Does mainstream media represent life in America in a way that rings true for you? Do the people you see on the news, and even in sitcoms or movies, remind you of the people you know? If you answered "no," then Collective Communities may be just what the doctor ordered.
A new Web site in development for PBS, Collective Communities, aims to showcase diverse perspectives on what life in America is like. Instead of a few producers deciding which stories to feature, the site's stories will come from Viewers Like You. While the site will initially focus on American communities, the producers hope to eventually broaden their vision to tell international stories, too.
The site is being produced by FRONTLINE/World and producers Tristan Ahtone, S. Leo Chiang and Jamiah Adams from the National Black Programming Consortium's New Media Institute. In addition to soliciting stories from communities across the country, the producers hope that the site creates a community of its own, with contributors sharing footage, information and ideas online.more
