It’s a pity that this story about the blogging revolution is hidden behind the subscription curtain at the Scotsman. From my printed edition I offer this extract:
At their best, they provide an authentic new source of first-hand information. They break stories. They challenge professional reporters to get it right. They keep the media honest. They increase the flow of information. In that context, it doesn’t matter that most of them are rubbish.
Now who could that be? Glenn Reynolds perhaps? The folk over at Samizdata maybe? No, it’s none other than Bob Eggington, former editor-in-chief and creator of bbc.co.uk
(Cross-posted to Freedom and Whisky.)
emily messner debate in the washingtonpost on the new orleans disaster.
“president bush was asked to declare a state of emergency before the hurricane struck and he wisely did so.”
this opened the door to huge emergency help
”They keep the media honest.”
No – most blogs are an alternative to the media, not part of the MSM. They are replacing the media, not evaluating it.
”In that context, it doesn’t matter that most of them are rubbish.”
Depends on the rubbish you want to consume, I guess. Compared to the rubbish we are getting from the MSM, esp the BBC, I’ll take the rubbish from blogs any day.
Newsnight – feature on antique tunesmith Burt Bacharach. Excuse for some divine Aretha or the less divine Cilla. Well yes, but mainly because Burt, like Jagger, has found a few rhymes for neo-con.
With the BBC,
The torture never stops.
Bloggers also have the advantage of instant feedback. The ones with any kind of credibility will acknowledge and correct errors immediately and leave the error and correction for all to see.
They also provide sources. None of this “some say” obfuscation.
No stealth editing, unlike a certain BBroadCaster.
“a grotesque piece of mischievous journalism”
the bbc’s humphrys criticising the times piece on his rantings.
surely a good description of the bbc’s output.
‘Bloggers also have the advantage of instant feedback.’
Not really, because they’re generally read by people of exactly the same opinion as the writer who will sagely nod and agree with any old rubbish as long as it toes the correct ideological line.
‘No – most blogs are an alternative to the media, not part of the MSM. They are replacing the media, not evaluating it.’
Blogs are ENTERTAINMENT, no more no less. They’re no more a replacement for the media than a kickabout down the park is replacement for the Premiership.
Cockney :
apologies but are you saying that the BBC news output offers a broad range of opinion and does not ‘toe the correct ideological line?
Instant feedback? Do me a favour! Any odds going on how long they’ll take to correct this or fire James Reynolds?
Within the last week a Christian village in the Palestinian Authority territory has been ransacked, and there is murder and mayhem in the Gaza Strip – so much so that the Foreign Office is now warning people not to travel there. And what takes up several minutes on BBC 1 News at Ten? Drawings by Bansky on part of Israel’s security barrier.
Not only that, but when James Reynolds referred to the barrier as being “140 km long”, he refrained from mentioning that over 97 per cent of the construction is a fence, not a concrete wall. All the viewer saw was concrete, with the words “the higher it is, the more the Israelis like it.” Mr. Reynolds mentioned that Israel erected the barrier to protect its citizens from suicide bombers, but he didn’t mention how successful it is, that the barrier has saved hundreds of lives, and protected thousands from injury and loss.
No, all we saw were Palestinian graffiti “Resist”, “Free Palestine”, etc. as if protesting about the barrier was an act of heroism, rather than a wish that bombers could cross freely and get on with the business of killing Jews.
Palestinians were invited to give their views on the artwork, but no Israeli comments were included. Mr. Reynolds gave the impression he approved of the graffiti, noting “there is plenty of empty space left.”
This was not so much a news item as a propaganda piece. I wonder how the BBC chooses what to report as news? At a time when Britain has to take the threat of terrorists seriously, it is surprising that Israel’s efforts to protect her people are not accorded some sympathy or at least respect.
Cockney ; are you suggesting that the BBC news output does not ‘toe the correct ideological line’?
Seymour, sure and it gets enormous amounts of feedback. It just chooses to ignore it.
Big Mouth
Tears shed for terrorist-Arafat, inane praise for a graffiti artist. But not even a mention, let alone any fellow-feeling, for Christins being harassed and even murdered by Palestinians :
http://telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/09/09/wmid09.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/09/09/ixworld.html
I know that I should be far too old (i.e. over 13) to find this sort of thing amusing, but note the name of the BBC’s boxing correspondent.
Source of the pro-gay ‘agenda’?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/4166680.stm
Cockney
LOL!
Cockney,
The BBC is entertainment, no more, no less.
Journalism is about making the future LESS suprising.
Blogs are doing a million times better journalism than the BBC.
Cockney
“Source of the pro-gay ‘agenda'”
Irrefutable proof!!