By: Ian Britton
Online shopping, whether it be for music,movies,books or clothing is definitely the way to go! After reading The Long Tail, I can't help but feel excited that finally the consumer is king.
It's amazing to me to think that so much of what is made and produced out there, in reality, never gets a chance to be seen,heard or viewed. Being recently introduced to the pros and cons of online shopping and the amazing purchasing power that the Internet offers, I am forced to side with the medium that offers me more for less.
What I want vs. What they think I want
Everyone is unique and different and when faced with various possibilities, each will have their preferences but how do you know what you want if you don't even know it exists? Online shopping puts what you never knew existed in your face and lets you decide whether you want to buy it or not, no pressure, no nosey salesperson breathing down your neck while you look,it's entirely up to you.
The long Tail article made me realize how the price of manufacturing products and the expectations put upon their rate of sale has created a world of sameness. With the advent of online shopping and it's growing popularity, being different nowadays couldn't be easier and I'm thankful for that.
People want more for less and the Internet has allowed the consumer to get just that. The giants of retail such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy are starting to catch-up but are still too profit oriented and they fail to meet the real time demands of their costumers. The more we use our purchasing power via the Internet the clearer our message becomes; we want more, much more and we'll pay...but less, much less.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
is it okay to make a living?
Is it okay to make a living ?
It seems like every time creativity and money intersect, debates on integrity ensue.
I strongly disagree with the idea that, because of money, integrity falls.
Art seems to be the only vocation laden with this concept of purity,except for religion,
then the catholic church,
·Jimmy Swaggard
and other money grabbing evangelist have put a stop to that.
So lets stop the self flagellation. Blogs provide education or entertainment.
it takes time to create, time is money. It is good to be paid for your time.
I am not worthy
Blogs are the work of individuals, I imagine that the writers must have control over production. Now if you're independently wealthy, maybe the need to earn a few bucks seems silly, but people like me, who need to earn a living. Every bit counts. if I can spend more time doing what I like doing, and less time saying " would you like me to supersize that?" I think it's a good thing.
Why you shouldn't make money from your blog?
- You have taken a vow of poverty.
- you only make money from things you hate doing.
- you enjoy suffering for your art.
- making more money puts you into a higher tax bracket.
- you think the internet is old school. Mental telepathy is the wave of the future.
-
-
-
-
Cheques and Balances
Don't worry about becoming a big whore. if there is too many ads and not enough content the readers will let you know. If there are no readers, well, I think you'll find out, a blog about your navel lint may stop being interesting to people who wish to place ads. The system seems to self regulate.
Ads Can Be a Blogger's Bestfriend or Worst Enemy
Darren Rowse's article touches base on the idea that people blog for so many different reasons. These reasons don't all have something to do with money though. But, to make a financial success out of your blog, well, you need ads. The catch is that putting ads on a blog can sometimes not be a good idea and it has something to do with these 5 points:
Scenario 1: By putting up ads that are actually your competition
Scenario 2: By poorly introducing ads to blog sites
Scenario 3: Blogging for $ and not out of love
Scenario 4: By creating too much clutter with your ads
Scenario 5: By promoting advertisements whose products ripp people off
What's crazy is that these points make Perez Hilton look good!
His blogs are not consumed by ads though they have increased within the last several months due to his book promotion. Also, he doesn't come off as money obsessed because what he writes is what he loves which involves hating on people. Interestingly enough, Perez builds his reputation bashing the entertainers in the entertainment industry. So, to build his reputation in the blogging industry he basically destroys another industry. But, with this destruction comes high readership levels. Perez receives millions of hits in a day. Lesson learned. Do blogging out of love, by finding your 'niche' and don't let the ads get to you.
Scenario 1: By putting up ads that are actually your competition
Scenario 2: By poorly introducing ads to blog sites
Scenario 3: Blogging for $ and not out of love
Scenario 4: By creating too much clutter with your ads
Scenario 5: By promoting advertisements whose products ripp people off
What's crazy is that these points make Perez Hilton look good!
