Re: Al Gore's support of the Internet, by V.Cerf and B.Kahn [ I second this djf]
Well said, Pjill. However, while we both know that Mr. McCullagh cannot
credibly claim to be impartial, we also both know that he personally values
the pretense of impartiality and commitment to the truth.
I think it would be perfectly acceptable for McCullagh to come out of the
closet and admit that a large number of the so-called "news" pieces he
publishes in Wired are really editorials promoting Declan's own personal
brand of politics.
He has not done so, however. Therefore, my criticism is not based on any
expectation I have about all journalists as a group. It is based, instead,
on a self-imposed constraint selected and chosen by Mr. McCullagh himself.
I would level the same criticism at self-proclaimed pretentious
"Independents" like Bill O'Reilly. Independent my ***, who does he think
he's fooling? Perhaps Declan, too, can write a self-promotional book
touting his own virtues.
Eric Grimm
]> -----Original Message-----
]> From: Law & Policy of Computer Communications
]> [mailto:CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM]On Behalf Of Phillip Hallam-Baker
]> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 10:17 AM
]> To: CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
]> Subject: Re: Al Gore's support of the Internet, by V.Cerf and B.Kahn [ I
]> second this djf]
]>
]>
]> > It is to Declan's credit that he also posted the Cerf an Kahn
]> piece to his
]> > Politech list. At the same time, Declan deserves eternal shame and
]> > condemnation for starting this story in the first place. Any
]> responsible
]> > journalist would have known better.
]>
]> Rubbish!
]>
]> Declan did what any good journalist would do. He wrote copy that would
]> move circulation figures upwards. He can get a job with Rupert Murdoch
]> any day of the week. Jobs at The Sun pay ever so much better than ones
]> on The Times.
]>
]> All the business about Reporters having any duty to the truth is only
]> so much self serving platitudes. Declan did what the job required. He
]> wrote a story arround a deliberate lie. It sold the copy. Job done.
]>
]> Anyone want to argue that Matt Drudge got where he is today through
]> selfless devotion to the facts?
]>
]> > Moreover, if Declan had really been out to do the right thing, he would
]> have
]> > attached a formal apology to his Politech distribution. Instead, he
]> merely
]> > redistributed it without comment and without addressing the
]> issue of his
]> > personal responsibility in this matter.
]>
]> Vint actually asked Declan specifically to distribute the piece. There
]> was no way he could refuse. The request was cc'd to Deve Farber who runs
]> an ever so much more influential list.
]>
]>
]> Incidentally, to bring this back to policy, looks to me as if
]> the Internet
]> is doing the job intended. Anyone who reads the thread on
]> talk.politics.misc
]> wil notice that the GOP flacks have noticably withdrawn from
]> their original
]> position. URLs referencing hard news stories based on original sources
]> are being effective.
]>
]> Back in '92 when I sold the idea of the Web to Jock Gill I positioned it
]> as a feedback loop that would force the mainstream media to be more
]> honest or risk serious loss of credibility. Anyone think that there is
]> a risk of Time doing another Cyberporn piece in the near future?
]>
]> The NYTimes is making its retraction in no small part because Slate and
]> Salon pinned the blame for the Lee case on them.
]>
]> I thought it would take about 10 years for the effect to be
]> felt. Internet
]> time you know.
]>
]> Phill
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