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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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.
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