Comments on: The Yeas and Nays of Blogging http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:23:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ales Rarus - A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog » Celeres Nexus Pro 2006-06-06 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20516 Ales Rarus - A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog » Celeres Nexus Pro 2006-06-06 Wed, 07 Jun 2006 11:48:47 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20516 [...] The Yeas and Nays of Blogging at Bene Diction Blogs On “Jonathan Last, online editor of The Weekly Standard doesn’t like blogs anymore this year than he did last year.” (tags: blogs journalism) [...] [...] The Yeas and Nays of Blogging at Bene Diction Blogs On “Jonathan Last, online editor of The Weekly Standard doesn’t like blogs anymore this year than he did last year.” (tags: blogs journalism) [...]

]]> By: Tim http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20221 Tim Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:10:40 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20221 Yes - another thing I notice is that what Americans call 'liberal' is often fairly similar to the policies of our Canadian Conservative Party! What they call 'conservative' is, I think, slightly to the right of Attila the Hun! Yes – another thing I notice is that what Americans call ‘liberal’ is often fairly similar to the policies of our Canadian Conservative Party! What they call ‘conservative’ is, I think, slightly to the right of Attila the Hun!

]]> By: Richard Hall http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20216 Richard Hall Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:55:06 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20216 I'm sure there are differences between British and US msm, Tim. For one thing, British media aren't afraid to ask tough questions of our leaders. But it seems to me faintly preposterous to describe the majority of US msm as 'left- and hard-left-leaning'. FD says that the majority self-identify as liberal, and I'll take his word for it. But if we're taking 'liberal' and 'left- and hard-left-leaning' to be the synonymous, then neither has any useful meaning any longer. I’m sure there are differences between British and US msm, Tim. For one thing, British media aren’t afraid to ask tough questions of our leaders. But it seems to me faintly preposterous to describe the majority of US msm as ‘left- and hard-left-leaning’. FD says that the majority self-identify as liberal, and I’ll take his word for it. But if we’re taking ‘liberal’ and ‘left- and hard-left-leaning’ to be the synonymous, then neither has any useful meaning any longer.

]]> By: Tim http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20215 Tim Mon, 24 Apr 2006 21:41:53 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20215 Richard, I think there may be a difference between British and North American MSM here. Richard, I think there may be a difference between British and North American MSM here.

]]> By: Bene Diction http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20214 Bene Diction Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:54:56 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20214 Mr. Last cracks me up. He doesn't like blogs, which is fine. Some of his points are right on. Traditional media is used by wannna be journalist bloggers, that's a given. Boing Boing is down the list of most used post sources. Most reporters (depending on their medium) have an editor and consumers have a hard time telling the difference between facts and opinions. When people don't like the facts, they attack the messenger. The US is a giant labratory in that regard. And let's be honest. Mr. Last and Mr. Hewitt fit their respective markets well. Yes, markets. And in assigning sides - such as left/right one can put a moral assignation into the equation which appeals to that particular market group. There are larger forces at play like economics in the changes taking place. Mr. Hewitt cracks me up too. He has determined his audience and has a book to sell and a show to do. If he tried to use the left/right thinking outside the venue he is comfortable in (ie: Australia/UK) his audience would be hard pressed to understand him.  if either gentleman didn't deliver to their respective market, the media outlets that employ them would let them go. It is also the 'how' of news delivery that is changing. I agree with FD - traditional media does co-exist - if you think about it - there aren't enough bloggers with the resources (time, money etc) to deliver journalistic posts and give some traditional sources a serious run for their money. The initial enthusiasm of that concept wore off awhile ago. The mediums and the people in them have some changing and growing to do as technology alters the landscape. Mr. Last cracks me up. He doesn’t like blogs, which is fine. Some of his points are right on.

Traditional media is used by wannna be journalist bloggers, that’s a given. Boing Boing is down the list of most used post sources.
Most reporters (depending on their medium) have an editor and consumers have a hard time telling the difference between facts and opinions.
When people don’t like the facts, they attack the messenger. The US is a giant labratory in that regard.

And let’s be honest. Mr. Last and Mr. Hewitt fit their respective markets well. Yes, markets. And in assigning sides – such as left/right one can put a moral assignation into the equation which appeals to that particular market group.

There are larger forces at play like economics in the changes taking place.

Mr. Hewitt cracks me up too. He has determined his audience and has a book to sell and a show to do. If he tried to use the left/right thinking outside the venue he is comfortable in (ie: Australia/UK) his audience would be hard pressed to understand him.  if either gentleman didn’t deliver to their respective market, the media outlets that employ them would let them go.

It is also the ‘how’ of news delivery that is changing.
I agree with FD – traditional media does co-exist – if you think about it – there aren’t enough bloggers with the resources (time, money etc) to deliver journalistic posts and give some traditional sources a serious run for their money. The initial enthusiasm of that concept wore off awhile ago.

The mediums and the people in them have some changing and growing to do as technology alters the landscape.

]]> By: Funky Dung http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20213 Funky Dung Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:45:13 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20213 It's simple. If you poll members of (American) MSM, something which has been done on numerous occasions, the overwhelming majority self-identifies as liberal. Even the most conscientious journalists have to fight to keep their own biases out of their articles. The failure of MSM is its self-righteous blindness to its own biases. Writing slanted pieces while pretending to be objectively reporting facts turns off a lot of people. Blogs, flawed though they most certainly are, are generally quite open about which way they lean. Last complains that few bloggers are actually journalists. So what? They generally don't pretend to be. They're analysts who pick apart, discuss, and often fisk journalists and their work. Rather than swallow what MSM produces whole, millions are chosing to chew on it and share their ruminations with the world. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not saying MSM is full of sinners while the blogosphere is full of saints. I believe they each provide services that the other needs. They are, or at least should be, living in symbiosis. It’s simple. If you poll members of (American) MSM, something which has been done on numerous occasions, the overwhelming majority self-identifies as liberal. Even the most conscientious journalists have to fight to keep their own biases out of their articles. The failure of MSM is its self-righteous blindness to its own biases. Writing slanted pieces while pretending to be objectively reporting facts turns off a lot of people. Blogs, flawed though they most certainly are, are generally quite open about which way they lean.

Last complains that few bloggers are actually journalists. So what? They generally don’t pretend to be. They’re analysts who pick apart, discuss, and often fisk journalists and their work. Rather than swallow what MSM produces whole, millions are chosing to chew on it and share their ruminations with the world.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not saying MSM is full of sinners while the blogosphere is full of saints. I believe they each provide services that the other needs. They are, or at least should be, living in symbiosis.

]]> By: Richard Hall http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2006/04/23/the-yeas-and-nays-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-20209 Richard Hall Mon, 24 Apr 2006 09:49:40 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2385#comment-20209 <i>"The mainstream media - MSM - are populated overwhelmingly by left- and hard-left-leaning writers and editors, and few people even bother to argue the point anymore."</i> I simply don't understand how anyone can believe that... “The mainstream media – MSM – are populated overwhelmingly by left- and hard-left-leaning writers and editors, and few people even bother to argue the point anymore.”
I simply don’t understand how anyone can believe that…

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