The majority of bloggers and Internet addicts, like the endless rows of talking heads on television, do not report. They are largely parasites who cling to traditional news outlets. They can produce stinging and insightful commentary, which has happily seen the monopoly on opinion pieces by large papers shattered, but they rarely pick up the phone, much less go out and find a story. Nearly all reporting—I would guess at least 80 percent—is done by newspapers and the wire services. Take that away and we have a huge black hole.

Former New York Times reporter Chris Hedges’ hardly complimentary words about bloggers provide me an opportunity to offer a much belated appreciation for being allowed to be part of the Digital Pivot blogger family. I make no secret of my print and broadcast media background, and readily admit my first reaction to web logs was unfavorable.  My concern was about discerning truth, as Hedges intelligently described.

A democracy survives when its citizens have access to trustworthy and impartial sources of information, when it can discern lies from truth. Take this away and a democracy dies. The fusion of news and entertainment, the rise of a class of celebrity journalists on television who define reporting by their access to the famous and the powerful, the retreat by many readers into the ideological ghettos of the Internet and the ruthless drive by corporations to destroy the traditional news business are leaving us deaf, dumb and blind.

Hedges sobering observations leave me thankful to be part of a blog with a responsible parent – in this instance TalentZoo.com.  Like all TalentZoo blogs, Digital Pivot’s mission is not ideology, but to discuss, report, and yes – opinionate – on various media subjects.   That gives me comfort given my first post called for “a digital commitment to clarity, accountability, and toughness with civility.”

A former national and international print and broadcast journalist, Bill Bartman is now a consultant to media, new media, telecommunications, and information technology. He operates from Pittsburgh, PA with an office in Washington, DC.

Article Tags: bloggers | Chris Hedges | Digital New media | New York Times | newspapers | television

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