One of our reporters stepped on blogger toes earlier this week. Steve Walsh is a reporter for The Missourinet, a radio network headquartered in Jefferson City. He took over the network blog a few weeks back and has been doing a good job with it. The post in question attempted to make some “distinctions” between MSM bloggers and “political” bloggers.
“…while the MSM bloggers represent their media outlets and, therefore, must be truthful and accurate … the vast majority of the political bloggers are unaccountable … and sometimes fall short of telling “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
Ouch. That’s a commonly held view by a lot of reporters. And a lot of folks –bloggers and the public alike– would question the “must be truthful and accurate” part but that’s not what this post is about.
One of the blogs Steve “called out” is Fired Up Missouri. The blog represents the Democratic view of things and the blogger goes by the pseudonym “Howard Beale.” Howard Beale was the fictional news anchor in the film Network.
“Howard Beale” fired back and called Steve to task for a story he did some months ago. Your normal blogosphere kerfuffle.
Steve responded and made what I consider the check-mate move. He pointed out one key difference between MSM blogs like his and Fired Up Missouri. Steve signs his posts and the blogger at Fired Up Missouri does not.
This point trumps all others in my opinion. And adds heavy irony to the choice of the pseudonym “Howard Beale.”
“I want you to get up out of your chairs… go over to your computers… and post an angry rant to your blog… anonymously.” See? Doesn’t work.
But as luck –and some good detective work– I have discovered the identity of “Howard Beale” and will reveal it here at 5:00 p.m. this Friday. I think you’ll be shocked.
Disclosure: The company I work for, Learfield, is the parent company of The Missourinet, the company Steve Walsh works for. I should also point out that I have come out here as supporting Barack Obama. I don’t think of myself as a Democrat because if he wasn’t running I wouldn’t be voting for the Democratic candidate. But if I have a leaning, it’s more toward the views expressed on Fired Up Missouri.
Kerfuffle? I had to look it up. Thanks for expanding my world.
I wish I had a pseudonym.
kp
I took offense to his post as well, but have as of yet refrained from bashing him… I reserve the right to in future posts.
I understand his point, but his generalization is that all bloggers who DON’T work for a news organization are just sloshing slander and insinuation.
That’s not what blogging is about and it’s an awfully arrogant position to take from someone working for the man. I state my opinion plainly, whether or not I fully disclose my motives or physical location (which could be dangerous) it has no bearing on whether or not I’m truthful.