popular thinking

REPORTING ABOUT REPORTERS: I didn't have anything in the paper today, but the media world still gives us plenty to ponder. Such as...

1) Do reporters still find ways to blog themselves out of their actual jobs? Yes. As the Washington Post reported Friday, a woman who attempted to blog anonymously as the Sarcastic Journalist got sacked by her bosses at the Durham Herald-Sun. But this is a case of the reporter getting what she wished for, since the day before her firing, she wrote for all the World Wide Web to see, "I really hate my place of employment. Seriously." Guess her editors took her seriously. Two points I should make here. First, I'm more than a bit surprised that the WP story didn't mention the St. Louis reporter who also got into trouble for belittling his story assignments. Secondly, we journalists have a difficult enough time as it is maintaining credibility with the masses. Why would you want to take down your employer? Sounds like you're a character on 24 -- now them's some people who put their personal gain ahead of national security. Anyhow. I digressed. Journalists should be using the Web to extend their reach and promote their good work, not for evil. OK. Sounding a bit cinematic. Next topic.
Related story: Free Expression Can Be Costly When Bloggers Bad-Mouth Jobs (WP)

2) Can anyone get press credentials with access to the White House? Again, the surprising answer is yes, as the media world buzzes about the saga of "Jeff Gannon." The 'journalist' formerly known as Gannon resigned after bloggers (bloggers? what are they?) revealed that Gannon wasn't Gannon at all. More curious, however, is the fact that the guy worked for an outfit called Talon News, which essentially is a GOP activist Web site. Not Salon, an online magazine. Talon, a political activist Web site. Some journos and politicos who side with the other side of the political spectrum have gone so far as to suggest that even terrorists (come on, W's crew prefers the term "evildoers" and you know that) could fake their way into the West Wing. Perhaps they've already infiltrated The West Wing. Again, I've gone tangential.
Related stories: 'Gannon' Interview: No Plame Subpoena, No Tie to White House, He Says (E&P)
WH's Scott McClellan Says He Knew 'Gannon' Was Guckert (E&P)
White House correspondent exposed as pseudo-journalist (Globe & Mail, Toronto)
Online Reporter Quits After Liberals' Expose (WP)

3) Do reporters care about their bylines? Did you guess yes again? Of course you did. We're as vain as anyone else. Perhaps more so. The L.A. Times prefers to write brite about the subject. For me, I've always insisted on using my middle initial in bylines -- not only to separate myself from the other Sean McCarthys of the world, but also to acknowledge the fact that I have a middle name, too. And no, it's not Leon. But it's better than making my middle initial the number 8 -- which means one thing in Chinese, but in journalese, it means you need to take to the Web to find sources, unless you decide to use the same source for two different stories in two days. Don't ask me. If you're an avid Gawker reader, you know what I'm talking about. And yes, for those keeping track, I did manage to stray from the point once again. Hooray for me.
Related story: You bet!: News people take their bylines very seriously (LAT)