The Replica Prop Forum

The Replica Prop Forum
Very cool site I am also a member of

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

.GOV Licensing or leashing the media

Prof R has some insight.

"But even if the guidelines extend to everyone who draws a paycheck as a reporter or pundit -- hey, I guess that would include me -- that's still not enough. In this era of blogging, social media and independent journalism, there are an awful lot of people doing serious journalism who aren't drawing a paycheck from a media organization. They deserve protection, too. Journalism is an activity, not a profession."

AM I a journalist?   I write and report about things I think people who read my blog need to know.  I cover things on occasion that regular news media organizations don't.  I technically get paid for it.  (Google Adsense paid me $101.47 after 5 years of blogging.  That comes to .0556 cents a day they paid me for writing this blog on my corner of the innertubes.)  So am I a journalist?  The NRA seems to thinks so, they gave me media credentials for their Annual Meeting in Houston earlier this year.  Several Manufacturers representatives seem to think so, offering me T&E examples of their products.

Who decides who is or isn't a journalist?

Some obscure .GOV Office?  The MSM?  Or do I decide I am a journalist because I seek out informative information for the people who read my blog?

In the founding days of our Nation, anyone who owned or had access to a printing press was a journalist.  They could print whatever they wanted or could afford to print.

Does that mean that only the "Print" media is true journalism?

If so how do you account for ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, FOXNews and all of the others?

Who sets the demarcation line, deciding who individually or what organization falls under those guidelines set by the .GOV?

That is what we need the answer to.

Is it Eric Holder?  President Obama?  Valerie Jarret?

Who makes that decision?

Either it's We ALL, (Not the collective use of all) are journalists, or no one is.

We all have the same freedoms under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, therefore if I wish to obtain information from a .GOV entity for any reason, I AM the Press.  Because I wouldn't obtain the information unless I wished to publicize it.

Publicize, publish. 

"pub·li·cize  

/ˈpəbləˌsīz/
Verb
  1. Make (something) widely known.
  2. Give out publicity about (a product, person, or company) for advertising or promotional purposes.

Synonyms
publish - advertise"


See. We ALL are the Press, in one form or another.

No comments: