Comments on: Who Are Those People, Anyway? Us http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/ Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:30:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jon Garfunkel http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4506 Jon Garfunkel Sat, 01 Jul 2006 03:45:10 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4506 Why this is burning news, I don't know, but I felt compelled to give <a href="http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/06/27/ppl_frmr.html#comment27702" rel="nofollow">this response</a> to Jay about the story he's missed here. Why this is burning news, I don’t know, but I felt compelled to give this response to Jay about the story he’s missed here.

]]> By: brigitte nacos http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4435 brigitte nacos Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:30:57 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4435 Seth Finkelstein is right--even in the age of blogging, most remain in the audience. It seems to me that the blogosphere is dominated by MSM types. And media organizations create more and more blogs. Second, with few exceptions MSM also pick and choose who becomes a celebrity blogger and attracts large audiences. It remains true that freedom of the press is for those who own the media and/or act as gate-keepers. With that said, I plug my new blog at http://www.reflectivepundit.com Seth Finkelstein is right–even in the age of blogging, most remain in the audience. It seems to me that the blogosphere is dominated by MSM types. And media organizations create more and more blogs. Second, with few exceptions MSM also pick and choose who becomes a celebrity blogger and attracts large audiences. It remains true that freedom of the press is for those who own the media and/or act as gate-keepers.
With that said, I plug my new blog at http://www.reflectivepundit.com

]]> By: tish grier http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4416 tish grier Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:32:09 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4416 Welcoming people--yes. How, though, should this be done? Should media people incorporate hand-selected "citizen" voices into their fold? or should they mentor citizen efforts instead? Should they link to folks who are critical of them--thus perhaps helping foster vital civic conversation? or should they "mentor" people by directing their message as not to offend their advertisers or local poltical figures? You're right though, Dan, that the activity has been limited. My sense, though, is that the limitations come from fear--fear on the part of media to be confronted with the idea that their efforts might have failed the general populace, and fear that their business models might totally collapse if they do anything that encourages new media endeavors outside of their auspices. There's also, though, a fear of interacting with the public not en mass, but as individuals...and that, on the part of some media people, may come from a loss in ability to simply be friendly and converse. The top-down communication process is sometimes terribly hard to break because it means breaking out of one's comfort zone. I wonder, though, how this change can be done on an individual level. Maybe some of "the people" should get to know "the journalists" as individuals and vice verse...find out what makes each other tick, without any motivations other than forging friendships. Maybe the kind of friendships that necessarily mean we'll go bowling together--but the kinds of friendships where we can enlighten our perspectives of one another, free of any ulterior motives and simply respect each other's thoughts and actions. just call me a cock-eyed optimist I guess. Welcoming people–yes. How, though, should this be done? Should media people incorporate hand-selected “citizen” voices into their fold? or should they mentor citizen efforts instead? Should they link to folks who are critical of them–thus perhaps helping foster vital civic conversation? or should they “mentor” people by directing their message as not to offend their advertisers or local poltical figures?

You’re right though, Dan, that the activity has been limited. My sense, though, is that the limitations come from fear–fear on the part of media to be confronted with the idea that their efforts might have failed the general populace, and fear that their business models might totally collapse if they do anything that encourages new media endeavors outside of their auspices.

There’s also, though, a fear of interacting with the public not en mass, but as individuals…and that, on the part of some media people, may come from a loss in ability to simply be friendly and converse. The top-down communication process is sometimes terribly hard to break because it means breaking out of one’s comfort zone.

I wonder, though, how this change can be done on an individual level. Maybe some of “the people” should get to know “the journalists” as individuals and vice verse…find out what makes each other tick, without any motivations other than forging friendships. Maybe the kind of friendships that necessarily mean we’ll go bowling together–but the kinds of friendships where we can enlighten our perspectives of one another, free of any ulterior motives and simply respect each other’s thoughts and actions.

just call me a cock-eyed optimist I guess.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4350 Seth Finkelstein Tue, 27 Jun 2006 17:07:47 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2006/06/27/who-are-those-people-anyway-us/#comment-4350 Old joke: What do you mean "we", paleface? [<em>mutatis mutandis</em> == A-lister?] Dan, we're still the audience. If you don't like my comment, you can personally attack me to a number of readers that is *orders of magnitude* more than I could realistically reach myself. I have no effective way to reply. That's "audience". If I do volunteer journalism, but it is not propagated by A-list gatekeepers, and not appealing enough for the popular sites, it'll be ignored. That's "audience". And what happens if the professional journalist just doesn't care if he or she gets it wrong, as long as it brings in the crowd? That's "audience". Don't shoot the messenger. Old joke: What do you mean “we”, paleface? [mutatis mutandis == A-lister?]

Dan, we’re still the audience. If you don’t like my comment, you can personally attack me to a number of readers that is *orders of magnitude* more than I could realistically reach myself. I have no effective way to reply. That’s “audience”.

If I do volunteer journalism, but it is not propagated by A-list gatekeepers, and not appealing enough for the popular sites, it’ll be ignored. That’s “audience”.

And what happens if the professional journalist just doesn’t care if he or she gets it wrong, as long as it brings in the crowd? That’s “audience”.

Don’t shoot the messenger.

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