Scripting News: The Media and the Story

I’m not always a big fan of Dave Winer’s blog but in his first set of posts this new year, he hits the nail on the head

Bringing the Press into the story

I’m VERY tired of reporters saying they are objective yet their bias shows through regularly. Maybe it was ironic then that the pro-democratic media pretty much shut down Dean’s campaign by making him appear as a ranting maniac (that seems to be Dave’s comment ” when a campaign can be deleted, and its supporters disenfranchised, by cable networks because a candidate showed enthusiasm,” – but Dean pretty much did do it to himself – there’s a difference between a rant and enthusiasm).

But his point is bang on: “Net-net: the professional journalist is totally part of the story he or she is writing. That they believe otherwise is the major bug in their process.”

His other reference to his comment on competition from three years back is absolutely right on as well:

“Simply stated, here’s my rule. Where you want competition, give away the technology. Where you want to be competitive, keep it to yourself.”