25/06/2007

Blogs undermine journalism

Clear Red Water has an interesting post entitled the Cult of the Amateur, which is a comment on the book The Cult of the Amateur: How today's Internet is killing our culture by Andrew Keen. I haven't read the book, so this response is to Clear Red Water's post only.

The argument made by CRW and Keen is that amateur blogs undermine the rules and constraints of professional journalism, by allowing all and sundry to comment without being "subject to ... professional, academic or peer reviewing".
"Blogs have become so dizzyingly infinite that they have undermined our sense of what is true and false, what is real or imaginary. These days, kids can't tell the difference between credible news by objective professional journalists and what they read on joeshmoe.blogspot.com"


My blogs aren't amateur journalism. Anybody visiting my blogs for objective journalism, considered analysis or fair insight is going to be bitterly disappointed. My blogs are just a note of my personal thought, they have no authority other than "this is what Alwyn thinks". The posts are not objective they are my biased, partisan, often bad tempered, some times drunken, arguments about the issues of the day.

My blogs are the electronic equivalent of what I might say if I was having a political discussion with my mates down the pub. The only similarity between this blog and journalism is a similarity to the letters to the editor's page or the radio phone in programme. As long as those reading and, most importantly, those writing personal political blogs are aware of their nature then they should not "undermine our sense of what is true and false, what is real or imaginary".

If writers and readers are aware of the nature of amateur blogs then I believe that blogs add to the political process and actually enhance, rather than distract from, political journalism and professional political comment. That they do contribute to the democratic process.

Objective political journalism and the views of political leaders are worthless in a vacuum. Ordinary people discussing the views of political commentators and leaders are what gives those views value.

Democratic change happens when the views of political commentators and opinion formers influence ordinary people, that influence can only happen when the people discuss the issues raised. Amateur blogs can play an important part in contributing to that discussion, as long as readers are aware that the contribution to the discussion made by a miserable old fart on a blog such as this has the same value as the contribution made by a miserable old fart over a half of mild and a game of dominoes in the Dog and Duck

11 comments:

  1. Well said Alwyn. My goodness if I am being evaluated as a Journo then I will cease forth with.
    I too like a ramble or a skip through issues, depending on how my day has gone.
    I don't frequent pubs - not that I am Tea Total. I am more of a lets chat over a G and T in the kitchen or a good exchange of clecs over the phone.
    Some times I even indulge in a real good session of intellectual Masturbation with a few academics.
    But journalist no Politician, no
    Just a Valleys Mam

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  2. You're quite right Alwyn. The blogosphere is as democratic as it gets when it comes to voicing your own opinion.

    CRW gets a job with an AM and suddenly he's an "academic journalist". The guy can't even spell! It's an amusing if rather pitiful example of sour-grapes.

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  3. A part of the appeal of the 'political' blogosphere for me is to read what 'ordinary' people think, i.e. those who are not caught up in the party machinery.

    We are all politicians in the sense that we shape the society we live in. If 'real' politicians read this stuff - so much the better! As for 'real' journalists, if they can't make the distinction between sourced material and opinion, then they are not 'real' journalists at all.

    Mine's a pint of cider, by the way :)

    Ordo - I thought the point CRW was making was that he has realised his blog fails to reach the mark.

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  4. Thank you Alwyn. One of the most precious things we still have in this country is Free Speech. There are so many countries where the average person cannot say what they think. The internet has allowed more of us to have an opinion, and that's all they are, an opinion. Indeed, that's all journalists have. Now with more opinions available we have a better chance of getting to the truth!

    CRW's world has changed as he relied on unquestioned spin to represent what he believed in. Without spin these dictats are nothing.

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  5. Unfortunately I left a rather long winded comment on his blog, to which he got the wrong end of the stick. Keen's book has had some pretty lousy reviews over here (LA Times etc).

    Essentially he creates a "strawman" (Blogging replacing professional journalism) and falls flat on his ass mainly because no one pretends to be.

    Another point that he could be accused of hypocrisy is on the issue of anonymity. He leaves the blogging world saying that he does not have the time. Then comes back under a pseudonym (just like Zorro).

