help them in their lofty relay goal.
While their projects range from large, like the Phonathon and Relay for Life, the club also organized smaller activities.
“We are hosting Karaoke in the Bear’s Den this Friday night. We have some members helping out at the YMCA Spring Fair this weekend as well,” Rotaract President Alison Dunn explained.
Being a part of the improvement of the school community is a great way to meet new people. So whether you are interested in service or just having fun with a new group on campus, the University of Maine Rotaract club is a great place to start.
The Rotaract club, a Rotary-sponsored service club that focuses on gathering 18-30 year-old men and women together to serve their communities, consists of around 15 male and female students looking to better the UMaine environment, as well as the Bangor/Orono community as a whole.
Currently, the group is working with the University’s Alumni Association in its annual Phonathon. Rotaract members are volunteering their time to call alumni in order to raise money for the school. Also on the Rotaract agenda is the University’s Relay for Life event, taking place on April 16, 2010. The Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer research, requires teams to raise money in order to participate. The Rotaract club has set a fundraising goal of $800 for this event, and is currently brainstorming on ways to reach that goal. They have raised $295 thus far, but still have a ways to go in order to reach their goals. The club is participating in a Penny War, as well as holding events such as a traveling bake sale, in order to help them in their lofty relay goal.
While their projects range from large, like the Phonathon and Relay for Life, the club also organized smaller activities.
“We are hosting Karaoke in the Bear’s Den this Friday night. We have some members helping out at the YMCA Spring Fair this weekend as well,” Rotaract President Alison Dunn explained.
Being a part of the improvement of the school community is a great way to meet new people. So whether you are interested in service or just having fun with a new group on campus, the University of Maine Rotaract club is a great place to start.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Community Market Thrives in Green Movement
The green movement continues to gain momentum in central Maine towns, as the Sustain Mid-Maine group strengthens its push for a more sustainable Maine. In a Strategic Analysis released in January of 2009, the group announced that it was in the process of implementing a plan to grow and support local food. A direct result of this can be seen on Main Street, Waterville, where Barrels Community Market, a newly developed year-round farmers market, is thriving, giving hope for that sustainability is taking hold.
Barrels Community Market, a nonprofit community market, sells locally produced goods at their downtown Waterville venue. The store sells both food goods as well as locally made products, like lip balm and headbands. Barrels Community Market also provides education and volunteer opportunities for the public, fulfilling the “engage the educational community” goal of the Sustain Mid-Maine project.
As explained within Sustain Mid-Maine’s Strategic Analysis, the expected result of growing and supporting local food would give every Waterville resident access to local, affordable produce every day, as well as space and support to anyone who wants to grow their own food. Members of the team developing this plan included Laura Patterson, Ann Beverage, and David Gulak, among others. Gulak now manages Barrels Market, which is open Monday through Saturday.
“We now average 50-75 transactions a day, with over 100 people coming through the market daily,” Gulak commented in response to how the community reaction has been to Barrels. Gulak also said that their clients range from Colby College staff and students, local business people, and residents. The store also accepts food stamps.
In the future, Sustain Mid-Maine hopes to encourage small gardens, including both community and home gardens, and expand the community supported- agriculture business in Waterville. While there is more to come from the project, the work done by the planning committee, Waterville Main Street, and local government officials is already leading central Maine toward a greener tomorrow.
http://www.barrelsmarket.com/cms/
http://www.waterville-me.gov/content/1233954771sap.pdf
Barrels Community Market, a nonprofit community market, sells locally produced goods at their downtown Waterville venue. The store sells both food goods as well as locally made products, like lip balm and headbands. Barrels Community Market also provides education and volunteer opportunities for the public, fulfilling the “engage the educational community” goal of the Sustain Mid-Maine project.
As explained within Sustain Mid-Maine’s Strategic Analysis, the expected result of growing and supporting local food would give every Waterville resident access to local, affordable produce every day, as well as space and support to anyone who wants to grow their own food. Members of the team developing this plan included Laura Patterson, Ann Beverage, and David Gulak, among others. Gulak now manages Barrels Market, which is open Monday through Saturday.
“We now average 50-75 transactions a day, with over 100 people coming through the market daily,” Gulak commented in response to how the community reaction has been to Barrels. Gulak also said that their clients range from Colby College staff and students, local business people, and residents. The store also accepts food stamps.
In the future, Sustain Mid-Maine hopes to encourage small gardens, including both community and home gardens, and expand the community supported- agriculture business in Waterville. While there is more to come from the project, the work done by the planning committee, Waterville Main Street, and local government officials is already leading central Maine toward a greener tomorrow.
http://www.barrelsmarket.com/cms/
http://www.waterville-me.gov/content/1233954771sap.pdf
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