The hardest working journalist in the Lehigh Valley, hands down, is Bernie O'Hare. This week, The Morning Call's Bill White tried to split hairs about the difference between bloggers and trained reporters; Could have been a argument years ago, but the multiple layoffs at the paper has taken the ink out of that bottle. Purchaser's of the hard copy paper are submitted to large photographs of White, Carpenter, Hartzell and the other columnists. They are made to wear costumes and pose like boxers. Did they teach that in journalism?
O'Hare attends no less than two governmental meetings each week, pesters the participants in between, and writes at least 10 posts a week. He still genuflects to the professional reporters with his canned testimonials; "They can find out more in a day than I can in a week.." White raised the issue of objectivity and editors, but again, I think he was being reminiscent of days past. I'm afraid the newspaper has turned into a 9 to 5 business; Monday's paper always looks like a flyer. Although the actual Bill White is shown above, Bernie O'Hare is portrayed by James Brown, who was another hard working guy.
This notion of self-publishing, which is what blogging is really about, is the next big wave of human communication. The last big wave was Web activity. Before that one it was e-mail. Instant messaging was an extension of e-mail. ========
ReplyDeleteEric Schmidt (Chairman and CEO of Google)
Quite simply a supply and demand issue. Blogging readership going up... print going down. So the question becomes are the blogger's or the reporter's talking points that carry more correct analysis as to what people should be reading or what actually appeals to the public's interests? Although, be it a given that the newspapers have 100x's more readership online then some of the highest viewed bloggers.
ReplyDeleteThere's no doubt in my mind newspapers are more creditable, but they too lean to the left or to right. The problem is they won't admit to it. Bloggers are far more straight up about where they stand, put it right out there and don't apologize for it.
Most bloggers supply links to support their material or post the documents themselves. In the MSM we only have the word of those doing the reporting. Albeit be it with Jarrette Renshaw who post many of his documents online.
I loved it when "professional" journalists beat their chest and yack on about "training".
ReplyDeleteI, for one, am DAMN PROUD to be able to say I have not been "trained" to PUSH THE FAILED AGENDA of Progressive Liberal Democrats.
Their crap is everywhere, even in the sports pages.
Everyone knows who and what the Main Stream Media, including newspapers such as the Morning Call are all about nowadays (and have been for quite some time...
...and the people are, by and large, disgusted.
They create their own animosity with bloggers with a "we're better (and smarter) than you" attitude, as well.
Bill White, and all the other "professional (water carriers)" can stick that in their pipe and smoke it as they go down with the ship.
I actually feel bad, sometimes, for Bill White and his MSM ilk...
ReplyDelete...and then I see that MC online has as one of it's headline, top stories =
"PARIS HILTON DENIED ENTRY INTO JAPAN"
This a day after the Senate failed to approve a Defense Authorization Bill for the first time in 50 years even though we still have troops in the field.
This a day after the US delegation at the United Nations DID NOT walk out on the speech of Mr. Holocaust Denier, himself, Iranian President "My Goal Is To Annihilate Israel" Ahmadinejad
Then I breakout laughing. And I feel oh so glad I never went into journalism...
Where are my pajamas?
The new paper owners make these once worthy journalists look like
ReplyDeletebuffoons, wrapped in costumes and scarves writing about penny pinching and overeating fair dining. But where can these guys find work? Few papers hire anyone. One TV news broadcast is being done with
no on-air staff. We predict news sooner than later will only be via blogs.
I actually feel bad, sometimes, for Bill White and his MSM ilk..."
ReplyDeleteWe do too. White has a graduate degree in journalism and this is how the paper treats him. He needs to support his family.
I attempted posting here, but don't know if it made it bc o your shitty system. Listen, insult me all you want, but if you think I'm going to sit here meekly and let you compliment me, you're in for trouble, damn it.
ReplyDeleteBob Woodward writes a book 'somewhat critical' of Obama and he can't get on "60 Minutes." When writing about Bush, et al he practically co-hosted that show. Let's see if he does Larry King and all the NBCommie networks.
ReplyDeletePS: Senator Joe McCarthy was right. The Soviet files prove it!
As far as editing at the MC, maybe to correct spelling, but not to push the envelope on content.
ReplyDeleteBlogs are the journalistic safety net of the community.
Those that cannot accept the lapse in editorial style and content are best advised to stick with print media, for however long that lasts.
The MC cannot do blogs, not enough individually passionate authorship, After all it really is a 9 to 5 ER for them.