Comment is free: Media and the mob

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:29:34 -0000

Politicians have long grown used to facing the wrath of the rabble. It was the vote that brought them to heel. Now, it seems, the web may subject journalists to similar treatment. We shouldn't be surprised that they don't like it. Priesthoods prefer quiescent congregations.

For the moment, our media elite just doesn't seem to get it. The Guardian's director of digital content, announcing she has a "duty of care" to protect contributors from abuse, sounds like the Speaker, trying to safeguard MPs from attacks on their dubious perks. Yet even he doesn't attempt to insulate his flock from mere denigration.

The media's audience has seized hold of the microphone. It will express itself as it will, and we shall all be the better for it.

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Since the dawn of the mass media, its practitioners have enjoyed a peculiar degree of immunity from the complaints of those they address. Understandably, they've taken advantage of this, growing lazy, sloppy, self-satisfied, self-indulgent, nepotistic and arrogant. Readers have sensed this, but until recently have been powerless to do anything about it. Now, the internet has given them a voice.

Hoo-blinking-ray.Someone gets it!

Problem seems to me that this was supposed to be a travel blog but was posted on a site that was uncomfortably close to CiF. Once alerted to its existence the sharks smelled blood and swam over to the backwater that is the travel section, having honed their skills (?) slagging off politicians and their cronies on the main CiF it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

It was just a very inappropriate forum.

Tags: comment macarthur martin-moore media mob

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

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Comment is free: Media and the mob