Do You Edit Community Submitted Content?
June 29, 2010 
8 Comments
To Edit or not to Edit that is the question.
Do you need to edit community submitted content in your hyperlocal newspaper? This has been a question that I have been faced with several times over the past four years of running LocalsGuide.com. It’s actually driven many folks primarily the Type A folks a bit crazy as I do not choose to edit content which I receive from the community and then reprint in LocalsGuide…. and here is why.
First of all I ask for all submissions to come in their final form, edited and ready to go. If someone doesn’t take the time or doesn’t want to edit their work this is their choice. My job as I see it as the owner of the media machine is to deliver the message. Similar to the job of the post office. I deliver the mail, not open it up along the way, change the message and then deliver it.
Yet, if you take some time to think about this you will realize this is exactly what is occurring with practically all mainstream media. whose voice is really being heard, whose point of view are we really being convinced of or represented?
These are important questions that you need to be asking yourself, because just like the childhood game of “Telephone” a simple message can quickly become very misconstrued and result in what we all hear way to often.
“That’s not what I meant!”
So, for me this is about the issue of empowerment of actually giving individuals a voice, rather than taking that voice away and then speaking for them.
I wrote about this before and a few journalists responded that I must have had a bad experience… or something. As if I don’t trust a journalist to properly represent my point of view.
Let’s just say this… You don’t need a bad experience to see the rampage that media has taken upon the culture. Mass media has never been about creating better people and it’s not about giving people an opportunity to stand up and represent themselves.. with their own voices… in their own style.
Sure you might be a journalist and trying to do a good job and you might… but you can never tell someone’s story or represent another individuals point of view better than the actual individual could themselves.
Here is what I suggest you should be doing instead.
If you are in the media business, rather than continue to play “Telephone”, start implementing a social media model which allows for individuals to facilitate, conversation, stories, and interviews. Work to create engagement which brings about direct dialog and use models of media delivery which help individuals have an opportunity to share their own point of view with out editorial filters. For example setting up a community multi user blog, or hyperlocal news site.
Trust me on this, It’s way more interesting to hear someone tell their own story, first hand.
It’s the real gold that we are all after. What makes your locale so special and unique?
My mission with LocalsGuide is to provide a platform for the creation and delivery of media. People have a voice and they deserve an opportunity and venue through which to share it. If you like the idea and think you would want to do a LocalsGuide for your own town send me an email and tell me a little bit about yourself.
This post has been EDITED by the EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. Unfortunately the author no longer has control of of his / her own voice!
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Interes*&tng that you see no need to edt for spel|ing or gramer then, despite the fact that such erors may hinder comunication, and potentialllly embarrassss the correspondant.
Doubly interesting when you confuze “who’s” and “whose” in your second para…
Paul,
I EDITED your post to fit the editorial style!!
Thanks for pointing out my grammatical errors… I guess it was creating a major communication break down for you.
The problem is now… that as the EDITOR… I’m in charge of what you said or not ;)
I should mention that “IF” a content provider requests an editorial read through then this could be an option or part of your internal editorial process.
I think that challenging people to step forward and become their own voice is really what this moment is all about.
We are in the midst of a self publishing revolution in which anyone can have an opportunity to communicate with the world.
If it had to be perfect… well, then the internet wouldn’t exist.
First, I would appreciate it if you made clear that the absurd spellings in my post as published were the result of you “editing (the) post to fit the editorial style”. It shows little regard for your correspondents.
I was trying to make a genuine point about editing contributions. Errors in spelling and grammar DO hinder communication – that is why such rules exist – and those of us who have experience in editing and proof-reading surely owe a duty to others to aid their own efforts at communication.
If we are indeed establishing the means by which people “can have an opportunity to communicate with the world”, then it is an abnegation of responsibility to simply throw open the doors and step away from those less able to use language. The result of that will be that the only voices heard are those skilled in communication.
Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the subhead of your blog – “Tips to help you make money from hyperlocal marketing”. Of course you WILL make more money if you set up a platform and then walk away from it, eschewing any further involvement with the participants. I would suggest, however, that helping people on to that platform, and aiding people to use it, might be more appropriate and appreciated if not more lucrative.
Paul,
I appreciate the intent of your point, and the truth is that slight errors in spelling and grammer DO NOT HINDER communication.
This is an editorial myth.
Secondly the belief that: “the only voices heard are those skilled in communication” …is INCORRECT.
The voices that will be heard will be from the people who control the media… i.e.
“Control Tools & Platform Which Deliver The Message”
This is exactly why services like YouTube and Blogger have and continue to change the world.
These platforms give people a direct voice to their audience.
Hyperlocal news is still evolving and this why questions like “Do You Edit Community Submitted Content” need to be addressed.
My article is all about giving more people the opportunity at having a voice.
The line that you cross in your original post was to insult my own article as to make the point that I don’t know the difference between “who’s” and “whose”.
My use of “Who’s” did not hinder communication.
This was an attempt by you to enforce your point of view and prove a point, which is exactly what I am suggesting people let up on.
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Sorry to drive my point in here, but I think that it is really important.
We as a culture need to view media as the tool that delivers the message, not creates, manufactures, or controls the message.
Those working in media need to step away from the microphone and work to facilitate opportunity for others
to share their own voices.
———-
Back to the example of the post office:
———-
You wouldn’t think less of your mother having a few grammatical issue in a heart felt email to you?
Nor, would you want the post office editor opening her letter to spell check her message before you read it.
The world is big…
Giving people a voice… means allowing for a margin of error and respecting each individuals ability to communicate.
Not to mention the issue of different languages and styles coming into play.
The main thing is that people have a voice.
We are now living in a time in which many can begin to have a voice.
So to Edit or Not to Edit Community Submitted Content?
One last note.. I have gone the other way and edited all copy that has been printed in our newspaper.
I actually started deciding not to when it was requested by the actual authors themselves.
It is not appropriate to compare a written message between two related individuals, and a message from an individual to an audience of thousands. My mother and I share a history, and a verbal shorthand of references, which would make our personal communications meaningless to a wider audience. “Why not give to this charity – remember your Dad!” – would that work for a wider audience? Shouldn’t an editor step in and point out how that does not communicate anything to a mass audience?
You are not the post office – in web terms, the cables and ISPs are the post office, and I agree they should not interfere with our communications.
Finally, to say that spelling and grammar do not hinder communication is simply wrong. You seem to suggest that we can do things any way. So:
Who’s right – is it any way?
or
Whose right is it anyway?
The bottom line is about respect. Giving an individual the right and opportunity to have a voice with out interference.
If an individual asks for help or assistance then I find it appropriate that editorial assistance be provide. If not, it should not occur by default.
One way this could be done is to place an optional check box on your “Community Content Submission Form”
______ Please edit my submission grammatical accuracy.
or
______ My submission is in final edited format,no editorial review is needed.