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What a Journalist Isn't

I'm sick and tired of the abuse journalists are getting at the moment. They don't deserve it, at least real journalists don't - ...

24 August 2012

The Dangers of Let's Pretend

Have you seen the Prince Harry pics then?

Of course you have. Most people who want to have. But they've not been in the papers apart from The Sun, and because it's The Sun the debate about the decision to publish has split along tired and familiar battle lines.

It's a very British row. It has all the elements; Royalty, class and moral indignation about simple nudity - no-one has suggested Harry has been involved in a sex scandal or even, delving into the treasured lexicon of journalese, a romp.

It has a more sinister element in that it proves the press is currently cowed to a degree that would have been totally unthinkable pre-Leveson. That's worrying.

20 August 2012

On Bloggers and Journalists

Over the past couple of weeks I've been pondering the question as to whether a blogger can ever be a journalist if they're not paid to do the job.

It's far from being a new debate, but I was drawn into it whilst on holiday via posts on the Leeds 'Culture Vulture' blog. I've enjoyed reading the articles and reviews on this site for some time, and I recently met two of the leading lights from the editorial team when Phil and Emma came up to Leeds Trinity for a look around the Centre for Journalism.

So, whilst sitting outdoors on a sweltering evening in France I was tempted to join the 'blogger v journalist' discussion started by Phil Kirby in a post entitled 'Name Calling'.

What follows is  an edited version of the various comments I posted in that thread.