Comments on: The great harp on the journalist and blogger ‘continuum’

By: Singapore Democrats

Singapore Democrats — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:51:40 +0000

Thank you for the insightful blogpost. The Singapore Democrats have featured your post in our blogs of the week section – http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/blogs-of-the-week

More about our “Blogs of the week” section – http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/2212-blogs-of-the-week

By: Rex

Rex — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:50:19 +0000

Haha, ya well they are alright with international news until it comes to protests. Then they’ll take the worst incident from the protest and splash it big big on the front page and subtly yell to Singaporeans: “IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT IN SINGAPORE!?!”.

And in the bottom right corner of page 26, next to a Best Denki ad, you’ll find a little article about how Chee Soon Juan was arrested, brought to court and jailed for simply for standing outside the Istana.

All is fine and well in the little red dot?

By: Panzer

Panzer — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:15:39 +0000

@eternalhap

Bloggers and journalists can be “partners” if they see each other as equals. Evidently, the main stream media (owners and bosses) don’t think that.

I used to think Straits Times was propaganda. Now I am have NO DOUBTS it is.

Reporters without Borders’ ranking is on the mark when it comes to Straits Times press freedom.

By: eternalhap

eternalhap — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:40:42 +0000

I agree with your view. Both newspaper journalists and bloggers provide different perspectives on news events, and that is interesting to the observer.

I think the mainstream media has done a very good job in reporting international news, and some opinion pieces chosen by The Straits Times are insightful. The online blogosphere here can play a complementary role in reporting or discussing on local events which are generally ignored, and TOC has filled in this role well.

So both are in fact partners! I doubt I’ll give up on either to read the other only.

By: Voce

Voce — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:37:53 +0000

I think the distinctive between “journalist” and bloggers may not even be the right one in the era of “new media”. Perhaps a better categorisation will be the content, eg facts, opinions, speculations, and propaganda.

There will always be a place for someone to report/write/speak facts – current, concise, correct and comprehensive, eg the current crisis in Iran; as there will always be places for those who interpret these facts and speculate about things not seen nor revealed, eg Was the Iranian election really rigged and if so, so what?

And all these voices are necessary to expose falsehood and propaganda, and thereby sieve the wheat from the chaff, eg a video of spontaneous thousands on the streets versus an official news report of calm and acceptance. And a “journalist” is just one of the many voices, and like any voice it has to earn its credibility and reputation, such as what it said standing the test of time.

And the truth is not always that which is revealed or seen.