Debate over what is online "community" at WeMedia Miami

I spent part of yesterday at WeMedia Miami over at the University of Miami campus, where journalists, bloggers and tech heads from all over gathered to talk about digital media. Pictured here is Jeff Nolan, vice president of Business Development at NewsGator. He talked about ways publishers are using widgets and RSS feeds to reach audiences.

There were several sessions going on at the same time. So unfortunately, since there is only one of me, I had to place my bets and pick only some of the topics to attend. Herald reporter Oscar Corral attended one about digital media and the presidential campaigns. You can read his story here. Some sessions ended up being snoozers, but a few prompted some interesting discussions.

The most interesting conversation I heard came from a forum about social experiences in business. The panel was putting me to sleep, plugging their own organizations and blogs... and just as I was about to pass out, an audience member told the panel he doesn't Twitter, and no one he knows Twitters. And apparently there was a Twitter going on for people at WeMedia, but he didn't even hear about this (nor did I). How are people supposed to know about these things, he asked. Because obviously a little clique within the WeMedia conference knew about this Twitter account that was being talked about at this session. And in regards to social networks, he followed with, "When do they become little clubs, and when do they become communities?"

The response from panelist Elisa Camahort Page, co-founder and COO of Blogher, was no one really knows it until "you just get exposed."

Kaliya Hamlin, founder of Unconference.net, said "It doesn't make sense to Twitter into a vacuum if none of your friends are on Twitter." She added that you have to choose which type of community works best for you -- "it's not about trying to be in everything."

Jeff Nolan (also at this panel) brought up how many people just throw the word community around at conferences like this, and it loses it's meaning. To him, it makes more sense to call such things "groups."

But that got other panelists like Hamlin worked up. She argued that groups are way different from communities.

So another audience member chimed in: Can you define community?

And they couldn't agree on a definition. If anything, the discussion got pretty heated. Would you call the Facebook group "PINK Victoria's Secret" with 346,000 members a community, or do you have to be part of an group of mommy bloggers that go to blogging conferences to be a community?

One of the smartest comments of the session came from yet another audience member. She said she worked in public relations and helped corporate clients get into online social spaces. She said it is our duty as tech savvy people in this industry to spread the word to others in the corporate world about what is going on. It's not about just doing what everybody else is doing.

And she's right. It is our duty to explain how it works to others and have discussions about what works and what doesn't. It's our duty to not assume companies know how to Tweet on Twitter. And if every company just made a Facebook group to get an audience because that's what every other company is doing, is it effective? Or is it a waste of resources?

Gizmodo banned from CES

It's almost unthinkable, yet they did it. With the help of a TV-B-Gone clicker, tech blog Gizmodo wreaked havoc all over the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The clicker turns off just about any nearby TV. Just watch the video below.

I don't think I could be this evil. But I'm glad Gizmodo has no conscience, cause this is hysterical.

But I gotta say, turning off screens during people's presentations was going way too far. Makes you wonder if Gizmodo will be invited back to cover it next year.

UPDATE: Gizmodo has been banned from ever coming back to any Consumer Electronics Show event. It's not yet known if its owner, Gawker Media, or its affiliated media outlets will be punished.

This show is only open to the media, and I'm glad they were punished. A true journalist would never interfere with an event to create their own news, or cause harm to others to get an entertaining story. They sabatoged presentations, and that's over the line. And it serves as a warning for other non-serious bloggers.

There's also the chance that this stunt may sway CES officials to not allow bloggers full-access press credentials in the future. I don't believe in punishing every blogger for the sins of one, but it could happen.

Want to learn about blogging? Class tonight in Miami.

The Miami chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners is hosting a hands-on session on how to blog for Dade and Broward county women business owners. It's today (Jan. 10) from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Biscayne Centre, 11900 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

President Anne Freedman told me members and non-members are invited, and that there will be drink served to calm any first-time blogging fears. It costs $45 for non-members and $25 for members.

