J.D. Lasica
Encyclopedia
J. D. Lasica is the byline of Joseph Daniel Lasica, a social media consultant, online journalist
and blog
ger. He is the author of Darknet: Hollywood's War Against the Digital Generation (ISBN 0-471-68334-5) (2005), a book about the copyright wars and the future of media.
Lasica was born in Passaic, New Jersey
and graduated from Rutgers University
, where he holds a BA in communication.
He began working in journalism as a reporter for the Passaic Herald News
, then held several editing positions at the Sacramento Union
and Sacramento Bee in California
. He left newspapers in 1997 when he joined Microsoft
's Sidewalk.com
city guide as copy chief and managing editor. In 1999 he joined BabyCenter.com, a site for new and expectant parents in San Francisco, as managing editor and then editorial director. He worked briefly as Director of Content and Production for iVendor in Sunnyvale, California
, before the Silicon Valley
startup folded in late 2000.
From 1997 to 2005, Lasica wrote dozens of free-lance articles for publications such as the American Journalism Review
, where he was its first new media columnist; the Online Journalism Review, where he was its chief columnist; and the now-defunct Industry Standard
magazine. In 2003 Lasica was editor of the white paper
We Media: How Audiences Are Shaping the Future of News and Information, published by the Media Center at the American Press Institute. From 2004 to 2005 he was a columnist for Engadget
, a technology blog. His book "Darknet" came out in May 2005.
In March 2005 he co-founded Ourmedia
, a grassroots media community and one of the first video hosting and sharing sites on the Internet, with co-founder Marc Canter
. He served as its chief executive until his departure in December 2008.
Lasica is also founder and president of Socialmedia.biz, a consulting firm and collaborative blog
that provides social media services to companies. In May 2009 he launched Socialbrite.org, a learning center and collaborative blog for nonprofits and social change organizations.
He has written three reports for the Aspen Institute
:
(1) The Mobile Generation: Global Transformations at the Cellular Level.
(2) Civic Engagement on the Move: How mobile media can serve the public good.
(3) Identity in the Age of Cloud Computing: The next-generation Internet's impact on business, governance and social interaction.
Lasica speaks regularly on the lecture circuit about social media and the future of media, having lectured at such venues as Harvard University
, Stanford University
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and the 2006 International Citizen Reporters' Forum in Seoul
. He serves on the board of directors of the Media Bloggers Association and on the advisory boards of the Center for Citizen Media, NowPublic
, and the Society for New Communications Research, among others. Additionally, Lasica serves as one of Board of Advisors for ClassWish.org
, a nonprofit organization.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger. He is the author of Darknet: Hollywood's War Against the Digital Generation (ISBN 0-471-68334-5) (2005), a book about the copyright wars and the future of media.
Lasica was born in Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
and graduated from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, where he holds a BA in communication.
He began working in journalism as a reporter for the Passaic Herald News
Herald News
The Herald News is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by North Jersey Media Group, which also publishes its sister paper, the Hackensack, New Jersey-based broadsheet The Record. The paper is published in Woodland Park , New Jersey, and focuses on the Passaic County, New Jersey area...
, then held several editing positions at the Sacramento Union
Sacramento Union
The Sacramento Union was a daily newspaper founded in 1851 in Sacramento, California. It was the oldest daily newspaper west of the Mississippi River before it closed its doors after 143 years in January 1994, no longer able to compete with The Sacramento Bee, which was founded in 1857, just six...
and Sacramento Bee in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He left newspapers in 1997 when he joined Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Sidewalk.com
Sidewalk.com
Sidewalk.com was first registered in 1995 by a C.D. Bell of Los Angeles, CA, as a website where local subscribers could gain a presence on the web. Bell compiled a lengthy list of possible names for his new domain, and much to his surprise his first choice, "Sidewalk.com", was available. Most of...
city guide as copy chief and managing editor. In 1999 he joined BabyCenter.com, a site for new and expectant parents in San Francisco, as managing editor and then editorial director. He worked briefly as Director of Content and Production for iVendor in Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley located in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, before the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
startup folded in late 2000.
From 1997 to 2005, Lasica wrote dozens of free-lance articles for publications such as the American Journalism Review
American Journalism Review
The American Journalism Review is a U.S. magazine covering topics in journalism. It is published six times a year by the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. The AJR has been owned since the late 1980s by a foundation of the university...
, where he was its first new media columnist; the Online Journalism Review, where he was its chief columnist; and the now-defunct Industry Standard
Industry Standard
Industry Standard is a 1982 album by The Dregs. It is their only album featuring vocals and garnered the group their fourth Grammy nomination.-Track listing:All tracks are written by Steve Morse, except where noted.#"Assembly Line" – 4:25...
magazine. In 2003 Lasica was editor of the white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
We Media: How Audiences Are Shaping the Future of News and Information, published by the Media Center at the American Press Institute. From 2004 to 2005 he was a columnist for Engadget
Engadget
Engadget is a multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics. Though on appearance Engadget functions much like a blog and may be defined as such, much of its editorial content takes the form of an online magazine...
, a technology blog. His book "Darknet" came out in May 2005.
In March 2005 he co-founded Ourmedia
Ourmedia
Ourmedia is a media archive, supported by the Internet Archive, which freely hosts any non-pornographic images, text, and video or audio clips, where this would not violate copyright laws. The website, which launched on March 21, 2005, was founded by Marc Canter and J.D. Lasica.The media archive,...
, a grassroots media community and one of the first video hosting and sharing sites on the Internet, with co-founder Marc Canter
Marc Canter
Marc Canter is CEO of Broadband Mechanics, which produces People Aggregator, a social networking tool with source available . Previously, he was a founder of the company that became Macromedia. His blog, Marc's Voice, frequently critiques other Internet luminaries and competitors, such as Mark...
. He served as its chief executive until his departure in December 2008.
Lasica is also founder and president of Socialmedia.biz, a consulting firm and collaborative blog
Collaborative blog
A collaborative blog is a type of weblog in which posts are written and published by more than one author. The majority of high profile collaborative blogs are based around a single uniting theme, such as politics or technology....
that provides social media services to companies. In May 2009 he launched Socialbrite.org, a learning center and collaborative blog for nonprofits and social change organizations.
He has written three reports for the Aspen Institute
Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The...
:
(1) The Mobile Generation: Global Transformations at the Cellular Level.
(2) Civic Engagement on the Move: How mobile media can serve the public good.
(3) Identity in the Age of Cloud Computing: The next-generation Internet's impact on business, governance and social interaction.
Lasica speaks regularly on the lecture circuit about social media and the future of media, having lectured at such venues as Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and the 2006 International Citizen Reporters' Forum in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. He serves on the board of directors of the Media Bloggers Association and on the advisory boards of the Center for Citizen Media, NowPublic
NowPublic
NowPublic is a user-generated social news website. The company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and was founded by Michael Tippett, Leonard Brody and Michael E. Meyers in 2005. On Sept. 2, 2009 the company was acquired by Clarity Digital Group, LLC, wholly owned by The Anschutz...
, and the Society for New Communications Research, among others. Additionally, Lasica serves as one of Board of Advisors for ClassWish.org
ClassWish
ClassWish is a nonprofit organization that addresses the shortage of funding for supplies and equipment in K-12 schools. Teachers, administrators and PTA/PTO leaders visit ClassWish.org to create Wish Lists of the items they need to equip their classrooms. Parents, alumni, neighbors, churches,...
, a nonprofit organization.