Interactivity and Media Ethics
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James Joyner | Tuesday, January 24, 2006 |
Reacting to the flap over the Washington Post closing the comments of one of its blogs, Jeff Jarvis interviews himself on the topic of media interactivity and gleans some excellent insights. Two choice examples:
Q: Should there be an expectation of civility in interactivity?
A: As much as there is in life.
We see two mistakes in the discussion surrounding the Post blog:
First, too many people judge interactivity by the worst of it, which is rather like refusing to visit New York because you hear there are a few assholes there. This, I think, comes mostly from people who wish they could dismiss interactivity, and the internet and blogs with it. Sorry, but interactivity â and New York â are here to stay.
The second mistake some people make is assuming that the rest of us canât figure out who the assholes are. With that comes the presumption that we need to be protected from the bozos, that that is mediaâs (and, in other contexts, governmentâs) job. People sometimes ask me why I donât kill stupid comments from various bozos. I reply that I figure most people know theyâre bozos and judge them accordingly.
[...]
Q: By the way, do we really need ombudsmen?
A: No.
Everyone in a newspaper should have a direct relationship with the public. They should all be their own ombudsmen.
Good advice, methinks.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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So, what exactly is wrong with avoiding New York because there are a 'few a-holes' there?
First, too many people judge interactivity by the worst of it, which is rather like refusing to visit New York because you hear there are a few assholes there.
Like people who interview themselves for their blog?
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