His blogs are not consumed by ads though they have increased within the last several months due to his book promotion. Also, he doesn't come off as money obsessed because what he writes is what he loves which involves hating on people. Interestingly enough, Perez builds his reputation bashing the entertainers in the entertainment industry. So, to build his reputation in the blogging industry he basically destroys another industry. But, with this destruction comes high readership levels. Perez receives millions of hits in a day. Lesson learned. Do blogging out of love, by finding your 'niche' and don't let the ads get to you.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Oh the Possibilities: Blogging for Cash
Blogging for money demonstrates that the future of journalism as blogging is possible. The Rowse reading, "Should I Blog For Money?", gives good insight into the world of blogging for profits. Any ambitious amateur would find his assessment of the risks and benefits of blogging to be quite accurate and certainly very helpful. It is important that we recognize the opportunities and capabilities of this rapidly popularizing media form, as it is the future of our field. It is the genuinely communist form of journalism, distributed by and for the people. It is citizens demonstrating that the will to know the truth is more powerful than the money that pays for ignorance in the media.
Articles like the aforementioned Rowse piece can be very helpful to beginners in the blogging community. It opens your eyes to the possibilities of blogging for cash and also warns you about the possible downsides. It is really important to recognize that advertising on your blog is not for everyone and that you must really consider whether or not it will conflict with your personal objectives, your readers' interests and your overall product. We cannot let ourselves repeat the mistakes of the past informers, we must re-establish journalism as a honest and noteworthy practice.
Use Your Blog to Land Paid Writing Gigs 9 Practical Tips by Steven Snell was even more helpful, in my opinion. When thinking of paid blogging, I only considered sponsored sites with advertising. I never thought about blogging as a means of getting your name out.
All of this talk about paid blogging reminded me of a great lady I know. Her name is Mary Jane Mucklestone, and she has a knitting blog called Mary Jane, Midge & Mink. Mary Jane once worked for Interweave Knits Magazine, but now she makes amazing knitting patterns for several different knitting books, websites and magazines. She has made money off blogging in a way not discussed in the readings. Mary Jane sells her own pattern on her website. In doing this, she utilizes her own niche and her own resources to make some extra cash. This just goes to show that there are many blogging possibilities yet to be explored and discovered. Traditionalist journalists and weblog Critics need to open their eyes to the possibilities of this new medium. They need to recognize that there is still a lot to be learned about blogging and we can only do so through experimentation.
Articles like the aforementioned Rowse piece can be very helpful to beginners in the blogging community. It opens your eyes to the possibilities of blogging for cash and also warns you about the possible downsides. It is really important to recognize that advertising on your blog is not for everyone and that you must really consider whether or not it will conflict with your personal objectives, your readers' interests and your overall product. We cannot let ourselves repeat the mistakes of the past informers, we must re-establish journalism as a honest and noteworthy practice.
Use Your Blog to Land Paid Writing Gigs 9 Practical Tips by Steven Snell was even more helpful, in my opinion. When thinking of paid blogging, I only considered sponsored sites with advertising. I never thought about blogging as a means of getting your name out.
All of this talk about paid blogging reminded me of a great lady I know. Her name is Mary Jane Mucklestone, and she has a knitting blog called Mary Jane, Midge & Mink. Mary Jane once worked for Interweave Knits Magazine, but now she makes amazing knitting patterns for several different knitting books, websites and magazines. She has made money off blogging in a way not discussed in the readings. Mary Jane sells her own pattern on her website. In doing this, she utilizes her own niche and her own resources to make some extra cash. This just goes to show that there are many blogging possibilities yet to be explored and discovered. Traditionalist journalists and weblog Critics need to open their eyes to the possibilities of this new medium. They need to recognize that there is still a lot to be learned about blogging and we can only do so through experimentation.
New Beginnings: Blogging for Success
Having never blogged before taking this Citizen Journalism class, I definitely fall into the category of beginner to the blogging experience. So, last week it was with great interest, anticipation, and yes, some apprehension that I read Darren Rowse's article, Ten Tips for writing a blog post. And thank goodness I did. Rowse's writing is concise, clear, and packed full of relevant information proving his third point, that your blog doesn't have to be novel length to be effective and informative. This week's reading, An Introduction to Using Images on Blogs also by Rowse, has been an invaluable, easy to read, helpful, source of information as well for an inexperienced blogger such as myself.
