1. The document describes a research project that used surveys and workshops to foster community engagement through local media in Bunkyo-ward, Tokyo. 2. Surveys examined relationships between community organizations, local media, and civic participation, finding neighbors talking and different networks distinguished by age. 3. Workshops called "A-I-U-E-O Gabun" were launched to collaboratively share memories through photos and captions, with content also shared on cable TV and a website. 4. The project aimed to build networks between community groups, local media, and participants to support long-term civic engagement.

1. Design of Community Media:
From Survey on Internet Usage and Civic Engagement to
Practical Research of Local Collaboration
Communities in the Digital Age
Canterbury Christ Church University
12th June 2013
Kiyoko Toriumi
University of Tokyo

2. “Design” for Community Media Research
Outline and Aim
• Until 1990s: “alternative” & “radical” as public
journalism and citizen movement
• After 2000s: more focuses on “community” &
“local” with globalization and digital technology
• “Design” activities in everyday life to foster
collaborative and reflective communication
among local community.

3. • Survey
– Quantitative: multiple regression analysis
– Qualitative: fieldwork and interview
• Media Practice Project
– Workshop
– Cross-media: CATV, website and flyer
– Network: university, municipality, local media
and citizen groups
Outline and Aim
“Design” for Community Media Research

4. Venue: Bunkyo-ward
Background
• Bunkyo-ward, Tokyo
– Located in the middle of 23 wards: 11.31 km2 gross area
– 193,100 population: 3.8% of foreign residents
– Known as residence of old literati and education center
Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo is located
“Bunkyo Great Learning”: Contract between
Bunkyo local government and University of Tokyo

5. • 3000 questionnaires were posted systematically to
Census blocks identified by the address list
• July, 2011 (one month)
• 55 questions on Media Usage and Civic Engagement
based on Communication Infrastructure Theory(CIT)
(Kim & Ball-Rokeach, 2006)
• 554 results were considered (response rate: 18.1%) by
multiple regression analysis
Surveys
Survey: quantitative

6. Structural
Factors
Residential Tenure
Home ownership
Socio-economic
status
Gender
Occupation
Ethnicity
Civic Engagement
Community
Organizations
Local/Ethn
ic Media Residents
Storytelling Network
Neighbor-
hood
Belonging
Collective
Efficacy
Civic
Participation
Communication Action Context
Surveys
Communication Infrastructure Theory(Kim & Ball-Rokeach, 2006: 187)

7. Surveys
Survey Results: quantitative
1. Community Organization, Local Media and Residents
had positive relationship
2. “Talking with neighbors about things happening in
local community” was the strongest valuable
3. 2 separated routes to civic engagement mainly
distinguished by age
– Neighborhood storytelling network
– Internet (PC & mobile) active users’ network
(Jung, Toriumi & Mizukoshi, submitted)

8. Surveys
Survey Results: quantitative
1. Community Organization, Local Media and Residents
had positive relationship.
2. “Talking with neighbors about things happening in
local community” was the strongest valuable
3. 2 separated routes to civic engagement mainly
distinguished by age
– Neighborhood storytelling network
– Internet (PC & mobile) active users’ network
(Jung, Toriumi & Mizukoshi, submitted)

9. • Fieldwork (includes participatory observation) and
Interview during Nov 2010 – April 2011
• Community Organization
– Bunkyo municipal government
– Council meetings for Life-long Education in Bunkyo-ward
– Citizens’ “circles” also their events and festivals (includes
media related activities)
• Local Media
– Cable Television (Tokyo Cable Network Inc.)
– Bulletin and HP of Bunkyo municipal government
Surveys
Survey: qualitative

10. Surveys
Survey Results: qualitative
1. Limited future-oriented Design Mind for managing
citizen groups in Bunkyo government
2. Active “Circles” were not well-networked nor visible
on the internet (digital tools were not fully utilized)
3. No recognized Community Media which residents
can easily access and participate

11. Launching Media Practice Project
Project
1. Design activities for residents to playfully talk each
other on local community: Workshop
2. Make a collaborative program between activities on
real space and the internet: Cross-media
3. Engage with Community Organization and Community
Media for supporting the project: Network
Launching
A-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the memories of community !
(Season1: May – July, 2011)

12. WS WS WS
WS WS
Workshop
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community
Implemented workshops
regularly using old and new
photos related Bunkyo-ward
local community.
A-I-U-E-O Gabun: form of simple
story game with photos(ga) &
sentences(bun)

