First report through from the Wikimania conference in Germany (Aug. 4 through 8) courtesy of John Burke at editorsweblog.org. The Wiki movement, while young, is fascinating and has the potential to shape how we access news and information, especially in the light of how some publishers are using the free paradigm to maintain a link between their brands and consumers.
In reporting on the conference and a keynote speech by founder, Jimmy Wales – in which he listed ten challenges for the free culture movement – Burke, considers how newspapers might respond and says that free access to Wikinews archives should make newspapers reconsider their current approach of charging for access.
It is easy to dismiss the Wiki movement as irrelevant in Australia by pointing to newspaper sales. This can only be considered in the context of Wikinews etc access from Australia. It is a channel which has only existed for a short time and already there is considerable worldwide support. Its influence will grow, beyond the organic growth, as media ownership becomes more concentrated.