infundibulum

Just watched a video of a panel at Reuters.com, which the Global Voices Online participated via IRC.

The format was quite a bit like what was done at the Global Voices Summit in London: it was a normal panel discussion, with questions from bloggers and interested observers from IRC occasionally asked to the panelists in by Rebecca MacKinnon.

The concept is pretty new, it’s not simply like having callers call in to a talk show, because the remote crowd also has their own discussion going on. I think it’s a pretty interesting way to interact with media, because even if you yourself don’t pose any questions (I didn’t, this time, I only really watched the second half), you get this sensation that those are real people up there on the panel, despite the fact that they’re a grand poobah or a head honcho or whatever.

As far as the topic itself, the media and Iraq, I confess I feel nothing but confusion toward the war in general. It’s pretty hard for me to defend the fact that I never blog about Iraq. But honestly, I just don’t know what to say. I have no feeling whatsoever that there is an end in sight, or that anyone in charge knows how to bring one about.

Even so, I think these sorts of panels are undeniably good things. There’s something about getting people into the same room and having them talk to each other that helps you to triangulate, even if you’re only observing.