Newsplex coordinating innovative program to help bridge generational media divide

A program funded by the Knight Foundation and coordinated out of the College’s Newsplex newsroom of the future is helping to bridge the divide between senior citizens and digital media. 

The project is called Bridging Generations through Technology, Information, Media and Engagement or BG TIME for short.

In early 2009, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced a $383,000 grant to the Central Carolina Community Foundation, which is contributing another $200,000 to the project. With in kind contributions, the value of the project over three years is more than $1 million.

Students from the University of South Carolina and Benedict College are being trained in Newsplex and dispatched to senior citizen centers to produce stories for a Web site hosted by The State newspaper.  (The Web address is www.bgtime.org.)  In addition, South Carolina ETV, another partner, is taping a documentary on the project.  The work of the seniors and students is being coordinated out of Newsplex.

The initiative is based upon the premise that senior citizens in our community have much to contribute to the civic dialogue. However, many lack the skills and opportunities necessary to use digital media.

“We think this is a model that can be applied with any number of groups,” said Newsplex Director Randy Covington.  “The students are hip to social media and technology.  The seniors know a lot about the community and its issues.  When you pair them up, the combination can be powerful,” Covington explained.

The student mentors receive a weeklong training course in Newsplex similar to those given to professional clients.  The students learn how to write for the Internet, create audio Podcasts as well as shoot and edit video.  They also are trained by a representative from the USC School of Medicine on how to teach and relate to older people. 

Over the summer of 2009, the first stories were posted to the site and a new Web site design will be implemented by the fall.

"Our community dialogue often lacks the valuable experiences, insights and historic perspectives that our seniors have to offer," said Community Foundation board member Susie VanHuss, who oversaw the successful grant application.  "We have carefully selected our initial service sites to reach diverse ethnic and economic groups to ensure we engage seniors from all walks of life," she said. 

The three sites chosen to participate in the first year are Capital Senior Center, Oak Reed Senior Apartments and Still Hopes.

Bridging Generations is one of 21 projects funded as part of the Knight Community Information Challenge. 

The Central Carolina Community Foundation serves 11 counties in the Midlands.  Its mission is to promote, facilitate and increase philanthropy to create a sustainable impact on our community through responsible giving.

Newsplex was built by IFRA, an international press consortium, and opened in 2002.  Since then, it has worked with some of the leading media organizations in the world, including the Financial Times in London, Impresa in Lisbon and El Tiempo in Bogota.  Newsplex also works with strategic communicators.  Among its clients are NATO, the U.S. Department of Justice and AARP.