{{Short description|American author, blogger and speaker}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see :Template:Infobox writer/doc --> | image = | name = David Mathison | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|8|10|mf=y}} | birth_place = Baldwin, New York, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Author, New Media Entrepreneur | education = SUNY Brockport (BA)<br>Columbia University | period = | genre = | subject = | movement = | notableworks = ''Be The Media'' (2009) | signature = | website = {{URL|http://www.bethemedia.com/}} }} '''David Mathison''' (born August 10, 1960) is an American author, blogger, speaker, entrepreneur, new media activist and event producer. He is best known for his book, ''Be The Media'', an encyclopedic guide to how individuals, organizations, and non-profits can use new media platforms to become content creators and distributors and reach audiences previously reserved for giant corporations.
==Life and early career== Mathison was born in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York, earned his B.A. in international affairs and political science from the State University of New York at Brockport in 1984, and received a Master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University in 1995.
After earning his B.A., he worked in the early software industry and, in 1994, joined Reuters NewMedia, where he pioneered online content syndication, creating and launching a service called ''Target News'' in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reuters Media About Us|url=http://about.reuters.com/onlinemedia/aboutus_frame.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818012138/http://about.reuters.com/onlinemedia/aboutus_frame.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2000|publisher=Reuters }}</ref>
In 1999, he founded the Kinecta Corporation, which provided infrastructure that streamlined internet content delivery and syndication.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schmeiser |first=Lisa |title=Make the Web your operating system |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2000-09-04/tech/seybold.webware.idg_1_web-site-mac-users-kinecta?_s=PM:TECH |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119161016/http://articles.cnn.com/2000-09-04/tech/seybold.webware.idg_1_web-site-mac-users-kinecta?_s=PM:TECH |url-status=dead |archivedate=19 January 2013 |publisher= |website=CNN }}</ref> In 2002, Kinecta was acquired by the Stellent, Inc.,<ref>{{cite web|title=Company Overview of Kinecta Corporation|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=124913|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118222908/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=124913|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013|publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref> which was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2006 for $440 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oracle Buys Stellent|url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/10319707/1/oracle-buys-stellent.html|publisher= |work=The Street|date=2 November 2006 }}</ref> In 2001, he founded the natural E creative group, a diversified media company specializing in print, digital publishing and event production for such non-profit organisations as Home Aid America, and digital and tech industry events such as the Chief Digital Officer Summit. In 2011, Mathison joined the international recruiting firm Chadick Ellig to launch a digital media department.
==''Be the Media''== Mathison's book, ''Be the Media,'' published in 2009, is a guide to content creation and distribution for individual creators across all media.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lasica|first=JD|title=6 questions for the author of 'Be the Media'|url=http://socialmedia.biz/2010/01/05/6-questions-for-the-author-of-be-the-media/|publisher= |website=Socialmedia.biz}}</ref> Mathison and ''Be the Media'' were featured in an Associated Press story<ref>{{cite news|title=Your Career: Developing your "personal brand"|url=http://newsok.com/your-career-developing-your-personal-brand/article/feed/59639?custom_click=rss|newspaper=The Oklahoman}}</ref> after over 5,000 copies were pre-sold in eleven days by Mathison on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The book has been used in course work in major journalism, media and communication schools such as Columbia University School of Journalism,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hearst Digital Media Programs |url=http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/page/220-hearst-digital-media-programs/14?printing=true |publisher=Columbia Journalism School |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221201210/http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/page/220-hearst-digital-media-programs/14?printing=true |archivedate=21 December 2012 }}</ref> Ithaca College,<ref>{{cite web|title=Park Center for Independent Media 2008 Symposium|url=http://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/independentmedia/symposium/participants/|publisher=Ithaca College}}</ref> and the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University's Nieman Foundation for Journalism.
Mathison is the host of an award-winning radio show, ''Be The Media''<ref>{{cite web|last=Lindeskog|first=Martin|title=100 Best Small Business Podcasts|url=http://www.smbtrendwire.com/2010/03/01/100-best-small-business-podcasts-2010/|publisher= |website=Small Business Trends}}</ref> on BlogTalkRadio.
==Philanthropy and activism== In April 2010, Mathison founded HomeAid.net,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Team|url=http://www.homeaid.net/pages/team/|publisher=HomeAid.net|access-date=2012-10-08|archive-date=2012-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213134807/http://www.homeaid.net/pages/team/|url-status=dead}}</ref> an annual campaign and event to benefit America's homeless, with Ken Kragen, who was instrumental in producing "We Are the World". Mathison is on the board of directors of HomeAid America,<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.homeaid.org/Board-of-Directors|publisher=HomeAid.org|access-date=2012-10-08|archive-date=2012-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017102427/http://www.homeaid.org/Board-of-Directors|url-status=dead}}</ref> which builds and renovates multi-unit shelters for America's temporarily homeless families and individuals, and Speakers Without Borders, an international non-profit organisation created to support professional speakers who are committed to inspiring the human spirit in under-served communities though the power of the spoken word.
Mathison, through bethemedia.org, takes an active role in such issues as media ownership, cable provider franchise agreements and net neutrality.<ref>{{cite web|last=Holt|first=Erica|title=Ways to help reform the media in the Bay Area|url=http://www.sfbg.com/40/26/superlist_media.html|publisher= |work=San Francisco Bay Guardian}}</ref>
Mathison was on the board of directors of WebHood (Cambridge, Massachusetts),<ref>{{cite web|last=Effel|first=Sean|title=Webhood Receives Sakey Award from CCTV|url=http://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/53|publisher=Cambridge Community Television|access-date=2012-10-08|archive-date=2015-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130184528/https://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/53|url-status=dead}}<br>- {{cite web|title=Webhood Board of Directors|url=http://selhosting.net/webhood/board.html|publisher=Webhood|access-date=2012-10-08|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215206/http://selhosting.net/webhood/board.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Project Censored's Media Freedom Foundation (Sonoma, California) and the Mountain Play Association (Mill Valley, California) and the board of conveners of the Community Media Center of Marin (San Rafael, California).
==Bibliography== *''Be The Media'' (2009) *''Killer Content'' by Mai-lan Thomsen (Addison-Wesley; 2000) Foreword by David Mathison *''Inside Secrets to Venture Capital'' by Brian E Hill and Dee Power (John Wiley & Sons; 2001) Interview with David Mathison *''XML Handbook'' by Brian Goldfarb (Prentice Hall), Third Edition (2000) Contributed article on the implementation of Information and Content Exchange
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.bethemedia.com Official Be The Media website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathison, David}} Category:American technology writers Category:Living people Category:School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni Category:American bloggers Category:1960 births Category:People from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York Category:SUNY Brockport alumni Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers