Blog of the Week

James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist based in North Carolina, USA. The Island of Doubt is his ScienceBlog, in which he discusses current scientific and ecological issues and, in particular, their representation in the media.

Interesting and informative reading for anyone who, like James, “appreciates the value of informed skepticism in both journalism and science.

*Ripping up the rulebook - impartiality in broadcasting

Despite my previous posts, Iain Dale had a topic other than blogging to discuss. His new venture, "Britain's first political Internet TV Channel", began broadcasting on October 10.

18 Doughty Street's launch comes at a time when "those who want to have intelligent political debate are not getting it in the mainstream media," says Dale.

According to the 18 Doughty Street 'About' page, "It aims to break the mould of current affairs television with a mix of opinionated and controversial programming."

Having watched the programme, I didn't think it especially controversial. Opinionated, sure - but is that controversial in itself?

British broadcasting has traditionally been bound by rules on impartiality and, by broadcasting on the net, Dale and his colleagues at 18 Doughty Street have circumnavigated this regulation. It's innovative, yes, but newspapers in the UK don’t claim to be completely impartial, so is the idea of a broadcaster who doesn’t really that shocking?

Maybe it’s true that people are turning away from traditional political broadcasting because constraints of balance make programmes staid. Perhaps 18 Doughty Street, and other programmes that will surely follow it, will go some way to addressing the prevailing opinion among apathetic voters that politics is dull. But it’s interesting that Dale cites one of the main ways they will achieve this as being unrestricted scheduling. Politicians and others taking part in 18 Doughty Street’s heated debates will not “be cut off just as things are getting interesting”.

As we heard from Amanda Powell, web users are impatient. If, as according to this (now rather old) BBC article, users spend less than 60 seconds at an average site, who's to say viewers will even get as far as the interesting part?

Sod you

And, anyway, isn't the whole point of blogging supposedly for us little guys to have a chance to voice our opinions unedited? Don't you have to think to formulate opinions?

Or is this me getting needlessly wound up over a meaningless catchphrase?

Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me

I don't think I've really grasped this blogging thing yet. This particular little guy is not feeling overly empowered.

I have just spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide what to write about the day Britain's best-known right-of-centre political blogger graced us journalism students with his presence.

This in itself, surely, fails to adhere to Iain Dale's mantra of "I don't think, therefore I blog"? It certainly isn't dangerously, spontaneously, heat-of-the-moment. (Which means that I won't need to change the expletive in the title of this post to 'sod' later today.)

If I'm having so much trouble, just think of all those poor politicians (I know, I know, but hear me out) faced with the "whole new, uncontrollable world" of new media. Dale says, "Blogs can reach parts of the electorate nothing else can. It's vitally important for politicians to reach that audience." But, he says, politicians fear blogs.

Well, I don't blame them. How are they supposed to "keep it real", be edgy and spontaneous whilst maintaining their professional integrity? Be honest about their thoughts whilst not being seen to contradict the party line?

And take heed, would-be-blogger politicians out there, of Dale's sad story of an MP unseated. Apparently, the opposition used her blog, in which she dared to mention leisure activities, to convince voters she did nothing useful for her constituency.

Guilty!

In her lecture this yesterday, Gillian Phillips, Head of Litigation at Times Newspapers Ltd., pointed out that media law was the only area of UK law in which the defendent (a journalist or publication sued for libel or defamation) is presumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

I wonder if this is somehow a telling reflection of Charles Reiss' (former political editor of the Evening Standard) assertion of last week's lecture that journalists are amongst the least publicly-trusted professionals in Britain?

An impatient audience with Amanda Powell

Amanda Powell, Editor for Wales, BBC NEWS Online, today gave her lecture, “Behind the scenes at www.bbc.co.uk/news”. Still with me? Possibly not: according to Powell, the average UK user spends just 49 seconds per page, and little more than 3 minutes on the website in total. How can journalists convince such an impatient audience to read their stories?

Powell’s answer to this pertinent question followed the now-familiar mantra of clear and concise, accurate and precise writing, coupled with visually attractive layout. Some things are worth repeating. It’s probably never a bad thing to be reminded of the key skills and attributes required in your chosen profession. And I’m certainly not under the illusion that I always achieve everything Powell mentioned. But despite all that, I felt this part of the lecture was lightweight and gave the questioning minds of us wannabe journalists little to chew on.

The second part of Powell’s lecture dug a little deeper. How should journalists react, faced head-on with the rise of citizen journalism? How does a media organisation like the BBC monitor and verify the quality, validity and legality of user-generated content? If anyone armed with a keyboard and a blank screen can be a journalist, is there a future for professional journalists?

To this final question, Powell answers yes. This came as a bit of a relief for someone who has just shelled out five thousand pounds to learn how to become one.

Blog of the Week

BBC NEWS The Editors Craig Oliver The Ten O'Clock News Editor gives clear, accessible commentary on journalistic issues. Recent entries have raised issues relating to the news provider-news consumer relationship, a seemingly prevalent theme of the Online Journalism course.

From Oliver's comments, it seems the BBC Ten O'Clock News is embracing the ideas that this relationship should be about conversation rather than lecture, allowing the audience to reach their own conclusions, and that the modern news 'provider' is more like a 'facilitator'.

Entering the blogosphere

Resistance is futile. Blogging is sweeping across the globe and gathering speed as it goes. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, it is said. So here I am.