    Why? Geriant and Luke Young do not. Why does he?

    Oi Veh

    In sweltering Kansas

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  6. "You're quite right Alwyn. The blogosphere is as democratic as it gets when it comes to voicing your own opinion.

    CRW gets a job with an AM and suddenly he's an "academic journalist". The guy can't even spell! It's an amusing if rather pitiful example of sour-grapes."

    Man you are in your thirties, is there any real need to post such lies and nasty barbs. Do you honestly think that at your age you really need to throw such petty insults?

    Does anyone else think that such a comment is called for? alwyn? morgan hen? gwe? I really want to know if throwing such insults when clearly he hasnt even read or certainly not understood my post is the right thing to do? What about if i was dyslexic? I am not but that doesnt matter to a bully like Sandeff.

    Can any of you find any part of my post that refers to me saying i am an 'academic journalist'?

    here we are just to clarify...

    "I implore any blogger to read Andrew Keen's book and tell me honestly whether they think their blog falls into the trap or classification that he sets out. My blog does i can assure you- and therein lies the epiphany for me."

    I see GWE has backed me up regarding what i actually said.

    My post was to raise discussion, not to make any judgement on anyone elses blog. It has done that has it not? Sandeff, anyone who actually read the piece would see that i say quite clearly that MY BLOG FITS INTO THE BLOGS ANDREW KEEN CRITICISES. Alwyn? can you please back me up on this.

    Morgan hen,

    I find it odd that i replied to your comment, i welcome your comment, i got on another blog and the mud flinging starts.

    "Another point that he could be accused of hypocrisy is on the issue of anonymity. He leaves the blogging world saying that he does not have the time. Then comes back under a pseudonym (just like Zorro)."

    I think Sandeff has made it very clear who i am- it is not some big secret, although due to my job it will be very difficult to blog as i have been 'outed'. I had to try and hide my identity because i have a job that makes me privvy to many of the things you guys talk about with such vigour and i have a young family that relies on me keeping my job. There is no sinister reason or hypocrisy in that i hope?

    The problem arises because like Sandeff, i have people who just shout about who i work for rather than just my point of view. This excludes many people who work in politics being able to express any opinion for fear of repproach, is that democratic? I think the debate would be enriched by people who actually work in politics blogging, but there you go.

    I hope you have had your pound of flesh Sandeff. Your bully boy tactics are not nice and give honest debate a bad name. I find it hard to take you at face value when you message me on Facebook one minute, then lay the boot in the next minute.

    If anyone else thinks that such snide remarks help debate, which the other people involved in this thread have done then i am very surprised.

    Good night and good luck.

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  7. crw - it would help if you tried to spell Sanddef's name correctly.

    A lot of mainstream journos use their position to push a particular political agenda sometimes by lying. The best blogs are exposing these deliberate lies - the recent war in Lebanon provided some clear examples.

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  8. "crw - it would help if you tried to spell Sanddef's name correctly."

    Well apologies for not spelling a person who hurls insults at me name wrong.

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  9. Man you are in your thirties, is there any real need to post such lies and nasty barbs. Do you honestly think that at your age you really need to throw such petty insults?


    You've dug your own hole, mate. As usual you're own long hissy fit monologue damns you a lot more than any remark made by me could. Take some friendly advice from an experienced cybernaut and chill out.

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  10. "You've dug your own hole, mate. As usual you're own long hissy fit monologue damns you a lot more than any remark made by me could. Take some friendly advice from an experienced cybernaut and chill out."

    So i take you dont apologize in anyway for your insults? You dont accept that you got it wrong like GWE makes its clear?

    "Ordo - I thought the point CRW was making was that he has realised his blog fails to reach the mark."

    Are you or gwe right then?


    Do you think throwing insults is correct and adds to the debate?

    YES OR NO.

    I am totally chilled my man, i just think you are bang out of order and it was spiteful and more importantly wrong.

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  11. So i take you dont apologize in anyway for your insults?

    Do you actually read your own comments, Marcus?

    ReplyDelete