Commitment a Positive Step
Whether you're writing a blog, an article, a play, a book, or a memoir, it is extremely important to think positively and always believe in yourself and you're efforts. Especially when your learning a new concept, such as linking both images and other blogs to enhance your blog space. As daunting as this task was I didn't want to give up.Failure is a necessary part of our learning process, we need to embrace and learn from our mistakes in order to be successful with our web writing endeavors. If at first you don't succeed try,try again is a popular saying many of us have heard before and it makes sense. Dr. Seuss's first book was rejected by 27 publishing houses, before becoming the author of more than 40 best-selling children's books. If we like something we will not only stick with it longer but, we will put forth more energy, effort, and time so it helps if we are writing about topics we enjoy.In doing so, we can actually work through our fears and try new approaches to writing such as blogging.
5 Strategies for Success
- Set a writing timetable for yourself everyday and stick to it.If you know your more alert and on top of things in the afternoon schedule it then. What's important is respecting the time you are giving yourself permission to write.
- Don't even think about procrastinating. I used to be the worst one, putting things off until the last minute. It creates a lot of unnecessary stress and should be avoided.
- Set goals. Be as specific as you can. This will give you an incentive and the right frame of mind, so when the going gets tough the tough get going attitude will prevail.
- Find someone who is knowledgeable about blogging and ask them questions. Read more on the subject about effective blog writing.
- It's OK to make mistakes. Everyone does. What's not productive is giving up when we don't get it right away. Your perseverance will pay off. Stick to it!! I'm glad I did.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Trusting in the News, A Collaborative Process.
According to Cory Doctorow's article, Truth and the Net you shouldn't trust anything you read, hear,or watch on the news.I find that to be a tad harsh Although, I would agree you can't believe everything you come across. Reporting the truth is an informative collaboration process that comes together, eventually.
Dependable Sources
Most people want to and do believe immediately what they are exposed to in the news media. The public depends on the journalist to be accurate and report truthfully. I certainly don't tune in expecting to be lied to or deceived in any way. At least, not on purpose.Some individuals will believe almost anything if we trust the source.
Confidence and Credibility
Imagine this mindset when many years ago,Orson Welles and his Mercury theatre team reported a radio news breaking story about Martians landing here on earth. Their ever faithful listening public panicked. According to Stefan Lovgen of National Geographic News, "The hoax worked, because historians say, because the broadcast authentically simulated how radio worked in an emergency." Essentially the public believed the news bulletins to be true because the radio station was seen as credible, reliable and reputable news.
Fact vs. Fiction
Thankfully we have come a ways since then. As Doctorow points out, "we got something better in "publish, then select" land." With instant information at our fingertips, this puts us, the reader at an advantage to pick and choose what to believe to be true though a variety of up to date sources. We have become our own editors. Our choices are limitless. There is no one-way to tell a truthful story, especially when the public can contribute. Does that leave the published story untrue? No, it leaves it unfinished. Ready for more facts to be added by others interested in the truth, thereby enhancing the story.
Through this collaborative process the truth can be told from many different perspectives. This approach leads to a better understanding of the facts, truthfully.
Bloggers and Journalists - what's up with them?
No print media can ever live up to: the ability to upgrade, add, change and in some cases, remove instantly. This is just one point.
In his article 'Are Bloggers Journalists? Are Blogs New Journalism?’ Chris Pirillo brings out another point: bloggers, well, they are not journalists.
Bloggers
Pirillo holds that bloggers are all about passion when they write about what they feel, and think. That bloggers use this blogosphere that this very blogsphere is like this huge editorial board wherein ideas can be publicly challenged, corrected and validated. This thought definitely shared a rapport with Doctorow’s article and how blogs are just that much more fresh and up to beat than say old print news.
Journalists
But journalists, on the other hand, are all about facts and getting their big fat paychecks.
Now, let's just get critical of his article. Pirillo asks if bloggers should be held to the same standards as the media. The thing is though, he hardly touches base on this throughout his piece. He could have delved into the different standards both online-wise and old school print-wise. With 'standards' comes the issues of credibility, authority, democracy and or prestige but Pirillo just benched all those matters from the game too. He did stress though, that blogs take a lot of heat, some of this heat is largely in part by a certain mister.
In his article 'Are Bloggers Journalists? Are Blogs New Journalism?’ Chris Pirillo brings out another point: bloggers, well, they are not journalists.
