Hello We Are Media

Josh Leo's  Video Mashup We R The Media

Last week a group of lawyers representing a forthcoming book told us they didn't want us using same for the name NTEN's project.   No small irony that the book and our project is about the collaborative power of social media.   Ah, well ....

So we  brainstormed a new name with all of you and checked to see if any were trademarked and domains were available.   I was delighted to see that well over 70 of you responded with suggestions in true social media fashion   Thank you!

The project name and tagline is:

We Are Media:  Social Media Starter Kit for Nonprofits

We also checked in with folks who used similar phrases in their social media projects and they gave us their blessing (Dan Gillmor and Chris Brogan).  Mary Hodder pointed out that We Are Media comes with a theme song and video (although it includes a "the" and uses "r')

We're now working our away through the to do list and will launch building Module 2 tomorrow ...

So, to change the name we need to:

• Come up with a new name (done) - We Are Media: Social Media Starter Kit for Nonprofits
• Stuff to change:
  
  • logo  (done)
  • wiki name (done)
  • get domain name (done - wearemedia.org)
  • replace old name on the text in the wiki (need some help!)
  • change slideshare group name (done)
  • retag all the items tagged in del.icio.us (done) (can a tag be trademarked?)
  • change the name of the google group (done)
  • re-do the screencasts on the wiki (will redo over the weekend

If you're just reading about this project for the first time, here's the basic info:

NTEN's Social Media curriculum project where the community is the curriculum! We invite you to join the conversation each week as roll we out a new theme related to social media and nonprofits.  Come join the smart people coming along on this trip or buzz in to help us identify the best existing resources, people, and case studies that will give nonprofit organizations the knowledge and resources they need to use social media to change the world.

Okay, back to the content and the fun work in the morning - thanks everyone! 

Comments

[Jocelyn]

NICE! We R the Media is so much better - empowering, energizing, gives a sense of collective power and true!

Jocelyn

[Chris Brogan...]

Beth-

I wanted you to know that the Weare, New Hampshire Media Organization is now up in arms. They'd intended to renew wearemedia.org, but you seem to have beat them to the punch. Be warned: Justice David Souter is from Weare, so you might have a fight on your hands.

Yours in law,

-Chris...

[Beth Kanter]

Hmm .. we're also in trouble with wear e-media people too - seems like our idea for user-generated t-shirts got them worried.

[Digidave]

Fantastic news.

I figured it would be We Are the Media: It's a great name and gets right to the point.

Rock on!!!

[david mathison]

Dear Beth,

Regarding your comment: "Last week a group of lawyers representing a forthcoming book told us they didn't want us using Be the Media for the name NTEN's latest project."

Your comment is a misrepresentation of the facts, which are as follows:

1. In September, 2007, an NTEN board representative tried to purchase an advance of copy of the upcoming book, BE THE MEDIA (Publication Date, September 2008).

2. In May, 2008, you, Beth Kanter, did purchase an advance copy of BE THE MEDIA.

So it is not as if you were unaware of the existing book and domain name. And this project has been around for a while:

* Since 2002-3 I have been working collaboratively with over 60 contributors to Be The Media, including freepress.net, Craig Newmark, Doc Searls, SFBay indymedia, Fault Lines, SFSU, and Robert Greenwald, among many others.

* In 2004 I registered the domains http://www.bethemedia.com (and .org).

* In 2004 I registered an ISBN number with Bowkers under that title.

* In 2005 the title "Be The Media" was registered with Books In Print.

Nevertheless, after putting 6 years of my life (and almost all my money) into this project, and with a firm Publication Date of September 1, 2008, you suddenly decided to call your initiative - hmmm - the same exact name and almost identical domain!

I am all in favor of spreading the “Be The Media” meme and being inclusive, just look a the most recent blog posts on http://www.bethemedia.org. Within the last 2 months I gave away free galleys of the book to attendees at the National Conference on Media Reform, at the Allied Media Conference, and the Alliance for Community Media conferences - all folks dedicated to supporting non-profit, community-based media.

It “appears” that you are inclusive too. So I am wondering why, when you bought an advanced copy of my book a few months ago, you didn't send me an email, or call me to let me know of your plans, or include me in your initiative, or discuss ways of working together?? I only found out about your site a few weeks ago through a Google alert on the phrase “BE THE MEDIA.”

Which is how I found out about your most recent post today, and which brings us to this: To say that "a group of lawyers" told you not to use the name is patently untrue.

No lawyers were involved. No one from Be The Media had any conversation with you at all. Right? So could you please create an updated post indicating the truth about this?

The fact is, after finding out your new project had the same name as mine, I had a very nice, civilized conversation with the NTEN Board member that tried to buy a book almost one year ago. She suggested I speak with the Executive Director of NTEN.

