New media and other media in Communicating Archaeology

Other media and new media

Keynote speaker: John Tierney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects

What is the value of exhibitions, posters, websites and events? Are thoughtful argument and

a permanent record sacrificed in the pursuit of mass communications and high impact media?

June 16 2011Harbour Hotel, Galway

New Media

CommunicateThe Message - The story of people and place in the

past

• Consult• Inform• Educate• Collaborate• Editors (quality)• Registrars (keep track of every thing)• Heritage practice is the practice of critical thinking

New media mechanisms for Communication

• Transmedia (storytelling across different platforms )– Timeline– Video– Audio– Text – Host and multiple outputs – feed out into browsers, mobile handsets,

televisions, geolocated datasets• Personal Learning Networks

– People organise their learning datasets with different tools• Eg. Video based learners use Vimeo or Youtube• Audio – use Audioboo or iTunes• Mix and match is not only allowed but expected

• Archaeologists as guides in this new media landscape ie the editors and registrars mentioned earlier

National Roads Authority

NRA Communication Strategy

• During excavations –school visits and site visits

• Annual Seminars• Monographs• Seanda (print and digital)• Brochures, leaflets and Posters (print and

digital)• Archaeological Excavations Database (digital)

Clogher Historical Society

How are the CHS communicating archaeology now?

• Annual journal publication (Print and Jstor online)

• Current projects (amongst others)– 1643 Owen Roe O’Neill Walk – tracing historical

walks – experts in place– Tripartite life of St Patrick – tracing places– Performing plays based on the historic sources,

engaging communities

Grassroots Communications

• Be your own scientist• Canmore V Mycanmore– http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/mycanmore/– http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/– Gail Durbin V&A Museum• ‘ask people to contribute data or content they are

expert in’ (http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/bios/au_220013117.html)

• What are Irish local historical and heritage groups expert in?– Their local places

http://her.highland.gov.uk/

Field survey and facebook

Datasets

Datasets (open?)

Grey Literature

Who are we communicating with?Eachtra Journal

Historic Graves

Conclusions• Communicate – role for professional archaeologists

– Datasets- collaborations in digital data publication– Education- local heritage practitioners– Journals, books, monographs, magazines – contributors– Heritage media– primary producers and collaborators with local groups– We need multiple strands of publication for the full range of heritage media that we

produce (TRANSMEDIA)– We need print media, video, audio, digital

– Strong editorial input required regardless of media involved– Strong Registration Required

• Benefits– New media – increased participation, mainstreaming of archaeology– This is a very exciting time full of potential– The means of production is affordable for everybody - for local and global publication