Bloggers
Pirillo holds that bloggers are all about passion when they write about what they feel, and think. That bloggers use this blogosphere that this very blogsphere is like this huge editorial board wherein ideas can be publicly challenged, corrected and validated. This thought definitely shared a rapport with Doctorow’s article and how blogs are just that much more fresh and up to beat than say old print news.
Journalists
But journalists, on the other hand, are all about facts and getting their big fat paychecks.
Now, let's just get critical of his article. Pirillo asks if bloggers should be held to the same standards as the media. The thing is though, he hardly touches base on this throughout his piece. He could have delved into the different standards both online-wise and old school print-wise. With 'standards' comes the issues of credibility, authority, democracy and or prestige but Pirillo just benched all those matters from the game too. He did stress though, that blogs take a lot of heat, some of this heat is largely in part by a certain mister.
CHINA ENFORCES NEW LICENSING RULES
The Chinese government is requiring it's citizens wanting to post video's to apply for a state licence.Chinese censorship. licensing
Chinese Government Censors Online Videos
In Beijing, the Chinese government decides to enforce new censorship rules on online video sharing for state companies. However, private companies make exception to the rules. Effective January 2008 --not surprisingly before the Beijing 2008 Olympics--, the announcement for these rules was made only four weeks before they are affective. Censorship comes certainly from the threat online video sharing represents for traditional media like TV. In fact, China represents a huge number of internet users and people resort more and more to watching their videos on the net.
chinese government internet censorship
The Chinese government seems trapped between the financial gains of the internet and the subversion of their authority.censorship
with the largest and most intense control over internet use coupled with increasing desire for its use. the powers that be may have to eventually accept. the internet and centrl control are diametrically opposed.
with the largest and most intense control over internet use coupled with increasing desire for its use. the powers that be may have to eventually accept. the internet and centrl control are diametrically opposed.
China tightens regulations on video sites in preperation for Olympic Games
The chinese government is looking at even greater censorship as this article China clamps down on Net video points out. In the midst of preparing for the summer olympic games, china certainly doesn't want to attract bad press therefore, with very short notice, they have urged internet video sites to comply with new regulations. The uncertainty seems to lie as to whom will be monitoring the videos and what type of content will be deemed suitable although politically charged content seems to be China's primary concern.
Online-video facing censorship in China
In the article China Clamps Down on Net Video, new restrictions on video-sharing are discussed. These are restrictions that China is placing on online-video. The aim is to encourage the domains of education and business and dissuade videos that may be less than glorifying to the political domain.
In fact, one such incident did occur to spur the onset of these tighter restrictions, the details of which are available in the article mentionned above. The anxiety seems to surround the light in which China wants to be seen for the upcoming Olympic Games this summer.
China is one of the top countries to participate in the domain of online-video viewing. The industry is in full swing and continually growing. Regulators, it seems, will have a tough job as they are aware of the breadth and growth of this domain and are not keen to impede it. It becomes problematic because private operators have always been allowed to censor their own sites, and the subject of who will regulate now does not yet seem to be resolved. What are the consequences of the media falling under the control of the Chinese state? Leaders of video-sharing websites are not commenting much yet, but the control of the spread and availability of information always has unpredictable consequences.
In fact, one such incident did occur to spur the onset of these tighter restrictions, the details of which are available in the article mentionned above. The anxiety seems to surround the light in which China wants to be seen for the upcoming Olympic Games this summer.
China is one of the top countries to participate in the domain of online-video viewing. The industry is in full swing and continually growing. Regulators, it seems, will have a tough job as they are aware of the breadth and growth of this domain and are not keen to impede it. It becomes problematic because private operators have always been allowed to censor their own sites, and the subject of who will regulate now does not yet seem to be resolved. What are the consequences of the media falling under the control of the Chinese state? Leaders of video-sharing websites are not commenting much yet, but the control of the spread and availability of information always has unpredictable consequences.
China blows off interweb
Due to the high exposure of China to the world resulting from Summer Olympics the Chinese government, as of January 30th of 2008, planned to censor the web to its viewers even further. As shown in an article written in the Globe and Mail China is set to limit online video-sharing. The hopes are that this will censor out some embarrassing content of China particularly in political context.
China's infamous censorship system will now affect video sharing web sites
In light of the Beijing Summer Olympics, China plans to implement a new rule in order to limit online video sharing. The regulation falls into an already prominent censorship system that restricts use of the Internet.
