As a result, here is an interesting article to read:
The Myth Of The Parasitic Bloggers by Glenn Greenwald.
I seldom agree with Mr. Greenwald. But once in a blue moon, he gets it right.
Maureen Dowd's wholesale, uncredited copying of a paragraph written by Josh Marshall (an act Dowd has now admitted) -- for what I yesterday called her "uncharacteristically cogent and substantive column"-- highlights a point I've been meaning to make for awhile. One of the favorite accusations that many journalists spout, especially now that they're searching for reasons why newspapers and print magazines are dying, is that bloggers and other online writers are "parasites" on their work -- that their organizations bear the cost of producing content and others (bloggers and companies such as Google) then unfairly exploit it for free.
The Dowd plagiarism incident has brought to light why the traditional print press is not overly enthused with bloggers. The irony is that many in that profession have called bloggers parasites, while it is they who have all too often used bloggers without crediting them. It's just not overly noticeable unless someone uses exact quotes, like Dowd did.
Ideas and concepts can always be reworded to make the traditional journalist look like the brain and with the traditional platform. I have suspected this here at PYY in the past. The difference between some bloggers and myself is, I don't care. I do not do this for monetary gain or for notoriety, therefore I care little what people do unless they are doing it in a wholesale fashion so as to take hits away from me.
Here at PYY, I have taken pride in using original thoughts, generated from reading stories or other opinion pieces. I link to those articles frequently and take no credit for what is said in them. But many times I do expound on them, adding to the mix. I also call something BS, when I feel it is warranted. All of this is covered under my right to freedom of speech.
13 comments:
I do not do this for monetary gain or for notoriety...Unlike the mainstream media, huh?
I can't help but wonder how the "Journo List" fits into this, since we learned that bloggers and MSM media folks populate that server and exchange ideas. So I'm not exactly sure who they consider the parasites.
Blogs are simply fancy ways of doing letters to the editors. In the past we had to depend on the whims of the newspaper editors as to whether our opinions would get published, now, we have a voice. They've lost power in that respect, and we've gained it.
Freedom of Speech is one thing, but combined with a blog you actually have a chance to have your opinion heard. Blogging is probably the greatest expansion of freedom of speech ever.
As for parasites, well I think the msm is the parasites, squeezing the life out of every little story so they can earn an extra few pennies. The stories that make money are the ones you will hear the most on television news. Bloggers don't usually make money, do they? As of today my adsense has earned me a total of twenty cents.
I imagine [professional] journalism today is a very high-pressure environment; I do not suspect that Ms. Dowd intentionally plagiarized someone else’s “intellectual property,” even if she did err in presuming that the idea originated from a friend. But who among us have completely original ideas? As we write our blogs, our ideas are influenced by other factors. We think about what others have written or said, and we comment on it.
Most of us give due attribution. Ms. Dowd did not commit a sin, I don’t think, unless it was the sin of rushing to make a deadline … but even this incident rendered fuel for comment. No, I view the true snakes of the MSM to be the editors and publishers, who instruct their writers to produce a news item with a peculiar bias. If journalists comply with editorial guidance, their articles are published; if they fail to do it, they are out looking for a job. Of course, what do I know? I have sundowner’s syndrome.
I guess I will add parasite to the list now: Right-wing-extremist-hate-monger-parasite clinging to my guns, religion and freedom of speech.
Sheesh.
*Hope you get to feeling better Sunsett :( Blessings.
~Leslie
//Unlike the mainstream media, huh?//
As the father of a journalism student, I am not opposed to people who use their craft for monetary gain or notoriety. I don't do it, because I can do better doing what I do.
I have no problem with newspapers or magazines being business to make money. But when the principles who are in the business denigrate those of us who are merely exercising our rights as citizens, it irritates the hell out of me.
//Blogs are simply fancy ways of doing letters to the editors. In the past we had to depend on the whims of the newspaper editors as to whether our opinions would get published, now, we have a voice. They've lost power in that respect, and we've gained it.//
Excellent points.
We are the editors, we are the voices, we decide what gets published.
//I do not suspect that Ms. Dowd intentionally plagiarized someone else’s “intellectual property,” even if she did err in presuming that the idea originated from a friend.//
I don't know one way or the other. Jason Blair was a NYT plagiarizer, I know they are probably not happy about it.
But even more importantly, I wonder if she thought it was okay to plagiarize her friend. Even though he wasn't writing it, it was his thought. I would think, she would have had the decency to ask him, where he got that idea and could she use it?
But all of this is assuming she is not lying her ass off to cover up the fact that she used copyrighted material.
//Hope you get to feeling better Sunsett//
Thank you Leslie and don't worry about what those bastards think. ;)
//Blogging is probably the greatest expansion of freedom of speech ever.//
I agree. The technology we use has made it possible. But as with anything, it is a double edged sword. As we know, abuses can run rampant. So, I hope the overwhelming amount of bloggers will continue to do it responsibly.
You are so welcome. And don't worry, I don't let ignorant people control my emotions.
I do agree, that blogging has expanded our outlet for free speech. And since the bias media won't do the true job of journalism, we bloggers will carry the mantle and get the truth out.
Further, most of the bloggers I have met so far are upright and intelligent people. A group I am fond of being a part of.
"Right-wing-extremist-hate-monger-parasite clinging to my guns, religion and freedom of speech."Now THAT would make one heck of a bumper sticker Leslie!!! You did leave out Wingnut and Racist... I imagine one would have a wreck trying to read all of it, but it would be fun... especially if they had an Obama sticker on their bumper! brahahahaha!!!!!!!
LOL HAM! You are right! I guess you could make one that stretched all the way across the back window...
:D
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