Comments on: News is what you make it

By: James Cooney

James Cooney — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 13:46:57 +0000

Mick, what you’re referring to in the examples you give is international news. There is very much so a place for national (for whatever nation) and international investigative reporting online, and likely will be for sometime. Hell, even local investigative reporting. However, what the bulk of daily newspapers publish could concievably be covered as well as (or better) by alternative sources.

This is a distinction that gets blurred a lot in these conversations. People immediately go to the reporter in Iraq on the frontlines, when that isn’t what we’re really talking about, and it isn’t what most reporters are doing.

Not-to-mention, as Jeff as previously pointed out, there are some embedded bloggers taking the same risks as traditional reporters.

By: Have Coffee Will Write » FROM A BUZZ MACHINE READER…

Have Coffee Will Write » FROM A BUZZ MACHINE READER… — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 12:53:28 +0000

[...] Jeff Jarvis links to a post by Cory Bergman that seeks to kick up a little debate by tagging Craig’s list as a community news site: the ultimate citizen journalism site. Jarvis isn’t too sure, but I found this comment from Buzz Machine reader Matt Terenzio to be on target. [...]

By: Karl

Karl — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 02:32:01 +0000

Good question Jeff. And without asking the participants who use Craigslist, it’s a hard question to answer.

You’re post’s title may say it all however.

By: Mick Gordon

Mick Gordon — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 01:53:09 +0000

No, its not news by my understanding of news. If I want to know what is going on in Iraq, I dont think I would look in Craig’s list. Do you suppose they will have people off in some community devestated by tsunami as fast as a professional news organization? No. Its not what I call news of importance.

By: Matt Terenzio

Matt Terenzio — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:47:41 +0000

I’d probably agree with you, Jeff, except that the editor of my newspaper told me last week that he doesn’t want us posting photos taken by average citizens and calling it news.
Meanwhile, I consider most of the news I get to come from bloggers and users even if they are pointing often to traditional sources.
In the least we can all agree that the definition of news is changing.
Like all other things these days, the definition will come from the users, not the other way around.
Try as that editor may, he has no say of what the public calls news.

By: Vulgorilla

Vulgorilla — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 23:32:14 +0000

To date, the TSM (Terrorist Supporting Media – old MSM) has defined what “News” is. I have zero comfort level with them defining anything of importance or value, so your point is well taken. News could indeed be some of what’s on Craigslist, although I suspect that its not totally covered by it.

By: Amy Alkon

Amy Alkon — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:09:45 +0000

That’s just silly. I find my assistants by advertising on Craig’s list, and I frequently post and look for Paris/Los Angeles house/apartment trades. If “I’m interested in swapping my Paris flat for your house” or “cheap colonics!” or “swingers seek same” is news, well, then they’re the next New York Times: all the small-scale barter and commerce that’s fit to print.

By: Stephen Downes

Stephen Downes — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:06:24 +0000

Your response simply begs the question.

“Yes, but Iâ€™m not sure that most people go there to share or find news.”

Not by the definition of news, sure. But if you change the definition of news – which is his point – then what’s carried on Craigslist may be news. If you allow ‘news’ to mean something like ‘whatever is important to people’ he may have a point.

To response you need to show ‘that is not news’ and not ‘that is not where they get their news’.