Most Wikipedians do not use video or audio very often or very well in articles, relying almost exclusively on text and photos. Perhaps the COVID pandemic has improved editors' skills in this area with all the Zoom calls we've had to make. The pandemic has also increased our need for multimedia as in-person conferences, such as Wikimania 2020, have been cancelled. This week Wikimania 2021 was turned into a virtual event (see this message from Janeen Uzzell on the Wikipedia-l mailing list).

The video and audio resources created to celebrate Wikipedia's 20th birthday demonstrate the flexibility of these media. The videos include a slick two-minute celebratory video, an hour-long video press conference from the WMF, and even longer deep dives produced by the community.

Videos

• Happy 20th birthday, Wikipedia! celebrates 20 years of the Wikipedia movement. Also available on YouTube, Vimeo, and the Wikimedia Foundation. (time 2:17)
• Wikipedia 20 Press Call The press talks to Jimmy Wales, Katherine Maher, Dr. Netha Hussain, and Wikipedia editor Risker. Moderated by Anusha Alikhan. Includes transcript. (time 1:15:00)

• Wikimedia New York City celebrates 20 years of Wikipedia. New York Wikipedians relate their personal experiences with Wikipedia and how the NYC chapter developed. Produced by the master of Wikipedia video, Victor Grigas. (time 39:50)
• Wikipedia Weekly features contributors to the thick book of essays Wikipedia @ 20, Stories of an Incomplete Revolution, published by MIT Press. The guests include the co-editors Jackie Koerner and Joseph Reagle; academics Phoebe Ayres, Brian Keegan, and Benjamin Mako Hill; journalist Stephen Harrison; and others. (time 1:34:00)

Audio

• Economist asks Jimmy Wales "Is social media still a force for good?" Wales covers several variants of this question, but part of his answer is that Wikipedia serves our readers, not our advertisers. Everybody knows what an encyclopedia is and the community has stayed faithful to the project's original goals. (time 27:15)
• One Page At A Time, Jess Wade Is Changing Wikipedia: Jess Wade on NPR about how she has changed Wikipedia by writing articles on scientists from under-represented groups such as Sarah Gilbert, Kizzmekia Corbett, and Gladys West. (time 13:29)
• The World According to Wikipedia, the new Irish podcast has now completed 5 episodes. In this GLAM/Birthday episode they interview a digital docent based in Washington, D.C. who works with the Smithsonian Institution. (time 26:56)
• "Wikipedia At 20: The Promises And Pitfalls Of The 'Free Encyclopedia' ": Connecticut Public Radio interviews Wikipedians Molly White, Sherry Antoine, and Ariella Rotramel to hear an insiders' view of the Wikipedia editing process, including how Wikipedians have developed tools to fight misinformation, and how they are working to address "persistent gender, racial, and geographic disparities". (time 49:00)