Monday Media Madness

Its Monday and that means its time for Media supplement overload. Here’s an extremely unscientific top 5.

1) On the heels of Terry Lloyd’s unlawful death at the hands of American soldiers at the beginning of the campaign in Iraq and recent research indicating that this is most dangerous time for journalists in the last century, former foreign correspondent and current head of Guardian Film Maggie O’Kane asks how the international media can safely and effectively report from, in and about areas that are virtually inaccessible (think Chechyna, North Korea, even Darfur and Iraq). Her answer–through local participation, enlisting those already experiencing it to report on it–is right on and probably the smartest thing we have heard about international citizen reporting for a long long time. O’Kane recognizes expertise in experience, dexeterity in necessity in a way that is deeply satisfying. For her, it isn’t the fad of democratizing journalism that pushes her piece, its proven success in the face of the greatest of dangers.

2) Speaking of fads, I would be remiss now to miss Richard’s piece on the Telegraph’s much vaunted ‘reinvention’ in The Independent (paywall). Wading bravely into the fray (how much more can any of us take of this constant Telegraph barrage?) he says the new reorganization is more trendwatching than revolution, more blind hipster than wide-eyed rebel. In some ways he has to be right. Despite a glut of opportunity, The Telegraph has yet to convince anyone of the real of its total revamp. And, perhaps more damningly, the changes they are making aren’t even pushing the boundaries of what newspapers are. How embarassing that after hundreds of redundancies, acres of newsprint and hours of consideration this ‘reinvention’ only just bring the DT into the 21st century.

3) Other articles include Kim Fletcher’s newspaper column in The Guardian–as usual is a good read but, in a rare occurence, misses a trick. Fletcher worries over the place of Sunday papers in a internet driven world based on quick updates and constant turnover. What to do when a newspaper business is based on leisurely revelation and lengthy analysis? What we really need, and this is what Mr. Fletcher misses out on, is instant comment from a considered position, expert opinion based on a lifetime of work recollected in tranquility.

4) Plus, look at CosmoGIRL! (paywall and, more importantly, is that really the title? do they have to write it like that?) getting into the digital revolution by providing, via their MySpace page, a soundtrack to their annual music issue. Of course the reporter, Charlotte Philby, completely misses the point and asks if directly readers to MySpace is really such a good idea–”leading valuable readers into the hands of the enemy”. As if people would never use the thing unless directed by a teen magazine.

5) Also of interest, The Guardian’s suvery of bloggers finds 30.8% of people read blogs and 27% are creators of content, 65% consumers.

Add comment October 16th, 2006