David Hazinski aka Real Reporter

All over the blogoshpere the weapon of choice is the keyboard on a personal PC in order to slay the mighty professor of “real journalism”. Somebody regarding this whole issue has a very high opinion of himself and frankly he just might have the credentials to speak. Dictators and Professors are like that. My way or the highway.

According to Professor Hazinski, we (Bloggers) are all hackers of the English language and we imagine facts and figures and propagate lies. When we are wrong, we never post a correction. Bloggers have a private agenda that needs to be regulated according to the distinguished Professor.


Having just anyone produce widely distributed stories without control can have the reverse effect from what advocates intend. It's just a matter of time before something like a faked Rodney King beating video appears on the air somewhere.

Journalism organizations should head that off. Citizen reports can be a valuable addition to news and information flow with some protections:

• Major news organizations must create standards to substantiate citizen-contributed information and video, and ensure its accuracy and authenticity.

• They should clarify and reinforce their own standards and work through trade organizations to enforce national standards so they have real meaning.

• Journalism schools such as mine at the University of Georgia should create mini-courses to certify citizen journalists in proper ethics and procedures, much as volunteer teachers, paramedics and sheriff's auxiliaries are trained and certified.

Journalists generally don't like any kind of standards or regulation. Many argue that standards could infringe on freedom of the press and journalism shouldn't be regulated.
But we have already seen the line between news and entertainment blur enough to destroy significant credibility. Continuing to do nothing as information flow changes will further erode it. Journalism organizations who choose to do nothing may soon find the line between professional and citizen journalism gone as well as the trust of their audiences. -AJC.com

Not long ago I was honored to be a contributing writer for one of the most realistic “Blog’s” on the entire internet. During my time writing there I got to know the owner of the site and frankly, I consider him to be my close friend and a brother. I’m talking about the site called Gun Toting Liberal. Where facts and opinions are drawn from and debated by many well written articles in the Main Stream Media (MSM). Many of the comments on the site are from very well versed readers and combined they debate the issues on their merits. Something you can not do with a television broadcast, newspaper or news magazine.

When it comes to political opinion, the GTL and I do not see eye to eye on all issues but that is half the fun of debating real issues. Has he changed my opinion on some issues, yes he has. Have I changed his opinion on some issues, yes, I like to think that I have.

Over at the Gun Toting Liberal he clearly states what he thinks about the Professors comments and I happen to agree with him…

We ARE the “Press” they spoke of, Mr. Hazinski — NOT you and your biased mainstream media. The town criers. The suspicious Citizens with a pen, sneaking around, playing “gotchya” with our government leaders — THAT’S what a “journalist” does, sir. When you and your multi-national, huge, biased corporations failed to do this, you not only forced our Founding Fathers to roll in their graves, you lost your status as the “Press” and “journalists” and the respect of the American People. You don’t like it, I’m sure. After all, your so-called “profession” is a shrinking and outdated one and your livelihood is in jeapordy. Why? Because the “Press” our Founding Fathers protected in the Constitution had little to do with the concept of people becoming fat, lazy, rich and biased while sitting on their pasty rear ends with a pen. - Gun Toting Liberal

Based on how I write here at Papamoka Straight Talk and from what I have learned from other great “Blog’s”, David Hazinski has probably only visited angry bloggers afflicted with anger management issues. Sites where opposing opinions are met with personal attacks and name calling.

Maybe he needs to visit reality and understand that the American people no longer trust the MSM because they are all biased and rightfully so. They are running a business and making a living from the written word they produce. That is where the difference becomes known between the MSM and bloggers like GTL and myslef. Most bloggers write and report as opinion journalist and never receive a dime for it. Raising my hand here. Three plus years of writing online and still no checks in my mail box.

While the revenue generating machines that are the MSM play to the advertisers and report accordingly they are swayed to slant the stories they provide. Fox swings from its side of the batters box and NBC swings from its. Somewhere in the middle is the general truth and that is what we as bloggers debate on a daily basis.

Sit down Professor, you my friend are yesterdays news and we will leave it at that.

Papamoka

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