Once again, the NTEN ED and I had a very nice, friendly chat. The Executive Director apologized for not doing her due diligence on the name when submitting the grant request to the Surda Foundation, and kindly offered to encourage you to change the name. Which you did, or, are doing.

Outside of your ordering an advance copy of BE THE MEDIA in May 2008, I have not heard from you at all. We have never spoken. Nor have you, NTEN, or Surda had any discussion AT ALL with any "lawyers" representing Be The Media. Ever.

However, continue with posts that are completely untrue and you just might. This situation is getting beyond ridiculous and now borders on libelous. I do not appreciate being maligned through your blog posts, especially since this all happened because of your inability to create a unique name for your project.

And according to the comments on this post (including one of your own), I am not alone. The "Weare" people in New Hampshire and the "e-media" folks are now experiencing the same feelings of unease and concern that I felt, and asking the same question - What it Beth doing, and why us?

Clearly, you had foreknowledge that the Be The Media domain was taken – after all, you bought a book. But for the rest of the “weare’s” and “e-media's" out there - who put a lot of time, money, and energy into building name recognition and good will into their projects, how about doing a simple domain name search, or check Amazon, or Books in Print before committing to re-naming your project?

I honestly do wish you the best of luck with this project, whatever it is eventually called. But if this experience is your idea of “inclusiveness,” and indicative of your method of working together, please (continue to) count me out.

Sincerely,
David Mathison
Publisher, BE THE MEDIA

[Beth Kanter]

David,

I didn't select the name as you mention above. I believe you told NTEN that the reason you'd like us to change the name is that your lawyers were concerned.
http://www.nten.org/blog/2008/07/07/be-the-media-we-are-media
and we changed the name.

I'm sure we can work this out and wish you all the best with your project. I'd be happy to promote your book on this blog.

[david mathison]

Thanks Beth,

I apologize if the tone of my entry was somewhat abrasive. It was important for me to tell the "other" side of this story to you and your participants.

Thank you for your offer of help with Be The Media, and I will equally support your important and well-intentioned project.

Same team, same jerseys :)

Best,
David

[Beth Kanter]

But different names! :-)

I would not necessarily use the word abrasive, but I understand where you are coming from - your goal is to control your brand that you've invested in and sell your book.

In the interest of the full story, here's the initial email exchange about how we could co-promote your book when you first contacted us. I'd like to continue that thread here ...

If you'd like to do a book giveaway here on my blog, I am happy to that. I do a lot of them. The deal is that you, as the publisher, agree to mail the book directly to the winner.

---------
Hi Beth,

Thanks for your advance purchase of the book, Be The Media. The galley is out, and it is being reviewed by press, bloggers, and academia.

I am very interested in your/NTEN's wiki, and the Be The Media project. http://www.be-the-media.org/About+Project+Background. As you may know, I put over 6 years, quite a lot of money into building this, own both the BeTheMedia.com and .net domains, and am 3 months away from launching the book. I have also worked hard to get highly visible recognition with Be The Media from nationally known celebrities http://www.bethemedia.org/2008/06/whos-checking-o.html. This has not come easy nor cheap/

I am concerned that the same names may confuse the market. Perhaps there is a way to co-promote these efforts, as you know the book is a good start for the curriculum. Let me know how I can assist, I present and speak on web 2.0 tools, most recently at the Publishers Marketing Association meeting before Book Expo America http://www.bethemedia.org/2008/05/david-mathison.html

Best regards,

David

------------------
From: Beth Kanter

Hi David,

I can't wait to see the book and will definitely review it on my blog!

I think there are lots of ways to co-promote our projects. For starters, I added a link on the NTEN wiki to your book!.

This effort is being spearheaded by NTEN and focused on how nonprofit organizations and charities are using social media. I'm working on the project on behalf of NTEN - so I'm cc:ing Holly Ross who is the executive director and I'm sure we can came up with other ways to support each other's work.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Mathison

Dear Beth and Holly,

Super. Thanks for the link, the upcoming review, and for all your efforts!

I congratulate you on this worthwhile project, it looks great. I look forward to co-promoting and working together. I have a minor concern about the similarity in names/web sites, esp with regards to search engine results, etc. But knowing of your (and Lauren-Glen's) previous great work and ethics, I am sure that we will find ways to ameliorate concerns, and strengthen bonds in the "be the media" spirit J

Let's touch base when time allows? I am providing free Be The Media galleys to attendees of the Alliance for Community Media conference in DC in July, if you are heading down that way.

Peace!

David J

* * * * * * * * *
David Mathison
BE THE MEDIA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Mathison <
Date: Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 10:31 PM

Super. We are just waiting on another POD order of 50 galleys. Believe it or not, we already ordered and went through 250 galleys! We haven't even printed the book yet! I guess that's a good thing…

Thanks for your patience as we wrap this up.