Paul Riismandel

I am a media technologist specializing in educational and DIY media. Although I wear many hats– educational media producer, streaming media architect, writer and columnist, blogger and radio host–all of these areas converge in my lifelong love of all things media.

I believe that media literacy is core to contemporary education and being a citizen of the modern world. But literacy doesn’t end at merely consuming media. True literacy entails the ability to produce, manipulate and understand electronic and digital media.

Just about everything I do is in service to these goals and passions, on the job and off. I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to make my professional life converge with my life outside work to create a coherent whole.

I’ve been working in educational media professionally for more than 10 years, full-time since 2001 at the University of Illinois in a department now known as ATLAS, providing media services of all kinds to the faculty and students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. At ATLAS I am the manager for Digital Media Production and Support, overseeing every stage from the camera and microphone, to the editor, through the server, out to the player.

I am also a contributing editor and columnist for Streaming Media magazine, focusing on issues in educational media. I’ve made appearances at the Streaming Media conferences since 2005, where I have been a panelist and moderator. I really enjoy the SM shows because they bring together a diverse group of online media professionals and enthusiasts across different industries, non-profits and education, while maintaining a refreshing tone of frankness that isn’t consumed with the flavor of the moment.

Media has been my passion since I can remember, and making media has been my focus since I could learn to work a tape recorder or camcorder. I got my start in college radio in 1989 at WTSR in Trenton, NJ. I’ve kept my non-commercial radio jones satisfied at community radio WEFT in Champaign, IL since 1994 where I have served as Chair of the Programming Committee and the Board of Directors, in addition to producing and hosting programs. My current program is called mediageek, which focuses on grassroots and independent media, as well as the law and policy that affects our ability to freely create and receive media.

mediageek is also the name of my blog which I’ve been writing darn near since the birth of blogging, February 2000. Through times of thick and thin (posting) it’s where I’ve kept up with the media world and made my commentary on the laws, rules and regulations that help or restrict our ability to communicate freely, and the tools that make it all possible.

In 1999 I was a founding member of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, which still brings vital resources to the local community.

I’ve spoken about DIY media at numerous grassroots, academic and professional conferences, on topics ranging from podcasting and streaming video to media policy and pirate radio.

I am always glad to talk or email with anyone who has interests in any of these topics. I am available for consulting, especially in the area of educational and online media.

Contact me: paul(at)paulriismandel(dot)com