A Revolution in News Production and Consumption

"Every citizen’s a reporter. Journalists aren’t some exotic species, they’re
everyone who seeks to take new developments, put them into writing, and share
them with others." … (Oh Yeon Ho)

For the past several days the Dowbrigade has been researching an upcoming
article on the world’s first Internet President – Roh Moo-hyu of South
Korea.  A
virtually unknown labor lawyer just two years ago, he rode a wave of
Internet organizing and fundraising to the Presidency of the most wired
nation on earth (80% of homes have Broadband access to the Internet)
one year ago. There are many valuable parallels and lessons to be learned
from Roh’s electoral saga and first year in office.

But that is a story for a later date and another publication (although
it will indubitably be posted to the Dowbrigade News). What is currently
blowing our mind is the discovery that the Roh victory was part of a
major media revolution spurred by thousands of "Citizen Journalists".
All of the stuff that is starting to explode on the US media scene is
already in full-blown implementation in Asia! Who knew?

This
merely reinforces for the Dowbrigade the absolutely necessary global
nature of the revolution which is just starting to make its true dimensions
and potential know.  We in America are not necessarily the center
of the Universe, or even of CyberSpace. Furthermore, in many cases we
are not even close to the cutting edge. Digital democracy is starting
to look like one of these.

Much more on this as our investigation continues.  Meanwhile, check
out OhMyNews.com, the site that reputedly got Roh elected in South Korea.