That’s the question being asked in Norway after a political journalist “was criticized because she was a “fan” of the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, on Facebook.” (via Bente)
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Home » Can journalists be a fan of a politician?
Why on earth can’t a journalist be a ‘fan’ of a politician? Or for that matter why can’t a politician be a ‘fan’ of say a football star or poet or even an artist say Damien Hirst for example?
I suspect the question is only asked because of naive understandings of journalism as an exercise in ‘objectivity’. But history has a way of being little more than the rise and fall of partialities and passions.
And also fan isn’t really the right word in facebook, as it doesn’t sort of exactly mean fan per se, just like friend doesn’t quite sit right, when aquaintance or contact might be a better word. On the other hand, it’s probably best not to put yourself in that position, because this is what happens. BTW I see you dropped the comment system while I was en conference in new zealand. I kinda liked being #2 commenter.
Yes, you were getting too powerful, Perth. I had to take you down.
[...] was a topic that Paul Bradshaw picked up last week when he asked the question, “can journalists be a fan of a politician?“ but was also brought home to me when a local politician attempted to friend me on Facebook [...]