There's been a lot of interesting press today about the acquisition of Bayosphere by Backfence. (Disclosure note: Omidyar Network is a co-investor in both firms, and I serve on the board of Backfence.) It's been amazing to watch the landscape for participatory media evolve, and I've enjoyed the ground-floor access to communities trying out different models for interaction. Citizen's media, bottom-up content, user-generated content, participatory media...whatever you choose to label it, it's exciting and transformative.
Since I'm tracking so much public discussion anyway, I thought it would be interesting to share the reviews and commentaries that have crossed my desk. The gist of these posts? Participatory media is a good idea. People like being included. And ownership by the community is vital. Today's dialogue alone has been a terrific learning experience.
Here's what I have so far, and I'll add more to the list as they come up. I didn't include posts that pulled straight from the press release without adding commentary. Judge the collected pros and cons for yourself:
- Business Week's Blogspotting: Backfence Acquires Bayosphere
- Business Week's Podcasts: Hyperlocal Platform [AUDIO]
- Business Week's The Tech Beat: Backfence Buys Bayosphere
- Content Bridges: Welcome Backfence to the Bay Area
- Dan Gillmor: Welcome to Backfence
- GoffSpot: Backfence buys Bayosphere in move west
- KRON 4's The Bay Area is Talking: Dan Gillmor takes Backfence
- Mathew Ingram: Bayosphere becomes part of Backfence
- The Mercury News: Community Web-site start-up comes to Bay Area
- paidContent.org: Dan Gillmor's Bayosphere: Backing, High Profile Doesn't Guarantee Success
- Poynter Online: Bayosphere Becomes Backfence
- Red Herring: Citizen Journalism Site Sold
- Screenwerk: Backfence Enters Bay Area with Bayosphere Acquisition
- SFist: Backfence Moves Into Our Backyard
- Silicon Valley Watcher: Dan Gillmor's citizen media project acquired by Backfence
- SiliconBeat: Backfence picks up Gillmor's blog, and expands into SF Bay Area
- Surfette: Can Backfence as a hyperlocal Bayosphere patch Silicon Valley's community newshole?
- Susan Mernit's Blog: Will wonders never cease: Backfence buys Bayosphere
- Valleywag: Backfence buys Bayosphere, SF crushed under weight of citizen journalists
- Yelvington.com: Backfence goes west, picks up Bayosphere
Enjoy, and please do join one of these dialogues. That is the whole point, after all...
Tags: christine herron christine.net space jockeys bayosphere backfence media technology citizen journalism community
