It's exciting to see some of our members using ScreenScape to power their own independent media networks. For a variety of reasons ScreenScape is ideal for this kind of thing. This post explores the potential of ScreenScape as a campus media platform in particular.
Why ScreenScape for Campus Media?
If you're looking to build your independent media network you're probably concerned with these three things.
- It has to be cost-effective.....as in nearly free.
- It has to be easy. Not just to create content, which is a given. It also has to be easy to build your network - to deploy new sites and new screens.
- It has to be community-based. Campus and other forms of Independent media rely on a distributed network of volunteers. Many rely on larger associations which together form a loosely affiliated network. Drawing upon the ideas and resources of each other makes each member that much stronger.
This sounds like a description of ScreenScape. At only $9.99/mo the service is downright cheap....even smaller groups can afford that. As for ease of use, ScreenScape offers a WYSIWYG display editing tool that makes content authoring about as easy as sending a file by email! Furthermore ScreenScape makes it simple to deploy new venues and new screens - all you have to do is point an Internet-connected computer to your custom ScreenScape address and boom the new screen is online and receiving all your latest updates. Thirdly, ScreenScape is nothing if not community-based. This has huge implications for Indpendent media. There's a remarkable singular/plural thing going on here and it's nothing if not democratic. In a sense the ScreenScape Community acts as a kind of wire service. Indepedent sites can join the network and decide which content to pull for their own specific purposes. While their display is completely branded to their liking and tailored to their audience they have an entire community behind them to make their own network more interesting.
»Click here to see an example
Deploying your own ScreenScape-powered Campus Media Network
There are many different ways to do it but but Figure 1 describes the beginnings of a typical ScreenScape-powered Campus Media Network. Here three groups have set up accounts on ScreenScape. Each group is actually a unique sub-group operating their own display. However by subscribing to each other's content each group incorporates the work of the other to create a coordinated and shared media network. This approach allows the student union to control a certain set of displays in the student union building, while the campus pub has ultimate editorial control over the screens in their bar.
What's more is that this campus media network itself can draw on a whole community of other campus media networks who by joining ScreenScape are building a powerful and diverse wire service for dozens of campus media outlets around the country.
Tips for Building an Independent Media Network
- Community leaders - sign up for ScreenScape. Register for an account at screenscape.net and start building your first display.
- Build your creative network. For a more interesting and more democratic approach encourage other groups or venues to sign up for ScreenScape and take and active part in the creative process.
- Create compelling content. Use a mix of text slides, poster slides, news feeds and web video. Jump on ScreenScape daily to issue timely messages. Browse the ScreenScape community for the best in shared content.
- Build your distribution network. Most venues around campus and student hang-outs will be happy to "show' your display onsite thus extending your reach. all it takes is an Internet-connected computer. Just give them your custom ScreenScape address and tell them to keep their browser locked. Note: Kiosk mode is recommended.
- Build up your subscriber base in the ScreenScape community. Communicate with like-minded networks across the country and ask them to subscribe to your content that is of general interest. Some of your pieces might reach 1000 screens!
Demo: My ScreenScape
