Friday, July 11, 2008

Citizen Journalism creates political problems

Having spent 2 weeks in the USA recently, I've been far more aware of the polical race being run there right now. (Note: as well as being intrigued by 2 political parties who use two very similar icons - an elephant and a donkey I understand - explained here),
However, whilst reading the International version of the Financial Times in LA, I was interested in the article on how bloggers are affecting the political universe right now.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f7226954-4707-11dd-876a-0000779fd2ac.html

The article centres around Mayhill Fowler of the Huffington Post and her blogging of inappropriate comments made by Barack Obama and Bill Clinton recently. It does raise the point about whether it is right to post everything a politician says. However if politicians are to have the same qualities we expect from companies these day (truthful and transparent) then surely close scrutiny is not a bad thing and will only eventually highlight inconsistencies and inaccuraties?

There's no doubt that this election in the USA has been the first proper one where bloggers have a significant impact.

"The revolution is happening. Its a good thing and we're all part of it"

says Chuck DeFoe from http://www.townhall.com/ when talking about the the impact of new media and politics.

However are old media and new media that different?

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