It's exciting to see American democracy reborn thanks to modern communications technologies. Sites like Daily Kos are at long last breaking network TV’s decades-long stranglehold on America's political decision-making process. Americans are still far from having a truly informed voice in the political decisions that affect their lives, but we're closer to this goal today than we were 10 years ago.
I want to help realize this goal via a non-partisan, issue-centered, decision-making civic media that makes citizens and government responsive and accountable to each other in solving the problems AND maximizing the opportunities that will shape the nation’s future. My sites:
Archive of 1990’s civic media work in Chicago. Focus: gangs and drugs
America’s Choice 2006 treatment for politically-themed reality TV
Seeding Civic Media Innovative civic media formats
Weathering the Storm How civic media can abate the global finance crisis
Greetings!
I've designed and am creating the political media of the future. That sounds grandiose, I know, but if you look at the websites above - America's Choice for starters - you will see it's not an idle claim.
Over the years I have thought through all of the issues that are keeping America from having a non-partisan, issue-centered political decision making process. I've developed civic media formats - large audience decision-making processes - that tap deeply into the native intelligence and common sense of the American people, all 300 million of us. These formats also create a balanced and constructive interaction between citizens and government that ensures an orderly function of the political process. That said, they are disruptive of the attack-ad driven status quo that has polarized Americans and gridlocked government.
The format I like best is a game show format, modeled somewhat on the game show formats of reality TV, that invites and enables all Americans to compete and co-operate with each other in selecting the best problem solvers and the best solution to any problem that vitally concerns any community of any size: local, state or national.
That's it for now. I leave you with the thought that you have just stumbled on the future of American politics. I seek not a large audience but a "fit audience thought few" that is committed to bringing out the best in the American people and American democracy. Thanks for reading and I look forward to exchanges ideas and experiences.