journalists in an OS

[Lisa Heft]

Tova –

What I would do is spend some time with the journalist some day before your
event, and explain to her the dynamics and the structure and timing of the
parts of an Open Space.  She probably won’t be able to come for a huge
amount of time (though I hope she does), so she’ll have to know about when
the full circles are, when the agenda will go up, when there will be more
reports to see, etcetera.  As journalists are trained to be observers and
not participants, she may feel most comfortable getting her story by being a
bumblebee/butterfly.  I would also let her know that she might make note of
anyone who says something she’d like to interview them about but interview
them at a time outside of the event itself (so as not to change the dynamics
in the room).  I’d tell her to be like you – totally present and completely
(if at all possible) invisible.  If there’s a way for her to take digital
photos or something that would not involve a flash that would be helpful.  I
would also ask permission of the group before you open the space to see if
they are okay having photos taken during the process.  Then there is the
written proceedings book – there may be a way your sponsors (this is
something you don’t have to be pulled away to do, I think) can help her see
it in a way that doesn’t pull specifics out to be the story but a way to see
the whole / select items that might be representative of the whole.  The
last thing I am thinking of is to give your sponsors give her a packet of
materials when she arrives with backgrounds on anything she needs (including
Open Space); she’ll appreciate it.  And I’d assign one person as her
contact, and have that person meet her and be around when she is there for
questions, access, etc.

In this way, you are giving her support for doing her best job, and you are
letting her know how to report on such an over-a-long-time event rather than
just getting a ‘snapshot’ that represents the toe, rather than the full,
elephant, as it were.  Fully informed, I think you may find her coverage of
the event a great boost of energy for the actions that come out of it.

Warm greetings from chilly (this morning) Berkeley,

Lisa

- - -
L i s a   H e f t
Consultant, facilitator, educator
Open Space Technology and Experiential Learning

2325 Oregon
Berkeley, California
94705-1106  USA
(+01) 510 548-8449
lisaheft at pacbell.net
www.openspaceworld.com

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Averbuch
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 7:39 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: journalists in an OS

Winston,
Thank you for helping me clear up what needs clarification,  -
So:
    "the community" potentially is all the state of Israel (every place that
there are physical building and development) but there is no identified
community as of yet.
     The invitation went out to all/most the government, municipal,
academic, professional, NGO, voluntary bodies that have to do with this
issue and is announced in professional and organizational gatherings about
relevant issues. People who were not invited directly call to register after
hearing from some one and join.
    The journalist we know about is a good one and covers this type of
issues in an important Israeli daily newspaper. I understand she was offered
to come "as a Journalist", whatever that means. Intuitively I would be all
for her coming as a participant but I keep asking myself what happens if
people find their name and picture and words quoted (or twisted) in the
morning paper...

I hope this helps - thanks again
yours
Tova

----- Original Message -----
From: Winston Kinch <mailto:kinch at sympatico.ca>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: journalists in an OS

Some questions on Tova's post:

Are members of the "target" community invited to the O/S? Are the
journalists in question members of the community or representing community
news sources? And, the key question, would the journalists be there as
participants or as some kind of "observers"?

Winston
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