The increasing popularity of online video, more specifically user generated content, seems to be the mitigating factor in the creation of this new rule. Video-sharing web sites such as Tudou, Youku and 56.com may soon run into difficulties with the new rule which stipulates the requirement of a license only granted to state companies.
This regulation seems to be a direct reaction to an incident in the Chinese media where a sportscaster confronted her husband about his affair on air.
China Stomps Down Hard on Net Video
These new rules placed in force to regulate Chinese media seem to suck. It's really vain of these Communist leaders to be so caught up with 'unflattering' footage seeping onto the web.
So Tight, So fierce, So limited
Tightening Control of the internet by limiting online video-sharing will most likely really hurt state companies. At least regulators, rather than hurting a 'fast growing industry' will let private operators work around the restrictions.
China Clamps Down on Net Video
China Clamps Down on Net Video
Now available in China: Online censorship
Sharing online videos with the worldwide web? Not if your a Chinese citizen. In "China clamps down on Net video", journalist Joe Mcdonald explains that with the explosive popularity of online videos, the Chinese government is attempting (effective january 2008) to restrict online videos to new licensing rules and to implement a new web monitoring system for online browsers.
Some good news: Private operators might be able to work around this new Chinese censorship system. With the online video websites totaling revenues of over 290 million dollars, I can understand why the government might want a piece of the pie.
Some good news: Private operators might be able to work around this new Chinese censorship system. With the online video websites totaling revenues of over 290 million dollars, I can understand why the government might want a piece of the pie.
China and Censorship
Joe McDonald's article about the ongoing issue of Chinese censorship discusses China's decision last year to tighten their control of the Internet by forcing limited online-video sharing to state companies.
No Video Sharing for Chinese Masses
The Chinese government has taken internet censorship to another level by limiting online video sharing to the state. The measures requires users of video sharing sites to have a special license, available only to state companies. The new measures go into effect months ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics. China already imposes strict measures on internet users in an effort to muzzle free speech among dissenting citizens.
China nods 'Yes' to Censorship
Article from The Globe and Mail China clamps down on Net video article China clamps down on Net Video
China will limit online-video sharing to state companies in time for the Summer Olympics
China resorted to expand on their already massive censorship campaign by blocking any Internet access that would promote dissent amongst the Chinese population. It also banned any unflattering images of them on various websites. It could range from accusations of adultery to masked killers dancing to hip-hop choreography on 56.com . Only sites that display serious State Affairs will be accessible for the public to watch in China in time for the Beijing Summer Olympics.
China will limit online-video sharing to state companies in time for the Summer Olympics
China resorted to expand on their already massive censorship campaign by blocking any Internet access that would promote dissent amongst the Chinese population. It also banned any unflattering images of them on various websites. It could range from accusations of adultery to masked killers dancing to hip-hop choreography on 56.com . Only sites that display serious State Affairs will be accessible for the public to watch in China in time for the Beijing Summer Olympics.
China expand censorship to include net video
The chinese government in Beijing now wants to block the use of videos on-line and only allow state companies to spread video content.
Article on chinese censorship
Article on chinese censorship
Article Summary
The Globe and Mail article China clamps down on Net video explains how the Chinese government will be increasing control over online video sharing. The videos will be restriced to private companies with a license.
Online video websites have exploded in China. Sites such as tudou.com and youku.om have become popular replacements for televisions. However, regulations on sites based on user-generated content are unclear.
Censorship was increased prior to the Summer Olympics. The Chinese government wanted to maintain a good image. Officials have been monitoring websites and blogs for subversive political content.
Online video websites have exploded in China. Sites such as tudou.com and youku.om have become popular replacements for televisions. However, regulations on sites based on user-generated content are unclear.
Censorship was increased prior to the Summer Olympics. The Chinese government wanted to maintain a good image. Officials have been monitoring websites and blogs for subversive political content.
China gets stern with online video peddling
China enforced a new set of web monitoring and censorship regulations on December 29th that will effect video-based websites like Tudou.com and 56.com, as discussed in the following Globe and Mail article. Despite the recent financial boom of the online video industry, any websites without a state-issued license now face a rickety future. This measure is intended to inhibit 'illegitimate' or dissenting video content, while promoting the business and education sectors in anticipation of the Olympics in August.
