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September 20th to 22nd 2010 the United Nations gather in New York to evaluate progress on the Millennium Development Goals. To help create a buzz and to experiment with new media European Journalism Center is hosting the TH!NK ABOUT IT #3: Developing World blogging project.
About 100 new media geeks and independent experts got through the eye of the needle and have been blogging for a couple of months now. I'm one of them and here I present you to some of my fellow th!nkers. Some of those that have been most actively researching, blogging, commenting, impressive to me and otherwise have attained some level of success. In two previous previous interviews first Dutch Johan, Irish Clare and Brazilian Luan then Swedish Daniel, multicultural Giedre and Dutch Bart gave us their thoughts.
How does one write about topics nobody wants to read about and help save the world? Below are the answers from Hussein Hussam from Jordan and Iris Cecilia Gonzales from the Philippines. Not Europe, not the US. Jordan and the Philippines. So, this is a quick read to round off the interviews. (Perhaps some day I'll tell you what I think?)
Seriously: why do you do it? Spend hours researching and writing just for a few hundred hits to your blog while millions read tabloid nonsense every single day?
Hussein: I believe that it is important. Basically, as you said, millions read tabloid, the Metro in the morning in the London tube, but are they more interested in their reading on gossips and similar, or maybe in the Sudoku in the last page? At least in TH!NK3 I'm sure that people are truely interested in reading the experiences and stories I write about the EU and about Jordan, reading first hand stories. In addition, here I can interact with my fellow bloggers, I can provide further information.
Iris: I have been blogging since 2006 on various issues I cannot usually write about or include in my daily grind because of "beat or assignment limitations in my newspaper." There are so many stories crying out to be written and so many stories that need to be heard and one cannot do everything in one lifetime. But I believe that one should always maximize one's talents and opportunities.
If you would have to choose one MDG to work on, which would it be? Which of the eight is the most important to you?
Iris: I would focus on Primary Education for all [MDG2]. I believe that a lot of problems in the developing world stems from the lack of proper education. Being educated gives people the courage to speak out and fight for his rights. It's a basic human right.
Hussein: Ensure environmental sustainability [MDG7...] If we do not act today in tackling, for instance, climate change, the human beings could disappear from the Earth in few centuries, and it will make no difference the level of education or of health of people... environment will rule.
Do you agree that the MDGs are nearly solved and that the 1st world is living up to its promises? How do you see the other big global problems in the context of the MDGs - climate change, financial instability, global insurgency etc?
Hussein: MDG are not nearly solved. There is a need for a deeper investment in these issues, to be faced with more willingness. Climate change, financial instability, are both global problems very linked to the MDGs. However, these two problems could also be seen as opportunities for the human beings to change their systems, to go towards a new economy, a green economy, combining economical needs and environmental protection.
Iris: I totally agree that MDGs are [not, I assume!? - Benno] nearly solved. One just has to look into the developing world and see that nothing is near satisfaction.
What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write? What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate? Does your articles take days or weeks or do you just sit down, type and publish?
Iris: I am moved by stories of people. When somebody shares with me his stories and I see the pain in his eyes, I die a thousand deaths. I realize and deep inside feel ashamed of how privileged or fortunate my life is compared to theirs and I feel that one way I can help is to write about their stories. In the writing process, I write in my head first before I put it down on paper. I am also inspired by many other stories in the platform.
Hussein: It's not about how many hours/days... it's about the story I have to tell. Often, in this last period, my posts and the ideas of my posts come from conferences I attend, interviews I make, or simply chatting with new people I meet during a transit in an airport, a pick-nick in the Jordan River Valley, or a drink in Place Luxembourg in Brussels. Real stories, real feelings, that's what I like, that's what I want to hear, that's what I want to share.
What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story/article? What elements do you see too often in other writers' news or blogs that you don't like?
Hussein: What I like are the real and original stories. I don't like to read posts that are simply the elaboration of articles or news that I could find online.
Iris: I believe that issues should have a face that is why I enjoy the posts of Jana from Slovakia. I like human interest stories.
If "old media" all went bankrupt how would you feel? Guilty or do you want this to happen? Is the blogosphere sustainable or bloodsucking? What is the difference between a blogger and a journalist?
Iris: While I believe that old media is "under attack" by new technology, I believe that nothing can replace this. But I also recognize the advantages of blogging because the world that we live in is so fast paced now that people turn to the Web for issues. I am primarily a journalist before I am a blogger so I don't see any credibility issue because I write my stories and do my research as I would for news.
Hussein: I would not be happy. I think there is still a need for them, blogs should integrate them, give more specific stories, or maybe a critical view of some of the news that we can get from the mass media.
Have you met people online that you regularly read, communicate with or get comments from and would consider a "contact" that you at the same time fundamentally disagree with on important topics.
Iris: I've met so many people online since blogging way back in 2006. It's fun and educational.
Many journalists are unemployed or serving coffee. What should they do?
Iris: To continue writing even when they don't have outlets. The Web is wide and eventually someone is bound to notice their craft.
Hussein: Travel, meet new people, and listen, listen, and listen to their stories...
Does reader feed-back help you? Do you really appreciate comments at all?
Hussein: Sometimes [it's] quite generic... but yeah, I really appreciate that, that's the thing I appreciate most here, the interactivity.
Iris: Comments are very helpful and encouraging. My comments on other posts are also effective in stirring discussions.
If you could have the world read one of your articles, which should it be?
Hussein: Jordan River and Dead Sea: slowly going to an end?
Iris: Honestly, I'm proud of every piece I wrote. I do legwork and do just post anything to catch up with the other bloggers. I am especially proud of Filipino IDPs: Struggling to rebuild their lives because they highlight a very important issue in the Philippines.
TH!NK3 has been enormous and I can very well have missed great bloggers. Who is missing from this interview, who do you recommend I hurry up and read?
Hussein: I liked Iwona's posts in this last period.
Iris: As I mentioned, I really enjoyed Jana's stories.
You can follow the United Nations Millennium Development Goals on Twitter and Facebook. As well as read TH!NK3, of course.
Besides at TH!NK3 you can follow Iris at her Blogspot column.
According to I Write Like Iris' writing style is similar to Giedre's and Cory Doctorow's while Hussein writes like Bart Knols and H. P. Lovecraft.
