Is it self-parody which drives the BBC (in a story about the growing power of blogs and the blessedly waning influence of MSM as news gatekeeper) to completely omit mention of Dan Rather’s cliffwalk to retirement at the hands of lowly pajamahadeen? Here are a few graphs from the story:
The blogging movement has been building up for many years. Blogs in places like Iran have provided sources of information
Andrew Nachison, Director of the Media Center, a US-based think-tank that studies media, technology and society, highlights the US presidential race as a possible turning point for blogs. “You could look at that as a moment when audiences exercised a new form of power, to choose among many more sources of information than they have never had before,” he says.“And blogs were a key part of that transformation.”
Now this is where I was expecting some mention of Rather’s lame use of forged documents against Bush. Is it inept journalism or just plain bias that keeps them from mentioning a story that even got the Power Line bloggers a mention in Time.
Among them were blogs carrying picture messages, saying “we are sorry” for George W Bush’s victory and the responses from his supporters. [Emphasis mine]
Mr Nachison argues blogs have become independent sources for images and ideas that circumvent traditional sources of news and information such as newspapers, TV and radio. “We have to acknowledge that in all of these cases, mainstream media actually plays a role in the discussion and the distribution of these ideas,” he told the BBC News website. “But they followed the story, they didn’t lead it.”
Mr Nachison, the Beeb is not following, it is in denial. Instead of asking fellow journos or aging lefties, why not talk to some people who know more about blogging than Norm ‘the-horse-has-left-the-barn’ Chomsky or echo chambers of The American Press Institute they could start by talking to Hugh Hewitt or read his new book –Blog– or read his latest article on the collapse of old media. Maybe this revelation will bring further denial. If so, dear Auntie, be prepared for another embarrassing year.
While we’re talking blogs, enjoy this interview by Norm Geras featuring Donald Sensing.
(Hat tips: K-Lo in The Corner and Instapundit)
…the Beeb is not following, it is in denial… dear Auntie, be prepared for another embarrassing year.
Yes, worse than ever before. And in a year or so, maybe less, the dawn of videoblogs with the arrival of the TV studio in a briefcase (laptop/videocam/digital camera, broadcasting from a leached signal tapped at a hotspot or Starbucks). More flexible, better quality, a whole lot cheaper than satellite phones…
…and guaranteed to be devastating to the left’s faltering control of western media.
Just how long will a lazy bigot like Frei last, with a hostile camera dogging his heels? And what exactly does Hawley do, aside from totter to her spot in front of that damned palm tree every day? Enquiring minds want to know.
My main news on the S election this year came from blogsites. Any useful articles in the mainstream media were referenced as part of the running commentary, so there was a far wider coverage of both sides of the argument than the skewed lens of the main media.
The best summary still of every day’s US news is at
realclearpolitics.com
The site is right-wing – but it links to articles from all over the US press. But somehow the picture that emerges does not tally with Matt Frei’s garbage.
How much does it cost the license payer to keep Matt Frei on the road ?
“However, he agrees with other experts like the linguist and political analyst Noam Chomsky, that mainstream media has lost the traditional role of news gatekeeper.”
YES! That of course is the whole point – and what makes blogging and other new information technologies so threatening to the Liberal Elite. For decades – at least since the sixties in the United States – the media has been Liberal dominated and able to filter and spin the news to support their agenda without getting caught.
Thirty years ago information contradicting Dan Rather’s forgeries would never have been heard outside a tiny circle of conservative dissidents, and Bill Clinton’s ‘indiscretions’ would have been as thoroughly hushed up as John F. Kennedy’s.
The Left’s monopoly on communications has been broken – let Freedom Ring!!
Have you seen this story?
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=3662005
This is just a step too far. We pay this reporter her £250,000 salary and she flagrantly flaunts her left wing allegiance by holidaying with a f***ing dyed in the wool socialist indeed!!!!! See also further down the article about when she was questioned by a QC during the enquiry into the Scottish Parliament building for whom she previously was bridesmaid!!! Can you all please write a letter of protest at this? Right minded people will just have to start knocking these f***ers off one by one through campaigning, letter writing, (and eventually withdrawing support when the Stalinism of the licence fee ends) until the BBC realises that it is funded by public money and comes to heel. Outrageous.
Talking about Blogs, this post about UN CORRUPTION just caught my eye.
I don’t recall seeing anything about this in particular, but I remember years ago reading about the same thing about the UN in some place in the “New” Europe.
I wonder why this stuff is not stopped? Because no one knows about it?
This is my post
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
Up here in Scotland, there is a cosy cabal which has taken control of public finances, and nobody is holding the members to account because the MSM are part of it. Consequently, a scandal involving the waste of £430 million is discussed but it’s nobody’s fault.
As for the UN, the yanks should kick them out and send them to Paris where their corruption will be UNnoticed.