Comments on: Blog off, you still need journalism

By: Level Up: The Digital Age « write on.

Level Up: The Digital Age « write on. — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:33:35 +0000

[...] the features remains an expensive process, how can this keep up? Jason Whittaker’s intriguing blog on ideas about media argues how there is still a need for journalism; that magazine journalism is not dead. The question [...]

By: For true Grace, nothing beats mags | importance of ideas...

For true Grace, nothing beats mags | importance of ideas... — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:44:16 +0000

[...] Blog off, you still need journalism [...]

By: Punch no journalism knockout | importance of ideas...

Punch no journalism knockout | importance of ideas... — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:41:45 +0000

[...] bleated about this before: on why blogging is merely new-age op-ed, and on the lack of vision and courage by traditional media owners in preparing for an inevitable [...]

By: Google must search for solution, too | importance of ideas...

Google must search for solution, too | importance of ideas... — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:10:50 +0000

[...] doesn’t really ‘get it’, and I made a lot of noise about this recently. I have also written in the past about the fight not to save newspapers or traditional content delivery models, but to set up new [...]

By: Incompetence, not net, killing media | importance of ideas...

Incompetence, not net, killing media | importance of ideas... — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:50:32 +0000

[...] Let’s frame the debate, because few of these management hacks have even managed to do this. Newspapers and magazines don’t need to be saved. When the time is right the life support system can be switched off; we’ll remember them fondly, like the telegraph system and black and white television, and then move on. It is journalism that must be preserved somehow, the business model that allows large groups of reporters the time and resources to go about reporting the news. I’ve written about the importance of this previously. [...]

By: Jason Whittaker

Jason Whittaker — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:28:04 +0000

I don’t see how employing journalists to write news is banal, Mel. Novel, yes. But hardly banal.

I like Crikey. But as you rightly point out, ‘quality journalism’ does need to be in inverted columns. It’s a good collection of opinion, but I’d love to see Eric use his mini-empire to actually report the news for once rather than just always have an opinion.

By: Jason Whittaker

Jason Whittaker — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:19:54 +0000

I have no idea where you think I’m wide off the mark, Mr/Ms Starfish. Nor do I understand the Crikey point.

The credibility of blogs is a problem, as I mentioned. Particularly where bloggers purport to be impartial news reporters and then do anything but.

The pink starfish reference is lost on me, I’m afraid. But whatever your starfish preference I hope you keep reading.

By: Pink Starfish

Pink Starfish — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:36:08 +0000

I agree with Mr X. Sadly Jason you are far from the mark. While blogging is emerging as a form of opinionative journalism, the credibility of this medium will always be a problem. Crikey itself is a direct example – Stephen Mayne’s fall from grace cost him dearly. Yes, it ended up being a blessing in disguise but he’ll never fully repair his reputation after that!
PS I like pink starfish as much as you do

By: Mel Campbell

Mel Campbell — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:02:37 +0000

I came here following a Twitter link about “why the Crikey model isn’t the answer” and I was expecting to find more criticism of its paid subscription model. Instead it’s being criticised for its non-newsiness.

Anyway, I really don’t believe Eric Beecher is into such a banal idea as employing reporters to cover traditional journalistic beats. Rather, he has repeatedly prosecuted a lofty notion of ‘quality journalism’ that is all about government and corporate scrutiny, coupled with a concomitant rejection of anything that smacks of ‘lifestyle’.

If you view ‘journalism’ through this prism, as Eric does, you can justify Crikey’s opinionated stance, and its continued reliance on guest ‘industry expert’ commentators with dubiously fluctuating credibility and writing ability.

By: MikQ

MikQ — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:37:36 +0000

i agree for the most part.

but, could one not argue also that many blogs (crikey particularly might fall into this bracket) have come into being because the ‘news’ being generated by so-called traditional journalists is becoming increasingly ‘op-ed’ itself?

the line between ‘opinion’ and one-sided reporting is pretty fine, i would suggest.