The Knight Commission released its report Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age on October 2, 2009. The Commission seeks to start a national discussion – leading to real action. Its aims are to maximize the availability and flow of credible local information; to enhance access and capacity to use the new tools of knowledge and exchange; and to encourage people to engage with information and each other within their geographic communities. All are welcome to participate in the national dialogue on the Commission’s ... (continue)

This article was written by Sandy Heierbacher at the request of Yes! Magazine (and published here on August 21, 2009). Sandy also created two abbreviated versions of this article and a one-page ready-to-print flier for public officials, encouraging NCDD members and others to use the resources freely for blog posts, letters to the editor, etc. during and after the contentious August 2009 town halls on health care.  All four of these resources are based on insights and tips shared by NCDD members during this controversial ... (continue)

Here’s a good example of an adaptation and elaboration of the NCDD Upgrading the Way We Do Politics article. The following article, prepared by the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University, appeared as a column in The Manhattan Mercury on Sunday, August 23, and it has been submitted to several other papers across Kansas. Town hall meetings held on healthcare legislation across the country are exploding with emotion, frustration, and conflict. Citizens are showing up in throngs to protest and shout ... (continue)

The following article is one of a series of articles NCDD created in August 2009 in response to the volatile town hall meetings on healthcare held at the time. NCDD members were encouraged to adapt the articles and submit them as op-eds in their local papers. Go to http://ncdd.org/rc/item/3172 to see the other articles and one-page flyer. – Town hall meetings being held on healthcare legislation across the country are exploding with emotion, frustration, and conflict. Citizens are showing up in throngs to speak out ... (continue)

The following article is one of a series of articles NCDD created in August 2009 in response to the volatile town hall meetings on healthcare held at the time. NCDD members were encouraged to adapt the articles and submit them as op-eds in their local papers. Go to http://ncdd.org/rc/item/3172 to see the other articles and one-page flyer. – Town hall meetings being held on healthcare legislation across the country are exploding with emotion, frustration, and conflict. Citizens are showing up in throngs to speak out ... (continue)

This was the fifth topic focused on by the “Democracy Communications Network,” a 2007-2009 project that encouraged leaders in dialogue and deliberation to periodically write op-eds and blog posts as part of collaborative media campaigns that raise awareness of the importance of quality public engagement. Use the “Democracy Communications Network” tag to see all the great articles that were written in association with this project. Also see the General Tips for Writing Op-Ed Articles. For our fifth round of letters to the editor, members of ... (continue)

Inspiring 10-minute VHS or PAL format video of 2002 MSNBC coverage of the long-running and much-duplicated Jewish/Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group convened by Libby and Len Traubman in San Mateo, California. View this and other videos covering Jewish-Palestinian dialogue at traubman.igc.org/stream.htm. (continue)

Civic journalism sets out to provide people with detailed news and information about specific issues to allow them to make the decisions they are called on to make in a democratic society. Newspapers, radio and television stations, and the internet combine to provide forums for citizens to question their politicians, polling the electorate to elicit the major issues and then questioning legislators. (continue)

In 2004 and 2005, NCDD contracted with AmericaSpeaks to have them conduct a scoping study to determine whether a 'National Dialogue Bureau' was a feasible idea. The Dialogue Bureau, if developed, would supply journalists with a 'one stop' destination for the collection of views held by ordinary Americans who engage in informed dialogue about current affairs. The Dialogue Bureau would create a network of leaders of dialogue and deliberation groups who are willing to speak with the media about the key findings and concerns of their group. Here is the home of the final reports resulting from interviews with journalists and leaders in D&D. (continue)

Here are some great tips that Joe Goldman from AmericaSpeaks sent out to people who were considering writing op-eds/letters to the editor in response to John Edwards' October 2007 announcement that he would create deliberative "Citizen Congresses" if he were to become President. These are great tips for anyone writing a letter to the editor of their local paper on any topic. (continue)