Chinese regulators scramble to slap restrictions on online videos
Remember that scene in The Breakfast Club where Principal Rooney tells bad boy John Bender he can plan on spending the rest of his life in detention? What started with one future Saturday in the high school clink is multiplied everytime Bender opens his sassy mouth. "And that's another detention!" Rooney hollers, jabbing at the air. "And that's another one! And the Saturday after that too!"
The internet is the Bender to Chinese regulators' Principal Rooney.
Last year's development in CHINA vs. ONLINE FREEDOM is the country's smackdown on video websites. Early last February, the government imposed new rules requiring purveyors of online videos to seek a license if they wanted to keep their sites up - a license which, conveniently, only state-owned companies could obtain.
Pretty standard for other Chinese media (all of which - yes, all - is state-owned). But until then, private companies on the web could operate on their own, albeit with enforced censorship.
No word yet on how the regulators would treat user-generated content when the Globe and Mail published the story last January.
Youtube does have a Chinese-language website, by the by, although its computers operate outside that country.
Good thing, because everyone should have the right to watch things like this.
The internet is the Bender to Chinese regulators' Principal Rooney.
Last year's development in CHINA vs. ONLINE FREEDOM is the country's smackdown on video websites. Early last February, the government imposed new rules requiring purveyors of online videos to seek a license if they wanted to keep their sites up - a license which, conveniently, only state-owned companies could obtain.
Pretty standard for other Chinese media (all of which - yes, all - is state-owned). But until then, private companies on the web could operate on their own, albeit with enforced censorship.
No word yet on how the regulators would treat user-generated content when the Globe and Mail published the story last January.
Youtube does have a Chinese-language website, by the by, although its computers operate outside that country.
Good thing, because everyone should have the right to watch things like this.
New Media and Censorship in China
Beijing, China: Communist leaders are tightening censorship rules on sites such as Tudou.com, 56.com and Youku.com. These sites contain mainly UGC (User Generated Content) and regulators are afraid of the implications of this new medium on government regulation. The rise in popularity of UGC has come to rival traditional news mediums in popularity and is potentially devastating to the government's ability to control what their people see.
Chinese regulators are experiencing difficulty in keeping up with the freedom of the web. Over 210 million Chinese citizens are online, a number that rivals the number of US internet users, and the government can no longer control everything that is uploaded or published on the web. To overcome this obstacle, they created the Internet Society of China to license only sites owned by Chinese nationals. The Gobe and Mail article "China Clamps Down on Net video" outlines these new policies. Many international website owners have overcome the challenge posed by transferring ownership of their sites to their Chinese correspondents.
Chinese regulators are experiencing difficulty in keeping up with the freedom of the web. Over 210 million Chinese citizens are online, a number that rivals the number of US internet users, and the government can no longer control everything that is uploaded or published on the web. To overcome this obstacle, they created the Internet Society of China to license only sites owned by Chinese nationals. The Gobe and Mail article "China Clamps Down on Net video" outlines these new policies. Many international website owners have overcome the challenge posed by transferring ownership of their sites to their Chinese correspondents.
Limited Videos, Limited Embarrassment: Video-sharing in China
Here's the video about the Chinese sportscaster who spilled the beans on the Olympics and her husbands alleged affair on TV...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Citizen Journalism: The new wave
The end of an era
Investigative journalism isIntroducing something new
Now, a fresh and innovative form of investigative reporting as emerged- one that follows no predefined rules and one that is not boxed into particular categories. Mainstream media can title it as junk journalism or internet journalism but I prefer the title of citizen journalism: specialization of mass communication for the people by the people. Of course, not everyone will agree with my definition. For example, editor and journalist John Burke calls citizen journalists “professional amateur bloggers” who “have a long way to go to do real journalism”.Embracing change
Are the elite and traditional members of the journalistic world fearful of the outcome of such an open forum of expression? Sure. In journalist Trent Seibert’s article "Newspapers Broke My Heart. Will Citizen Journalism Heal It”, he explains that “with massive layoffs in the newspaper industry – as well as timid leadership in many newsrooms – newspapers and the nightly news are becoming less relevant – and that there are fewer investigative reporters to serve as watchdogs for voters and taxpayers”. Truth be told, citizen journalism is an inevitable progression. My advice: accept it and embrace it.Trust the Journalists
Cory Doctrow's article brought up some interesting points, but the internet still has not won my trust. Bloggers sometimes discuss and corroborate for days over a given topic and end up with pure speculation (or in some cases, a nasty disagreement). Journalists takes this speculation and brings it to the experts. They seek answers and concrete facts.
