Only true journalists are worth reading, and other links of interest
Only true journalists are worth reading, or so we’re told…
Like a lot of the South African blogosphere, I’m a little stunned by the arrogance and sarcasm coming from Sunday Times columnist David Bullard. He writes an essay where bloggers are considered the sociopathic “air guitarists” of media. Vincent Maher goes on the offensive against Bullard and sums up some great points on why his essay is so myopic.
African Signals has been picking up:
Here are two of the recent interviews on African Signals. If I thought I knew a lot about what was going on in the industry in Africa, I’m getting an education on the real scope of change that is happening throughout the continent. Now, more than ever, I know that the tech revolution in Africa has begun.
Interviewing the Maker of the Nigerian SMS Election Monitoring System - Ken Banks
A Talk with Eric Osiakwan of AfrISPA
A Paul Graham Essay
Paul Graham generally has incredibly well written essays. This one is no different. In it he compares unions to startups.
An Alternative Theory of Unions - Paul Graham
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Why do you get bent out of shape every time a “conventional” journalist criticizes a blogger? It’s obvious they’re intimidated by the competition. There’s a reason print newspapers are losing money and having to lay off staff. The barriers to entry into this profession are now open to anyone with a camera or computer. It’s the wave of the future.
Hey KE, I assume by “everytime” you’re talking about the one other time I’ve alluded to conventional journalism here.
It wouldn’t really have been news for me, except for the fact that it happened in Africa and was making a few waves. What I find interesting is the way he chose to go about it - it makes perfect sense really. The best way to make a name for yourself online is to pick a high-profile fight. That’s what Bullard did.
So, I’m actually not bent out of shape at all, I just thought to point out his verbal abuse and call it what it is: arrogance.
Only a troll would say things like:
I do, however, object to some anonymous, scrofulous nerd pumping meaningless drivel into cyberspace at all hours of the day and night simply because he can’t find a girl to sleep with him. These are the sort of w ackos who gun down their fellow students at university.
Poor Mr. Bullard - his writing inspires my pity. Back to my aggregator…
I stand corrected.
[...] day rise to the hallowed domain of the pressroom, I know you all secretly long for it, now dontcha?! PS. check Bullard’s response on video (sorry bandwidth starved South Africans, but this [...]
Interesting that I should read this on a blog! I read Bullard’s article and could not help but chuckle to myself! What a conceited person he is! First, his little column despite appearing on the first page of Sunday times has never inspired me to read more than the first 2 sentences! He is a complete bore! and how he got his way onto front page is what i would call a miracle.
He forgets that blogging goes beyond regular journalism. for most it is a hobby, (the case for me)
Yet i understand the source of his insecurity-he probably spent years in college learning journalism, yet others can effortless beat him at his game.
In Malaysia two bloggers has been brought to court because their blog had published some so called “not true” articles ! The case is still pending. In another case a minister had the audacity of calling bloggers liars! How about that!
let pple express themselsevs,u can do nothin lets stop being jerousy.
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