"Most citizen journalism strikes me as nothing to do with journalism at all. A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed, young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people. OK – the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk. But the so-called citizen journalism is the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night."This from the renowned Brad Pitt look-a-like Andrew Marr who once used a super-injunction to prevent the press from revealing his affair.
Less the words of wisdom from an experienced journalist more the rantings a man who knows his profession is under siege. The cosy consensus of the BBC, Guardian and the rest used to dictating the agenda is being threatened and they don't like it one bit. People can now by-pass the traditional lines of authority on what is or is not news and find out for themselves. Yes many things on the internet are puerile or nasty but the best blogs will always rise to the top. It's called democracy and often it gets a little messy.
And if Marr and his ilk want someone to blame then I suggest they find the nearest mirror. It's the blogosphere that has led on many issues while the MSM has stayed schtum. They have failed in their duty as the 'fourth estate' - nature abhors a vacuum and the blogosphere is filling that vacuum.
hattip: Iain Dale
No comments:
Post a Comment