Journalists must then verify these facts because a libel suit could be just around the corner. But the long arm of the law is just beginning to reach bloggers. In the US, a few laws surrounding blogs have emerged. However the extent and definition vary from state to state. And in some cases, the law doesn't beat down on bloggers, but rather attempts to protect and nurture their right to free speech. As this article explains under point 8, bloggers do not have to monitor their site for defamation. In this respect, bloggers do not worry as much about being held accountable for what they publish. This can lead to lazy reporting or unfair comments.
Professional journalists also embrace the Ethics Guidelines set out by the CAJ (Canadian Association of Journalists). This includes a promise for fair and, most importantly, accurate reporting.
I think blogging is great for commenting on the truth, and not necessarily for finding the truth. Professional journalists are trained to be unbiased and accurate. And the law makes sure their reporting reflects this.
Trusting the Internet
Cory Doctrow's article Truth and the Net really got me to thinking about the level of truth to be found in online sources. Looked at in face value, there are many problems to be had; take Wikipedia for example! It seems to be failing, as this article would illustrate, the quality problem of accurate information seeming to be almost insurmountable.
I however see a more positive light to this- perhaps wikipedia is not giving birth to a period of online fallacies, but one of corroboration. Since people seem to be, for the most part, aware of this online problem of inaccuracy, this will lead to a culture of double checking, not taking facts they read anywhere at face value. If the desire for truth is sought, then the checking of alternate sources and the reading of comments for articles to see what other people have to say about the truth of an article or post will occur. And once this occurs, people will begin to explore a topic on a deeper level, investigating for themselves.
Frankly, this is great. If you noticed an inaccuracy in a newspaper, or a clear bias, you could only send them a letter, which they could choose for themselves whether or not to post. On the internet, you can immediately have your thoughts heard, read the thoughts of others, and hold the bearers of false information accountable much easier than you ever could in print.
I however see a more positive light to this- perhaps wikipedia is not giving birth to a period of online fallacies, but one of corroboration. Since people seem to be, for the most part, aware of this online problem of inaccuracy, this will lead to a culture of double checking, not taking facts they read anywhere at face value. If the desire for truth is sought, then the checking of alternate sources and the reading of comments for articles to see what other people have to say about the truth of an article or post will occur. And once this occurs, people will begin to explore a topic on a deeper level, investigating for themselves.
Frankly, this is great. If you noticed an inaccuracy in a newspaper, or a clear bias, you could only send them a letter, which they could choose for themselves whether or not to post. On the internet, you can immediately have your thoughts heard, read the thoughts of others, and hold the bearers of false information accountable much easier than you ever could in print.
Truth and Journalism
In his article about how citizen journalists are making the online world more trustworthy, Cory Doctorow writes that "you can't trust what you read in the paper."
While I agree that you can't trust everything in newspapers, I think there are a number of excellent journalists out there who consistently get the job done and who present the truth in a simple and readable manner.
I do have to say that I can relate to Doctorow's assessment of newspapers, however. As a former athlete, I was often interviewed by journalists. Frequently, I would find that many of the stories written about me would contain errors such as spelling mistakes or misquotes.
What I have come to realize is that just like in any other industry, newspapers sometimes employs people who are bad at what they do. It is true that lazy and atrocious journalists exist. That's why readers have to be smart enough to be able to distinguish between a credible journalist and one who isn't so hot. But just because there are bad journalists who produce bad stories doesn't mean there aren't good ones who are consistently presenting the truth about important issues.
Doctorow mentions that truths emerge as a result of the blogging process (blogger posts blog, readers send their corrections, arguments or further evidence, truth emerges). However, this advantage blogs appear to have over newspapers seems kind of irrelevant when a credible journalist publishes an article that presents the truth. No need for corrections. No need for further evidence. No need for a second edition. The truth is there, right in front of you. What more would anyone want?
