Submitted by Bold Young Coward (not verified) on Mon, 05/14/2007 - 9:39pm.
"Anonymous" does not appear to have any experience with the practice of journalism, nor, I would argue, does he seem to read much at all. And it sounds like Room Eight has given him the ambivalence he so rightly deserves.
A lot of bloggers give the same appearance as Anonymous -- seeming ill-informed and intellectually cumbersome at best, maliciously ignorant and verbally ham-handed at worst. Admittedly, so do some acknowledged journalists. If anyone acknowledges Alicia Colon as a journalist.
So how do you credential real journalists -- a category that can include bloggers -- while excluding the kind of hacks who will use the access granted by their position in inappropriate ways?
The power of the media is the power to dictate which messages reach which people. It is a power of public influence.
So in addition to accrediting those who have the support of a publisher's money and resources, the city should accept petitions for a press pass. If a blogger has enough influence that as many people want that writer to sit in on a press conference as wanted Bloomberg to be able to run for mayor, the city damn well laminate him a pass and let that person in -- if for no other reason than there's a blog somewhere that a lot of voters will read.
And no blog writer worthy of a press pass would write a favorable review for a place that wouldn't let the blog past the door. Even if that place is City Hall.
A lot of bloggers give the same appearance as Anonymous -- seeming ill-informed and intellectually cumbersome at best, maliciously ignorant and verbally ham-handed at worst. Admittedly, so do some acknowledged journalists. If anyone acknowledges Alicia Colon as a journalist.
So how do you credential real journalists -- a category that can include bloggers -- while excluding the kind of hacks who will use the access granted by their position in inappropriate ways?
The power of the media is the power to dictate which messages reach which people. It is a power of public influence.
So in addition to accrediting those who have the support of a publisher's money and resources, the city should accept petitions for a press pass. If a blogger has enough influence that as many people want that writer to sit in on a press conference as wanted Bloomberg to be able to run for mayor, the city damn well laminate him a pass and let that person in -- if for no other reason than there's a blog somewhere that a lot of voters will read.
And no blog writer worthy of a press pass would write a favorable review for a place that wouldn't let the blog past the door. Even if that place is City Hall.