Comments on: Consumer Reports + National Enquirer + ? = the future of free societies http://www.texttechnologies.com/2009/05/08/consumer-reports-national-enquirer-the-future-of-free-societies/ Understanding technology ... in both senses of the phrase Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:45:03 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: TechCrunch offers to pay a source’s legal expenses | Text Technologies http://www.texttechnologies.com/2009/05/08/consumer-reports-national-enquirer-the-future-of-free-societies/comment-page-1/#comment-98545 TechCrunch offers to pay a source’s legal expenses | Text Technologies Sat, 23 May 2009 21:51:48 +0000 http://www.texttechnologies.com/?p=324#comment-98545 [...] That’s a remarkable offer to make, one that I don’t ever recall hearing the mainstream media ever matching. As such, it’s a strong (albeit very partial) answer to the ongoing handwringing about the future of investigative journalism. [...] [...] That’s a remarkable offer to make, one that I don’t ever recall hearing the mainstream media ever matching. As such, it’s a strong (albeit very partial) answer to the ongoing handwringing about the future of investigative journalism. [...]

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.texttechnologies.com/2009/05/08/consumer-reports-national-enquirer-the-future-of-free-societies/comment-page-1/#comment-92466 Curt Monash Mon, 11 May 2009 07:05:18 +0000 http://www.texttechnologies.com/?p=324#comment-92466 Publicity is something that happens to real or imagined news -- or, if you like, to the subjects of such real or imagined news. Publicity is something that happens to real or imagined news — or, if you like, to the subjects of such real or imagined news.

]]> By: Linda Barlow http://www.texttechnologies.com/2009/05/08/consumer-reports-national-enquirer-the-future-of-free-societies/comment-page-1/#comment-92402 Linda Barlow Mon, 11 May 2009 04:37:33 +0000 http://www.texttechnologies.com/?p=324#comment-92402 "a significant fraction of news is something large organizations have a vested interest in releasing" Is that news or is it publicity? Depends on the circumstances. Certainly there is plenty of what I might call news that orgs do *not* have a vested interest in releasing (although they might have a vested interest in not covering it up). I agree that the predicted death of traditional journalism could lead to a cut-back well-sourced, thoroughly researched investigative reporting. Indeed, there is already a trend on the web to accept poorly-sourced stories as fact. “a significant fraction of news is something large organizations have a vested interest in releasing”

Is that news or is it publicity? Depends on the circumstances. Certainly there is plenty of what I might call news that orgs do *not* have a vested interest in releasing (although they might have a vested interest in not covering it up).

I agree that the predicted death of traditional journalism could lead to a cut-back well-sourced, thoroughly researched investigative reporting. Indeed, there is already a trend on the web to accept poorly-sourced stories as fact.

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