Wednesday, July 14, 2010

"Citizen Journalists" or Pissed-off Readers?

Interesting column on "Citizen Journalists" in the Cape Cod Times last week by their ombudsman.  The  inference was that folks shouldn't rely on "non professional" journalists for their news (or at least take the info with a grain of salt!)

Maybe if the "professional" journalists did a better job of presenting a complete and unbiased story, fewer "amateurs" would feel the need to impinge on the news reporting racket.

Granted, a lot of the anonymous reader commentary showing up in blogs and reader forums could be considered vindictive garbage at best.  But, then again there's an awful lot of "professional" reporting going on in the local press that could be described in the same way.

Ironically, that column was published just after I again heard the story about a local union leader that has been bragging about planting a series of negative stories in the local press in order to generate support for her cause by destroying support for her employer.  Of course, the "professional" journalists swear that never happened.

Sure.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Silly you!
Local union leaders and bored town employed secretaries and clerks in town offices don’t “plant” negative stories, they offer themselves to “professional” journalists as “sources.”
By the way, is it true that the Enterprise was recently purchased by the National Enquirer?

Anonymous said...

The same National Enquirer that broke the John Edwards story? That National Enquirer? There was a gentleman who spoke at a SC meeting this past winter. He recently moved here from California. He gave a brief bio then began to dress down the district for lack of information and outdated websites. His larger point was that if you don't want negative press then post every single piece of information for all to see. Pretty simple right? If the school district wants the discussions at the soccer field and at Dunkin Donuts to be accurate then give proper information. A citizen can start a blog but a school district can't provide the "inside baseball" that many are looking for?.................carry on

Anonymous said...

Well, there’s "negative press" and then there’s baseless rumor, factually inaccurate nonsense and spiteful gossip mongering.
The "Emptyprise" is mostly the later but with a bit of the former thrown in every once in a while when the staff is trying to live up to the National Enquirers' oh so high standards.
The Emptyprise is mostly a biased, poorly written opinion page masquerading as not-so-cheap fish wrap.