October 31: Censorship and governmental pressures: From US to China.

As a journalist, the freedom of speech and expression is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. I have a lot of opinions, and the fact that I can express them without my work being censored (or being thrown in jail) is something that I try not to take for granted. Unfortunately, throughout much of the world, expressing an opinion not sanctioned by those in power is something that isn't as possible as one would hope.

Take, for instance, the situation in China. Political dissidence is very much frowned upon, as former Chinese professor Guo Quan can attest to. After forming a democratic opposition party, Quan found himself not only dismissed from his job, but also erased from the Internet. Search engines Yahoo! and Google bowed to the pressure of the Chinese government and blocked searches for information on Quan. This isn't the first time this has been an issue, either. Google has come under criticism for blocking words like "Tibetan Freedom, Dalai Lama and democracy", according to this article.  

The real kicker? The companies that have undertaken such censorship are American-based. What happened to freedom of expression? Free speech? Google and other search engines have defended their actions by stating that they are complying with Chinese law, in which firewalls prevent access to certain content, like that of Guo Quan.

Business is business, and operating in a foreign environment opens up an entirely new can of worms, complete with compliance of foreign laws. Google and Yahoo! had to do what they did in order to continue to operate within China. Somehow, that doesn't make the issue of blatant censorship any easier to rationalize, though.

October 29: William Jacobson and Legal Insurrection.

Blogging as a platform has become more and more popular across the board – travel blogs, political blogs, personal blogs, all have become a method of sharing information, opinion and facts with a wider, global audience. William Jacobson, founder of the political blog "Legal Insurrection," has found great success within the 'blogosphere.'

So what, according to Jacobson, are the keys to maintaining a successful internet presence? Time, diligence and commitment are vital. Posting multiple times a day, providing the audience with fresh content on demand (indeed, anticipating that demand) are what every decent blogger should aspire to. Jacobson, who now has several contributors to the blog, says that he tries to have new content uploaded every hour and a half throughout the day, beginning at 7am and continuing until 7pm. Covering an issue almost obsessively, providing an opinion on a specialized area and making sure that your content stands out amongst the many competing blogs.

Word of mouth, referrals from other bloggers with wider or different audiences, and of course, social media are all necessary to expose and expand the blog to a variety of readers.

Granted, Jacobson found success with 'Legal Insurrection,' and has become a credible source of information in the political blogosphere. But such recognition and success only come through diligence. Speaking from personal experience, finding the time and determination to diligently update a blog each day can be incredibly difficult. In order for true success to be found, the blog – and your intended audience– must be high on your daily list of priorities, and not lost amongst the million and one day-to-day activities that seem to consume so much time.

November 13: Mayhill Fowler continued: Identification as an issue.

As I mentioned in the previous post, identifying oneself as a journalist is perhaps one of the first things – if not the first - that one should do upon the start of a conversation with a source that is meant to be utilized in an article. 

Mayhill Fowler appears to have an issue with this. 

She'd already had a previous mark on her record, with her failure to identify herself at an Obama campaign event where her recording of comments made by Obama nearly derailed his campaign. 

In an article published on Huffington Post, where Fowler writes for the Off the Bus project, she published remarks made by Clinton criticizing Vanity Fair reporter Todd Purdum. 

The quote from Clinton is incendiary and would have given Fowler a veritable platform for an interesting story, had she gone about it properly: ""[He's] sleazy," he said referring to Purdum. "He's a really dishonest reporter. And one of our guys talked to him . . . And I haven't read [the article]. But he told me there's five or six just blatant lies in there. But he's a real slimy guy." However, when she obtained this quote, Fowler failed to identify herself as a journalist. Clinton had no idea he was talking to a member of the press. It could be said that in today's technological world one must carefully consider each and everything they say to everyone, but does Fowler's method cross the ethical line? Getting the scoop is important, but the lines become blurred in situations like Fowler's. 

Identification and full disclosure are part and parcel of being a credible journalist, save for extreme and extenuating circumstances, which arguably Fowler's were not. Should she have identified herself as a member of the press? Does the fact that she failed to do so discredit her as a journalist?

November 12: Is full disclosure necessary? On Mayhill Fowler and journalistic ethics.

Journalism ethics are an important consideration for any aspiring journalist. The SPJ Code of Ethics states that journalists should "Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story." Usual interpretations of this means identifying oneself as a journalist, keeping your recorder out and in the open while recording, and not utilizing other 'underhanded' methods of obtaining information.

But in the case of Mayhill Fowler and the Huffington Post article highlighting Obama's comments about the 'bitter poor' during an event, does disclosure mean stating one's intentions? Fowler obtained an invitation to the event, which was closed to the press, and recorded Obama's remarks. She held up the recording device during the event, as did others (videos were posted of the event on YouTube at a later date). But her use of her recording led to the publishing of an article that nearly derailed Obama's platform. Should she have disclosed her intent to use her record as a source for her story? Did she need to reveal herself as a member of the press with intent to publish what happened during the event to Obama's people? Huffington Post stood by Fowler, stating that there was nothing ethically wrong with her actions. It's a fine line, one that is up to personal and editorial interpretation as to just how far one can push it before that line is crossed.

There's still hope!

As journalists in the new technological and economic age, it's fairly easy to lose hope for our future careers. Finding a job that pays well enough so you can eat more than mac'n'cheese every night, but that doesn't compromise morals and ethics for the sake of corporate direction is more difficult that one would imagine.

But, there is hope! Independent media outlets like Politico and Democracy Now! are hiring (if you know how to look for the jobs). And even better – Glenn Greenwald, former blogger for the Guardian, is starting up a new "well-funded, substantial new media outlet," reportedly funded by eBay founded Pierre Omidyar.

New outlet means new jobs, and indy media outlets are more likely to hire just-out-of-college journalists. New blood means new points of view, which keeps the news interesting.

So, don't despair, fellow journos!  Though breaking into mainstream media is tough, independent media offers an alternative that's actually viable.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to this blog! This site has been officially designated as my Fall 2013 Independent Media blog. Upon these pages you will find commentary about various independent media - namely, what they're up to, my opinions on their actions, and various and sundry delightful updates!

Sit back and enjoy the semester!