2009.04.17: April 17, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Swaziland: Journalism: Television: Somerville News: Chris Matthews supports blogging

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Swaziland: Special Report: RPCV Journalist Chris Matthews: Chris Matthews: Newest Stories: 2009.04.17: April 17, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Swaziland: Journalism: Television: Somerville News: Chris Matthews supports blogging

By Admin1 (admin) (141.157.69.163) on Sunday, April 19, 2009 - 12:05 pm: Edit Post

Chris Matthews supports blogging

Chris Matthews supports blogging

"The Boston Globe, the LA Times-institutions that you never thought would leave are leaving. The newspaper on the driveway is disappearing," Matthews said, in reference to the financial troubles that are threatening many major newspapers. "A blogger can get up in the morning, be living with his parents, ask them for pancakes, and then blog about the president," he quipped, implying that blogging, by democratizing access to the influence that newspaper and television reporters once took for granted, is part of the threat facing newspapers. Television Journalist Chris Matthews served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Swaziland in the 1960's.

Chris Matthews supports blogging

At Tufts, Matthews, Wu, and Dukakis debate politics, journalism

By Keith Cheveralls

Broadcast journalists Chris Matthews of MSNBC and Janet Wu of WCVB, joined former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis to discuss issues in journalism and politics during a ninety-minute forum Monday at Tufts University. Speaking before a packed audience of Tufts students, the panelists considered an array of subjects that ranged from public service to the abortion debate. But the theme of the day was the fate of print journalism-newspapers and magazines-in the face of the threats posed by internet-based media.

"The Boston Globe, the LA Times-institutions that you never thought would leave are leaving. The newspaper on the driveway is disappearing," Matthews said, in reference to the financial troubles that are threatening many major newspapers. "A blogger can get up in the morning, be living with his parents, ask them for pancakes, and then blog about the president," he quipped, implying that blogging, by democratizing access to the influence that newspaper and television reporters once took for granted, is part of the threat facing newspapers.

Dukakis, however, did not give bloggers much credit.

"Without dismissing the bloggers and the Limbaughs," he said, referring to Rush Limbaugh, the right-wing radio pundit, "I have to tell you that they don't really play a large part. If I were in office today, I wouldn't pay attention to the bloggers or any of these characters, but if someone like a Janet Wu said something, I would take it seriously."

But Wu countered that many journalists are themselves paying attention to blogs, because "you don't know what nugget of information your competitors will pick up from the bloggers."

"I would argue the profit incentive has changed the landscape," she said. "The business is so profit driven these days compared to what it was 20 or 30 years ago," and, for this reason, she said, the competition to uncover new stories is much more intense.

Matthews implied that, while bloggers and the internet have challenged the newspapers' business model, the problems facing newspapers stem from the fact that the pursuit of journalism and the pursuit of profit are not compatible.

"There's no money in print journalism, so nobody would go into it for the money. I question the premise that someone would start a newspaper to make money," he argued. Nevertheless, he said of print journalists that "it's unbelievable how good they are. Their ability to get a story and get it right on deadline is amazing."

With the fate of traditional newspapers very much undecided-indeed, none of the speakers confessed to knowing quite what newspapers should do to reverse their downward spiral-Matthews concluded the discussion with a dire warning. "There will come to a time," he said, "when we don't know what the facts are. We watched Hitler rise to power, but at least we had reporters there to tell us what was happening, that he was taking over other countries."

The speakers and audience developed an easy rapport, with audience members occasionally shouting questions or comments to the speakers, and Matthews spontaneously polling the audience whenever he, Wu, or Dukakis disagreed with one another. At one point, he exhorted those students in the audience pursuing a career in politics to stand up-and then exhorted those who did not stand to promise themselves that, lacking the courage to stand, they would never pursue a career in politics.

Dukakis, perhaps dismayed that only one in ten or so students heeded Matthews' demand, spoke glowingly of public service, recalling of his thirty-year political career that "I never remember coming home in the evening and not feeling as thought I had made some kind of difference." He added that "there is nothing more personally fulfilling than being in a position where you can make improvements in the lives of your fellow citizens."

But Wu rejoined that "I would never encourage my children to run for office," because, she explained, "I know how brutal we can be."

"Every morning I get up, I still ask myself, is it fair for me to do this story?" she said.

Her concern was echoed by the questions several students posed during the question-and-answer session.

"It becomes a slippery slope when we want to get a job with Obama, and they want every blog comment we've ever made. Where is the line between what's fair and legitimate and what's unnecessary information?" one student asked.

"This may seem tough," Dukakis responded, "but one thing I try to help my students understand is that if you put it in writing, assume its going to be on the front page of the local paper." Dukakis teaches at Northeastern University in Boston.

"There are ways of dealing with these issues," Wu said, referring to how politicians should handle "unnecessary information" that might be leaked anyway. "Too many politicians try very hard thinking it will go away and no one will ever find out."

"There are people out there without any kind of judgment, Matthews explained. "If they get it, they'll run it," he said.

The forum-titled the Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism, in honor of pioneering broadcast journalist Edward Murrow-was sponsored by a variety of Tufts University departments and programs, including the Communications and Media Studies Program and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. Past speakers have included Ted Koppel, Dan Rather, and Tom Brokaw.




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Story Source: Somerville News

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Swaziland; Journalism; Television

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