The FACS website for journalists working on Y2K
San Francisco writer Gary Gach (ggg@well.com)
is offering a Y2K site that will be very useful to journalists while inviting
them to consider responsible Y2K angles. He also
notes that we should get community groups and articles listed in the
Y2K mega-sites like Peter de Jager's. Please pass this information around
to community groups and journalists. -- Coheartedly, Tom
Our y2k website for media went "live" and
although it's a quickly-done
prototype we cordially invite you to visit. Here's how to access it the
first time: point your browser to <http://www.facsnet.org>,
visit "Top
Issues" and click on any issue. This will take you to a short registration
form. (If you're not with the media, just fill in "Other" -- all
are
welcome.) Once you're registered, Y2K MEDIA ROOM will appear under Top
Issues henceforth.
Please take a tour, tell your colleagues, etc. Your questions, comments,
suggestions, etc. are always welcome.
Here's our announcement to journalists:
C O V E R I N G Y 2 K
Journalists are becoming aware they have been
missing the story with Y2K. The Foundation for
American Communications (FACS) invites all media
to visit and bookmark *Y2K Media Room*, to rectify
the situation.
The Year 2000 computer bug is a challenging
story, demanding that news people report
solid information without causing panic or
paranoia. Instead the aim is to help
audiences understand circumstances, assess
options, be prepared, and stay up-to-date
with the status of key concerns.
Responsible Y2K coverage requires extra
forethought, organization and research ~ a
daunting challenge during breaking news
events. The media can be part of accurate
information dissemination and public
education ~ or news organizations can inspire
panic with sloppy reporting.
The Y2K story won't be over on Jan. 1, 2000.
So we won't just count down, but we will also
be around for the duration of the aftermath.
Minimal registration is required. [Non-media
people are welcome too; just register <<other>>.]
Registration is purely internal and will not be
used externally. Here's how to register:
1) Point your web browser to
<http://www.facsnet.org>.
2) Select *Top Issues.*
3) Select any issue therein and the
registration form will be made available.
4) Upon submitting the completed form back
to the server, return to *Top Issues*
and select *Y2K Media Room* (which will
be visible only after registration).
Pages include:
Y2KClassroom Lounge
Y2- by-Region Notebook
Y2K-by-Beat Audience feedback
Y2K Media Sites Y2 Sources
Y2KGlossary Y2KThemes
CONTACT: Gary Gach
FACS Y2K Resource Director
1243 Broadway 4
San Francisco CA 94109-2771
415 / 771-7793
y2k@word.to
Also, it occurs to me that the bulk of coverage has been online. Yet a site
like Peter de Jager's, which had 800,000 visitors in January and 110,000
subscribers to an e-mail newsletter, has yet to report on community
awareness and preparedness. With such a large number of readers already
up-to-speed, it might not be a bad avenue, for linkmasters and publicists
wishing to spread the word by sending URLs such as Co-Intelligence's Y2K
Breakthrough, The Cassandra Project, Coalition 2000, Y2K Community, plus
links to articles about Portland, Clearwater, Boulder, Medford, etc.