2025:Program/The Future of Multimedia in Wikimedia
Session title: The Future of Multimedia in Wikimedia
- Session type: Panel
- Track: Technology
- Language: en
đ„ Session recording: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WIKIMANIA_Day_3_Mombasa_-_Future_of_Multimedia_in_Wikimedia.webm đ„
"Multimedia in Wikimedia" will explore the evolving role and current limitations of multimedia content within Wikimedia Commons and its broader Wikimedia ecosystem. Historically viewed as an image repository serving Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons has struggled to meet the need for diverse multimedia uses, including video, audio, structured data, and advanced 3D content. Despite challenges, Commons hosts vibrant independent communities, evidenced by Wiki Loves Monumentsâthe worldâs largest photo contestâand significant contributions from cultural heritage institutions. Yet, adoption of structured data, new file formats, and multimedia such as color-textured 3D models remains slow. The session will critically assess these challenges, propose strategies to overcome cultural and technological barriers, and envision a more dynamic, multimedia-rich future for the Wikimedia movement to support a robust multimedia platform.
Description
Wikimedia Commons is traditionally seen as Wikipediaâs image repository, but this limits its growth as a diverse multimedia platform. The session highlights Commonsâ unmet potential and discusses ways to truly put the "media" into Wikimedia.
Commons is frequently overlooked as an independent project, despite clear evidence of its unique community strength. Wiki Loves Monuments attracts thousands of first-time contributors each year, showing Commonsâ ability to engage users directly. Additionally, GLAM institutions enrich Commons with valuable multimedia content far exceeding what Wikipedia can use, and envision image-based content portals similar to Google Arts and Culture or Flickr Commons.
However, Wikimedia faces critical technological and cultural barriers. Slow adoption of structured data in Commons hampers the discoverability and reuse of multimedia content. Current tools for uploading large batches and integrating new file formats are limited and cumbersome. For instance, Commons only supports basic STL 3D files, lacking the advanced, textured models widely used elsewhere, restricting educational and creative applications. Numerous organizations have been waiting on Commons to support these formats.
The adoption of video content is similarly slow. Wikipedia editors often prefer text-heavy articles, creating resistance to incorporating multimedia content. This cultural bias limits opportunities for richer educational experiences and typically discourages multimedia contributions.
Commons also struggles with hosting intermediate or source files essential for multimedia creators. RAW photo files or layered Photoshop PSD files are unsupported, hindering collaborative work and reuse. Groups such as the Commons Photographers Users Group and WikiPortraits would find these as crucial capabilities.
This session proposes practical solutions to these challenges. Discussions will include accelerating structured data adoption, advocating for broader multimedia acceptance, and improving tools for uploading diverse media formats. Additionally, it will address cultural shifts needed within the Wikimedia community to value multimedia content effectively. We might need more projects and experiments beyond Commons, as we have seen with NC Commons or Commons Archive.
Enhancing multimedia in the Wikimedia sphere will significantly improve its inclusivity, impact, and sustainability, but it is unclear how easy or willing we are to get there. This session and discussion will help further that conversation.
Panelists and discussants currently consist of educators, GLAM wiki experts, Commons administrators and photographers, and more.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 â Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
This session promotes inclusivity by supporting diverse multimedia formats and engaging broader communities across multiple languages. It emphasizes impact by recommending improvements to multimedia adoption, enhancing educational and collaborative experiences. Sustainability is addressed through advocating technological enhancements and cultural shifts, ensuring Commons has long-term relevance.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
- Etherpad link
https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Wikimania_2025_Future_of_Multimedia_in_Wikimedia
Resources
Speakers
- Andrew Lih
- Andrew Lih has been a Wikipedia editor since 2003 and is an administrator on English Wikipedia and Wikidata. He is the author of the 2009 book The Wikipedia Revolution: How a bunch of nobodies created the worldâs greatest encyclopedia. He is a passionate advocate of collaborative efforts between the cultural and heritage sector and the Wikimedia community. In the United States, he serves as Wikimedian at Large at the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. In 2022, he was named one of the first Wikimedia Laureate for his lifetime of work with the Wikimedia movement.
- Lutherking Petercan
- My name is Asuru Lutherking Petercan from Rivers State Nigeria, based in Lagos State Nigeria, studied Architecture in Rivers State University, (B.Tech, MSc, PhD in View), my past involvement with Wikimedia started in 2022 and fully in 2023 where I uploaded archives to Commons, created biography and helped edit articles following the information from archives uploaded, I started a group for GLAM heritage professionals in Nigeria, also carry wiki training workshops to train and teach about wiki tools and how to better wiki projects in Nigeria. I am a GLAM oriented Wikimedian having worked with galleries and archives in Nigeria, and I support the Global GLAM Community as well on various activities.
- Egbe Eugene (Eugene233)
- Eugene is a volunteer technical Wikimedian and mentor with experience in building tools which help facilitate editors work on Wikipedia, Metawiki and Wikidata. Eugene has been involved in growing and mentoring a community of African developers for the past 4 years and has worked on several personal, community and Wikimedia Foundation projects.
- Doc James
- James M. Heilman is a Canadian emergency physician, Wikipedian, and advocate for the improvement of Wikipedia's health-related content. He encourages other clinicians to contribute to the online encyclopedia.
- With the Wikipedia username Doc James, Heilman is an active contributor to WikiProject Medicine and a volunteer Wikipedia administrator. He was the president of Wikimedia Canada between 2010 and 2013, and founded and is the current president of Wiki Project Med Foundation.
- Kevin Payravi
- Kevin Payravi (User:SuperHamster) is a software engineer from the U.S., and has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2007. In addition to day-to-day editing, Kevin has developed a number of wiki tools and games, including Cite Unseen, View it!, and Indie Wiki Buddy, Commons Gallery, and WikiAsteroids. He also serves on the Board of Wikimedia DC and as an organizer for the Ohio Wikimedians User Group. Each year, he helps organize WikiConference North America and Wiki Loves Monuments in the United States.