Monday - May 22, 2006

A Beam In The Eye

Read the following excerpt carefully. It is from an editorial post at the web site of a major mainstream media news source. It is interesting in that the author attacks the internet and bloggers for spreading lies and rumors disguised as truth. What really tickled my funnybone is the source of the quote. Read it and see if you can guess which major news organization would dare to print such accusations.

Even ten years ago, false stories, rumors and speculation disguised as knowledge operated in a world of hushed tones, being passed from individual to individual. If a lie was making its way around the world, it at least wasn’t being heard world-wide. The Internet has changed all that. Today, not only can even the most outrageous stories be instantly available to millions of people, they are susceptible to different interpretations. One man’s suggested dress code can become another’s Nazi-like pogrom.

It’s easy enough to scoff and wave off anything that hits the Internet as unreliable and scurrilous. But to do so ignores the reality of the way information is gathered, presented and absorbed in today’s world. No longer are news consumers waiting for The New York Times to verify the stories they tell around the water cooler. They are increasingly getting their news from the Web, talk radio and blogs. And that information – whether it’s spot-on accurate, partially true or wholly false – is making its way around the world in an instant, before traditional media outlets can get their boots on.

The fact we’re still not sure what exactly to believe about stories like the USA Today database exclusive doesn’t help clear up the picture for news consumers either. In the wake of a series of journalistic scandals – Jason Blair, Memogate, Judy Miller and many others – it’s understandable why, in many quarters, the MSM is seen as no more reliable than many blogs or Web sites. All good reasons to question any story you come across. And all good reasons for news organizations to be more transparent and open with readers—and harder on ourselves—than ever.

7:3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

7:4. Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye?

7:5. Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:3-5 (KJV), The Sermon On The Mount

Posted by The Skipper     on 05/22/2006 at 05:30 PM   
Filed Under: • Media-Bias •  
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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