Online Journalism Blog

[Keyword: journalism, online journalism]. What’s happened to the Press Gazette /discuss section? I was just about to comment on the latest piece in the print paper (‘Mainstream media must show respect for the new kid on the blog’) only to find the link at Press Gazette now goes straight to the AOL homepage.

So, no copying and pasting, no linking, and because I have other stories to blog (and a bathroom to strip) Press Gazette (and AOL) lose the opportunity to get a few more hits.

The piece in a nutshell focuses on Daily Mail columnist Keith Waterhouse’s “distaste for bloggers” but that this changes “when it comes to photo bloggers. Citizen journalism suddenly becomes worthwhile, even respectable, if the blogger has a camera.”

Interestingly, given that the issue was debated at yesterday’s Citizen Journalism conference, Waterhouse is quoted as saying

“This Damascus U-turn took place in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s
execution, when the pictures began to come in.

“You will recall that the reports originally had it that the death sentence was carried out with as much decorum and dignity as such gruesome rituals allow.

“No Western reporters were present – the BBC’s John Simpson was asked along to the necktie party by the Iraqi leader himself, but was turned away.

“The bloggers were there, though, armed with picture-snatching mobile phone cameras. The official photo coverage, taken to convince the world that the monster had indeed paid the price, were grisly enough.

“The bloggers’ contribution – grabbed at the gallows either by a mini-mob of gleeful Shia interlopers or by the condemned prisoner’s guards themselves – shocked all right-thinking people.”

Thankfully, because Waterhouse’s piece is available online, I can quote at length.

Well, you may not be able to discuss it at Press Gazette, but feel free to discuss it here.

Save this story on del.icio.us / Digg this story

Paul Bradshaw lectures on the Journalism degree at UCE Birmingham media department. He writes a number of blogs including the Online Journalism Blog, Interactive PR and Web and New Media