Something that worries me more so than the war and Iraq and money in politics is freedom of the press. Is our press free anymore? The corporate ownership of the press nationally is a concern to me.
Though I certainly share the sentiment, nope, I’m not the source of that speech. Who d’ya think is?
Hint: He also said
he wonders what will happen to the American media if news organizations become explicitly partisan.
He said he worries that newspapers’ editorials are dictated by out-of-state corporate offices.
And, he said he is bothered by the proliferation of blogs – including some on newspaper Web sites – that allow people to post anonymous comments.
Answer here.
I’m confident it wasn’t GWB. He hasn’t read anything since “Dick and Jane” in first grade, and even that was over his head.
I can understand his concern about the anonomity of some bloggers taking their shots at him and other politicians. But my observation is that blogging is maturing and there are now blogs, such as this one, that put facts before the public that the newspapers do not for one reason or another. If he truly believes in Justice, he has to respect that aspect of blogging.
Hood is bothered by anonymous comments on newspaper blogs– you think it’s BelleSouth that’s bothering him?!?
You think Hood’s spent time worrying about the war and money in politics? Well maybe the money in politics, but I don’t think I’ve heard him on Iraq. The statements about anonymous bloggers make me think of Scruggs and his attorneys. I’m still puzzlin’ on it…how bout another tiny hint?
The institutional press is becoming passe’. Worry about the freedom of that press is unnecessary inthat regard is perhaps useless, unnecessary. The real worry is the “freedom of the press on the internet.”
One does not have to be tied to a “respected daily newspaper” to have an impact in the struggle for ideas and facts and truth. The press is not the respected daily newspaper or the network news o Sirius or XM.
The time will come when the press as we know it will be no more. It will be replaced with much more interesting, rigorous, and truthful (and truth seeking) publication of news, opinion, speculation, facts. Indeed, maybe the time has already come. Maybe, if we are lucky, the internet news marketplace will lead us to the truth, or at least get us closer to it.
Or better entertain us in the process.
Yet, even though I suspect the truth is there, we are still not ready for it. Just imagine . . .
But be forewarned, the status quo may well rise up and shut down the forum, the internet.
At this point the First Amendment will die. Although there will be victims there will be no one against whom responsibity for the crime responsiblity will attach.
And I forgot to say this, like it or not, freedom of press includes the right to publish (speak) anonymously. Want proof from U.S. history? Look to the authorships of the Federalist Papers.
Well, I don’t know why he has a problem with anonymous comments, since no one with the least bit of sense would take what they say without a large lick of salt.
Other than that though, I must say I agree. It’s gotten to the point where fewer than a dozen people control most of the mass-media news content. That’s not good for democracy.
Meanwhile, Lotus, I’ve left you another decoration for your new digs.
Enjoy.
Dear Jim: every vote you got was an anonymous statement. Got a problem with that? Didn’t think so.
Cujo, thanks so much for the honor of the Thinking Blogger award (woo, especially with that fine pup-dawg fetching it). I think this may be the one good ol’ Bustednuckles conferred on me back around the holidaze, which I never got around to passing on.
Like you, I’m of two minds about these things, very grateful for expression of mutual respect, of course, but also somewhat at a loss when it comes to sharing the wealth.
Since Scruggsiana took off, I’ve spent most of my off-folo reading time on story-linked email instead of other blogs. I get around to so few of those anymore (lucky to snag peeks at TPM every so often and, once a week, at meta’s :pastry studio), I’ll have trouble coming up with five (or for Hopey, ten) new picks to nominate.
But I’ll mull the possibilities and try to come up with some goodies. Most of all, though, I’m gwoovin’ on the fine colleagueship of the author of Slobber & Spittle!
Lotus at 9- dont know if you have kids- but if you do mom2my6pack.blogspot.com is hysterical-
Thanks, Madge. No kidz but I’ll go check out the funnies anyhoo.