While I agree that you can't trust everything in newspapers, I think there are a number of excellent journalists out there who consistently get the job done and who present the truth in a simple and readable manner.
I do have to say that I can relate to Doctorow's assessment of newspapers, however. As a former athlete, I was often interviewed by journalists. Frequently, I would find that many of the stories written about me would contain errors such as spelling mistakes or misquotes.
What I have come to realize is that just like in any other industry, newspapers sometimes employs people who are bad at what they do. It is true that lazy and atrocious journalists exist. That's why readers have to be smart enough to be able to distinguish between a credible journalist and one who isn't so hot. But just because there are bad journalists who produce bad stories doesn't mean there aren't good ones who are consistently presenting the truth about important issues.
Doctorow mentions that truths emerge as a result of the blogging process (blogger posts blog, readers send their corrections, arguments or further evidence, truth emerges). However, this advantage blogs appear to have over newspapers seems kind of irrelevant when a credible journalist publishes an article that presents the truth. No need for corrections. No need for further evidence. No need for a second edition. The truth is there, right in front of you. What more would anyone want?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
"Publish, then select" or "Select, then publish" ?
Hey People!
Check out this article on http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/16/feedrinse-filters-fo.html. The article discusses a wide array of topics from FeedRinse: a service that filters RSS feeds, to filtering systems like "publish, then select" and "select, then publish".
Peace
Check out this article on http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/16/feedrinse-filters-fo.html. The article discusses a wide array of topics from FeedRinse: a service that filters RSS feeds, to filtering systems like "publish, then select" and "select, then publish".
Peace
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Journalism is not Doomed
David Leigh’s article “Are Reporter’s Doomed”, seemed to me to be far too apocalyptic to reflect reality. Is reporting doomed? No. Is reporting evolving to accommodate a new society and new ways of sharing information? Yes. Kathleen Parker from the Washington Post writes in her article ”Journalism will Survive Media’s Evolution” that journalism, and thus journalists, will not die- they will simply have to evolve to work in the new media, or work in a different field. While the mainstream media is losing its readers in lieu of the internet, due to the interactivity and ease of the medium, the media outlets and journalists need to begin thinking out of the box, and figure out ways to adapt to the new ways of getting news to the consumers.
It is also important to note that perhaps many reporters are feeling nervous in the face of the average person having just as much credibility online as they do. While rules and regulations are imposed on the newsmaker, information being pressed through a maze of legal regulations and editorial review, bloggers on the internet are not bound by these rules, being able to write anything they feel is newsworthy, without the restrictions of a reporter working for a privately owned news outlet. Due to this, damning information about public figures and events are much harder to squash- but also harder to ascertain it’s veracity.
Reporting is not dead, and Journalists are not doomed- they just need to evolve to fit in with the new media, and not keep praying about the new media suddenly changing to accommodate them.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Welcome to the class
Hey 2009 Students,
Welcome to our class blog.
Everything you need for the class will be posted or referenced on this site. So bookmark it and come back often.
Check out these essential posts before you do anything else:
Getting started
Syllabus and Outline
In this class we're going to apply best practices in new media to our work as journalists. Through class discussions, assignments, and guest lectures, we will explore the theoretical and practical principles motivating citizen journalism.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
* Identify their niche
* Apply basic technologies involved in citizen journalism (e.g. blogging, podcasting, social networking) to their work as journalists
* Read and write for the web
* Market and brand themselves and their work on the web
* Understand the economic motives of Web 2.0
* Understand the tensions between copyright and technology
If you have any questions or comments, you can email me at any time.
Best,
Matt Forsythe
Welcome to our class blog.
Everything you need for the class will be posted or referenced on this site. So bookmark it and come back often.
Check out these essential posts before you do anything else:
Getting started
Syllabus and Outline
In this class we're going to apply best practices in new media to our work as journalists. Through class discussions, assignments, and guest lectures, we will explore the theoretical and practical principles motivating citizen journalism.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
* Identify their niche
* Apply basic technologies involved in citizen journalism (e.g. blogging, podcasting, social networking) to their work as journalists
* Read and write for the web
* Market and brand themselves and their work on the web
* Understand the economic motives of Web 2.0
* Understand the tensions between copyright and technology
If you have any questions or comments, you can email me at any time.
Best,
Matt Forsythe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)