So when does a freelance tech journo's point of view on politics matter. #mediawatch
It matters when an obvious right wing twitter user decides he can act like a 3 year old and tell tales. ( Media Watch 30/9/2010)
What then irritates me even more is when Media Watch and Fairfax take what is obviously a political agenda and run with it. Like vexatious litigants taking up our time, this complaint falls into this category.
I fail to see how a person that doesn’t interview politicians, has nothing to do with them or their reporting cannot express a political view. Perhaps the language was not the best, but the sentiment was well agreed with by those with similar political views.
Yet for some reason the label of “Journalist” means that the person is no longer entitled to a political view no matter where within an organisation or even external to that organisation.
More so, if anyone who is any Journalist now makes any comment even when obviously not on the job (at 11pm) expresses any political view on Twitter a precedent has been established to rake them over the coals.
Gloating about telling tales is plain childish, certainly doesn’t further any arguments about the reasoning behind what was nothing more than a blatant biased political attack. If Julia Gillard had been called bad names, would he have complained. I doubt it. ( e.g saying Paul Howl is talking shit )
Why also did Media Watch deem this newsworthy is also questionable. 700 followers and an account which clearly stated Freelance Tech Journalist making political statements is not that big a story is it?
The fallout from Media Watch will be for at least a while people will keep a little quieter. Managers will look at the noise that was generated and tighten the noose a little more. And a few people will just go underground, well at least until they are found out again.
A vexatious complainant with an obvious political agenda gets to wield influence that could have cost someone a sizeable chunk of their income ( I presume). Yes the language was a bit harsh, and yes on reflection he shouldn’t have said what he did, but remove one or two harsh words and you are left with the tone. The tone is now what is endangered not only from Journalists, but all those that work in any corporation that is worried about its public image.
The lines between public and private are blurring, but that does not mean that only your employer is how you are defined, nor should it.
