Blogs of War
Established media outlets use “the News” as a commodity, a product, prepared and packaged like a mini-meal at a fast food restaurant. Getting this product out to the consumer as quickly and accurately as possible pleases the financial backers, news after all is only information about an event, and the older it gets the staler it becomes. Propaganda and mis-information distributed through the media channels, either by design or unwittingly, are an obvious infringement of the rules, and are enemies of the News, as are censorship and apathy. It used to be that we had little choice about which event or how much information we were provided. Sceptics would wonder if the news was filtered, or ask, “Why are they telling us this?” Checks and balances in the media, as well as in government, are an integral part of its’ legitimacy. A debate about which events make the headlines, and which do not, is a subjective exercise and totally irrelevent today as we can tailor the news to our liking. The Internet has turned “mass media” into “me media” as events of personal importance can be picked up from hundreds of sources and delivered to our desktops. Cross checking the facts, when needed, is only a matter of pushing a few buttons on your keyboard.
Citizen journalists or grassroot reporters of the “new media” are complimenting our news sevices. Through the Internet they can submit stories, photos, and videos of timely events to interactive news sites or to their own blogs and have an instantaneous world-wide audience. Many long established corporate news agencies, like MSNBC, are actively soliciting these stories from on-the-street reporters, on the other hand the French government have approved laws making the publication of these news articles, by non “professional journalists”, illegal, with fines of €75,000 and 5 years in jail! Kristine Lowe poses some questions and relates in her post two instances of bloggers affecting resignations of politicians in Sweden and the UK. Daniel Shorr, a US newsman for over 60 years, is against this form of journalism. His justification? He says that it is too easy because all you need is a keyboard!
Throughout the hot zones of the world stories dribble in from the “old media” if and when someone in a company office deems it newsworthy. A wide audience, graphic evidence, a correspondent at the scene, and the ability to package the story in time are all considered before going ahead and running the item. Editors, analysts and “experts” are needed to form raw footage into a media event. Once the piece is finished it is prioritized, labelled, and slotted for showing. Maybe. News items can be canned for many reasons, viewer sensitivity, corporate politics, or time restraints to name a few. Some news stories never see the light of day, when was the last time you saw a lead story about the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
With the help of the Internet those who were once the audience are now the reporters. Listed below are some of these citizen journalists who are telling their stories. All they ask is for you to look in on them and see what is happening on their streets, in their neighbourhoods, and to their friends. Apathy is the enemy of News.
Palestine: Laila, Dr. El-Farra, Rafah today, Sameh
(DR) Congo: Congo Girl, This way please!
Iraq: Neurotic Wife, Mohammed, I.T.M.
Lebanon: Riemer
Pakistan: Pashto Point, Voice for Peace
Kenya: Mica Halbert
***If you find other blogs that should be on this list please let me know***