13. Program: Sharing personal histories
Workshop

14. Program: Story game (along gabun fomat)
Workshop

15. Program: Showing and comments
Workshop

16. Program: Showing and comments
Workshop

17. WS WS WS
WS WS
CATV
Web
Flyer
Cross Media
1. CATV program on the
community channel ★
Tokyo Cable Network Inc.(TCN)
2. Official website ★
3. Envelop-shaped flyer
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community

18. WS WS
CATV
Web
WS
WS WS
Flyer
Cross Media
1. CATV program on the
community channel ★
Tokyo Cable Network Inc.(TCN)
2. Official website ★
3. Envelop-shaped flyer
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community

20. WS WS
CATV
Web
WS
WS WS
Flyer
Cross Media
1. CATV program on the
community channel ★
Tokyo Cable Network Inc.(TCN)
2. Official website ★
3. Envelop-shaped flyer
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community

21. Index and News
Theme video (link)
and message
Theme

22. Story supplements
by author
Comments from
reviewers
Like!

23. WS WS
CATV
Web
WS
WS WS
Flyer
Cross Media
1. CATV program on the
community channel ★
Tokyo Cable Network Inc.(TCN)
2. Official website ★
3. Envelop-shaped flyer
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community

25. “media exprimo”
“Bunkyo Great Learning”
University of
Tokyo, iii
Mizukoshi Lab
Bunkyo Local
Government
Academy Promotion
Tokyo Cable
Network Inc.
Community Channel
WS WS
CATV
Web
WS
WS WS
Flyer
Citizen
Groups
Schools
Local Shops’
Association
Network
ProjectA-I-U-E-O Gabun: Weave the Memories of Community

26. 1. Possibilities of “mezzo level” perspective bridging
empirical surveys and design practice as future-
oriented research
2. Built collaborative network among community
organizations, media and participants
• University as a hub
3. Analytical framework for capturing Long Term
process needed to be refined
• Regular surveys in each 5 years?
• How to describe the comprehensive practice process?
Conclusions
Conclusion

27. - Jung, J., Toriumi, K., Mizukoshi, S.(submitted): “Neighborhood
storytelling network, internet scope and civic activities after the Great
East Japan Earthquake”
- Kim, Y. C., Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (2006): “Civic engagement from a
communication infrastructure perspective”. Communication Theory. 16
(2), 173-197.
- Toriumi, K.(2013): “Citizens’ Media Design: Critical Media Practice on
“Folk Art” in the Digital Age”. (PhD dissertation)
- Toriumi, K.(2010). The A-I-U-E-O Gabun Photo-and-Wordplay
Workshop: A Participatory study of collaborative storytelling in local
communities, “Building Civic Participation through ‘Communal
Gaming’”, 2010 International Communication Association, June 2010,
Singapore.
Kiyoko Toriumi, University of Tokyo
miurito@gmail.com
References

28. Design of Community Media:
From Survey on Internet Usage and Civic Engagement to
Practical Research of Local Collaboration
Communities in the Digital Age
Canterbury Christ Church University
12th June 2013
Kiyoko Toriumi
University of Tokyo

29. Dec 2007, started experimental workshops around Japan
Season1: Knowing
- Intensive workshops, building relationships
History of the project
Season2: Collaborating
- Loose workshops, adjusting programs
Season3: Developing
- Mobile workshops, starting comprehensive
programs
May 2011
Sept 2012
July 2011
Sept 2011
May 2013
present
History of Project

30. • Launched “Comi Karuta (Community Card)” Project
– Karuta: Traditional card game with “drawing cards” and
“reading cards”, the sentence starts with each 45 modern
Japanese syllables. 1 photo and 1 sentence.
– Created “Mobile (Carrying) Workshop Kit” to visit local festivals
– Collected works’ video are distributed on the community bus
• Combining 3 forms of storytelling
– Karta, A-I-U-E-O- gabun, Digital storytelling (making a video)
• “Creating A-I-U-E-O Gabun” was published as a part of
high school textbook
– An Information Study for Participating Communities, 2013
Now
Where we are now

31. Mobile workshop kit
for local festivals
Video distribution in
Community Bus

32. • Form of expression simple yet enabled sustained
collaboration by diverse group
• Hints from traditional wordplay forms: renga, oriku
• A-I-U-E-O = 1 syllabary group of the modern Japanese
• ga = picture, bun = text
A-I-U-E-O gabun: photo-and-wordplay as
simple storytelling form
Form of story

33. A baseball stadium (Tokyo
doom) I went with him

34. I prayed for our eternal love
at the Yushima tenjin shrine

35. Unforgettable first date in
the Koraku-en garden

36. Every time I remember him,
when I pass through…

37. Otuska station where I met
him