Disqus - Latest Comments for Charlie Becket

Re: Is blogging mature yet?

Charlie Becket — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:55:57 -0000

Hi Sunny,
I didn't actually say that I thought that blogging was 'mature'. I said that the Great and the Good of journalism who run the Orwell Prize now think that it has.
As we have discussed before, there are a whole range of 'blogs'. Like journalism in general they will be at different levels and perform different functions.
Generally, I think the term 'blog' has almost become unhelpful.
However, online journalism and/or blogging has now got to a point in its development where we can raise our expectations and develop a more critical understanding of what 'works' and what doesn't. And also, what effects it has and what values it deploys.
But I hope that whatever it is, blogging doesn't become too 'mature'.
cheers
Charlie

Re: Nadine Dorries MP in today’s Independent…

Charlie Becket — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:00:03 -0000

Sunny,
You are the caped crusader or scarlet pimpernel of the liberal blogosphere - but don't you think there are more worthy targets? - Nadine may have some views you don't like but she is a terrific blogger and at least she is open and online...
cheers
Charlie

Re: Nick Clegg: ‘I don’t believe in God’

Charlie Becket — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:11:10 -0000

Well done Nick, and then he blew it by the "I'm not religious but some of my best friends are" statement.
I have no objection to anyone's faith either, but I do resent that religious believers (including Brown and Blair) subtly (or blatantly in the case of the MCB or the CoE) imply that their opinions are somehow more noble and important than the opinion of non-believers. That's why we still have Thought For The Day...

Re: How will Facebook change politics? (pt 2)

Charlie Becket — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 05:39:15 -0000

Hi Sunny,
I was there, too, and was reminded how much people are investing politically in the internet. Even Finkelstein is convinced that it represents a political paradigm-shift. But I agree with you we must start discriminating about which bit of the web. I don't think that social networking sites like Bebo or Facebook are going to have much impact on conventional politics. Even sites like YouTube only have an occasional impact. Bloggers are a niche part of the political system now, but not so different from conventional media in their effect. No, what will make politics change will be more about what Stephan Shakespeare spoke about. It is when the internet (which bit? I don't know) throws up "its own heroes and presidents" that politics will start to change. So far it has all been about conventional politics going online - when will online go political? (er.. not on Facebook anyway...)
regards
Charlie

Re: The Path to Journalistic Blogging: The Four Signs of the Hackopalypse

Charlie Becket — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:50:55 -0000

Hi Adam,

The fourth one is more important than you imply. It is not just about good writing either. If all that other stuff about informing and connecting is going to work then your work has to have value. In the naughty capitalist market system that we live in, that generally means being paid (but not always - fame or reputation are useful properties, too). Your work has to be WORTH reading. 'Entertain' implies something glib and supeficial but some people find Greek tragedy entertaining - that is valuable and worth paying for in their attention and time and even money. That is what it means to entertain.

cheers

Charlie

Re: NUJ: "effing blogs"

Charlie Becket — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:07:53 -0000

A truly wonderful post and comment exchange.

It's bad enough how the NUJ fails to understand the nature of the new journalism. But what is really sad is the idea that the NUJ thinks it knows what 'standards' are and that it has any role in 'improving' them.

Re: Educators debate: Do journalists still need shorthand?

Charlie Becket — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:08:17 -0000

Hi Martin,
Denis has now fleshed out his argument on my blog: www.charliebecket.org which might add weight to the pro-shorthand argument.
However, I confess I am not 'firmly' in his camp. I think that it is a skill that is very useful for frontline reporters but not vital. There are other skills such as an understanding of accounts or a foreign language that could equally make a journalist stand out.
cheers
Charlie

Re: Educators debate: Do journalists still need shorthand?

Charlie Becket — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:08:18 -0000

Re: Beyond Broadcast: John Palfrey “The Internet and Politics”

Charlie Becket — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 03:25:17 -0000

"Much of what’s interesting is happening outside the United States."
I don't know if this is true, but if you are interested then check out Polis at the London School of Economics. I have just written 'SuperMedia: Saving Journalism So It Can Save The World' giving the future of news from an Anglo (-American) perspective.
Charlie Beckett
Director, Polis at LSE

Re: Comic insurance: how Jonathan Ross gets to keep his job

Charlie Becket — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:22:31 -0000

Judith,
I think you are on to something and it's called moral panics. It might not be entirely a bad thing. It is a bit like a news cycle. We pay attention to something, we thrash around a bit. We all have a good debate and a few people get bruised. Then we move on. It's not perfect, but it is a kind of argument, discussion and learning process. The fact that no-one (usually) dies is good.
The fact that The Mail galvanised this particular debate doesn't mean it's not a real issue. The fact that it is celebrities who are under scrutiny and who may lose a few grand is a pleasant relief from real people getting it in the neck.
cheers
Charlie

Re: A row broke out today in Medialand and it wasn’t formulated for a headline

Charlie Becket — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:03:37 -0000

Nick is an investigative God but he's not always right. Why shouldn't the public have both sides? Why shouldn't journalism show its workings? My blog post that you refer to is a good example of how the argument can happen and develop online with the public fully plugged in (if they read my humble little blog, that is...)
It is clear from my blog that is opinionated, but I hope, not a rant and reasonably fair in allowing access to different views.
cheers
Charlie

Re: A question for ‘A Broadsheet Newspaper’: What ‘A Sunday Newspaper’ would that be?

Charlie Becket — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:49:08 -0000

We are/were just as silly about this in telly. 50% of stories came from papers but we would either not mention this or say "as reported in a newspaper today". Not only is it unhelpful to the viewer but it also hides a relevant fact. If I know that it is the Sun or Mirror that has broken a story then I can take into account their known editorial perspectives. It is one of those customs that looks so outdated now.

Re: How Networked Link Journalism Can Give Journalists Collectively The Power Of Google And Digg

Charlie Becket — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:50:13 -0000

Networked Journalism is working here in the UK, too.
I have a book out in May on Networked Journalism called SuperMedia (Blackwell US)- more details on my media think-tank website at www.lse.ac.uk/polis.
I would also suggest people check out the work of academic Paul Bradshaw who has done excellent work on networked journalism in the UK at www.onlinejournalismblog.com
regards
Charlie Beckett

Re: How Networked Link Journalism Can Give Journalists Collectively The Power Of Google And Digg

Charlie Becket — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:49:57 -0000

For wikis try:
http://onlinejournalismblog.com/
cheers
Charlie Beckett
Polis, LSE

Re: A response to Lindsay Page’s essay on the BBC & the Gaza appeal

Charlie Becket — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:44:52 -0000

Hi Rob, thanks for such a full and passionate response. I won't defend Lindsay's blog as it was a guest blog and she can do it well enough herself.

However I am suprised at your snide attitude to academic analysis. Why exactly are you at uni? I know your tutors are quite comfortable with concepts like post-modern -structuralist etc. What frightens you about a little theory? :)

And btw the DEC is a collection of NGOs and I respect it but it is also self-interested. Why should we automatically accept what NGOs want, especially as properly critical independent journalists?

Good luck with the blog and your journalism.

Cheers,

Charlie

(PS Sorry for spelling, still struggling with iPhone)

(RJW — Tidied things up a little for you.)