Here are more details from the NAWBO event release:

Contact: Anne B. Freedman, 305-273-6640,President, Miami Chapter, email: anne@speakoutinc.com or info@nawbomiami.org. Valeska I. Jacques PR Director 786-218-1021, valeska@uvium.com

StateWide Blogging Party to Give Florida Women Business Owners Chance to Launch Their Own New Media Outlet
January 10, 5-7 p.m.
Biscayne Centre 11900 Biscayne Blvd., Miami

Blog, blog, everywhere a blog – but what is it and where is ours?

Knowing that fear of technology was a potential hurdle but wanting to take advantage of a new, fast and a free way to communicate with and among members, the Miami Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners decided to combine two passions: education and having fun. The result is a first ever statewide "blogging party" with a goal of teaching women entrepreneurs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Orlando and Lakeland how to create and conduct business networking through an association “blog” for their chapters and one for their own businesses at the same time.

“We wanted to eliminate the anxiety some people have about new Internet technology by making this a really fun learning experience,” said Valeska Jacques, CEO of uVium, Inc., who will be giving in-person,hands-on instruction to Miami and Fort Lauderdale women business owners. A blog is a new online media outlet that allows instantaneous, 24/7 communication between the writer and readers. Those at the party will be joined via Internet conferencing by members of the Orlando and Lakeland chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Biscayne Centre, an office condo at 11900 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami, has donated the use of its wireless conference room for the meeting. Participants are invited to bring their laptop.

“We’re excited about the new opportunities for quickly and easily sharing ideas, information and expertise through blogging and how we may use this as a way to network with other women business owners throughout the state,” said Anne B. Freedman, president of Miami Chapter,NAWBO, and owner of Speak Out, Inc. Cost for the “Blogging Party” is $25 for members and their guests. $45 for non-members and at the door. Space is limited. RSVP@nawbomiami.org or by calling 305-271-6797.

Who will be our next Tech President?

This year the presidential campaigns are reaching out to an online audience more than ever before. There are profile pages on MySpace, fan pages on Facebook and debates are using questions submitted as YouTube videos.

Keeping track of it all is TechPresident.com. The blog posts news of who is doing what in the world of social media and how it affects the campaigns.

My favorite feature is the weekly stats showing how many Facebook and MySpace users are supporting a candidate. It also shows who is leading in page views on YouTube videos.

If the primary election was based on a popularity contest on MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, Ron Paul would be leading the Republican party, and Obama would be representing the Democrats.

Power outage wipes out major websites

Thousands of blogs -- myself included -- were unable to update for a good part of the day yesterday because several major websites based out of San Francisco shut down after a serious power outage. Among them are Sixapart (which runs Typepad and LiveJournal), Technorati, Craigslist and Netfilx. All these companies pay big bucks to their data center 365 Main for generator backups so that their sites never experience something like this. Oops, looks like 365 Main really dropped the ball. (There is a theory floating around that a drunk and/or disgruntled employee destroyed the system because after all, the company promised they have backups so this doesn't happen.)

A statement from 365 Main states they are still investigating why the generators didn't kick as soon as the power went off. (What is interesting is that the company has deleted all press releases about how great their service is and how it provides continuous power to its customers.) There's buzz in the blogosphere that they never really tested their generators, but I am doubtful that they would go untested. But something isn't right. I wonder what 365 Main will do to make this up to their clients -- clients who might just switch to another provider, such as Terremark Worldwide in Miami. If anyone knows how important generator backups are, it's a South Florida company.

Digital experiments in community news

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a Miami-based organization that supports journalism, is launching The Knight News Challenge for the second year. The contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, to come up with ideas on digital experiments that can transform community news.

The contest is awarding as much as $5 million this year to fund the ideas, which can use digitally delivered news and information to enhance physical communities and improve the lives of people where they live and work. I wrote about the first contest in May, which concluded with grants to 25 individuals and private and public entities ranging from MIT to MTV.

Although there is a category for commercial applications, most entries must share the software and knowledge created. This year the contest's web site will allow entrants to invite public comment that will help improve their entries. An entry form and more details are available at newschallenge.org. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 15. The foundation plans to announce the winners by the spring of 2008.