Adam Stone on Citizen Journalism |
This is an OurBlook interview with Adam Stone, publisher of the Examiner community newspapers in Putnam and Westchester counties, N.Y. Some experts argue that citizen journalism could help local newspapers survive. Do you agree or disagree?AS: My belief is that newspapers, in their traditional form, can still be enormously popular. And if newspaper publishers largely reject the Web, and go back to basics, they can decrease their operating expenses and generate enough display advertising to return to profitability. What is plaguing the newspaper industry is a business model that no longer seems viable. I think it's been the mainstream newspaper industry's embrace of new editorial formulas and approaches that has been leading to its demise. The premise of the question seems to suggest that the newspaper industry must develop new ways, citizen journalism included, to remain relevant. I disagree with the assumption that newspapers must adapt significantly in the Internet age. While my opinion runs contrary to what most inside and outside the industry believe, there's no doubting that recent attempts to adapt have failed, seeing as how so many newspapers are losing money or are going bankrupt or are out of business. How are you using citizen journalism, if indeed you are, in your own newspapers? Are you familiar with any media sites that have successfully done so? AS: I'm not. And I'm not familiar with sites that have successfully done so, but that certainly doesn't mean they're not out there. Some critics cringe at the thought of citizen journalism, citing lack of quality and wondering if it's just going to be a bunch of irresponsible, inept bloggers. How would you respond to these critics? Are there any steps that newspapers can take to safeguard against inaccurate, dishonest, slanted or otherwise harmful citizen journalism? AS: I would agree with these critics as it relates to citizen journalism being a major part of mainstream newspapers. I'm sure there is a place for it ... a valuable place ... in alternative media. As for the second question, I'm sure there are some ways to safeguard, but because I don't believe citizen journalism should be embraced by mainstream newspapers, any thoughts I might have on that topic are probably moot. No one would pay money at a dentist's office to have a root canal done by a citizen dentist. No one would pay money at a hospital to undergo a gall bladder operation by a citizen surgeon. What makes citizen journalism different in its viability? AS: A letters to the editor section is, in my opinion, the most relevant place in a mainstream newspaper where citizens can interact with the paper. A "citizen" practicing some form of journalism is not the same as a "citizen dentist." Analogous training is not required for citizens to make meaningful contributions to journalism. I simply think that "members of the public playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information" (the definition I read about citizen journalism) is not the answer for mainstream newspapers in their collective efforts to remain relevant and profitable. Do you believe that citizen journalism helps democratize information? If so, how? What do you think the information roadmap will look like in 20 years? AS: Yes, but because I don't think citizen journalism should dominate or even play a minor role in the operation of mainstream newspapers, I doubt my belief that it does democratize information is very relevant in the context of this interview. On the third question, I don't think anybody can intelligently predict 20 years down the road. Just think of what the information world looked like in 1989. No one at the time could have envisioned in any full way what 2009 would look like. Is there anything else you'd like to say about citizen journalism? AS: I'd just like to stress again that I do think citizen journalism can play an important role. I just don't think the home for it should be mainstream newspapers. Trackback(0)
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  written by Simona Fica, journalist in Romania, December 10, 2009
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ROMANIA Invaded by the Mossad.
Sources in Romanian counter, which in May will not consent to the "law of silence" imposed by their political bosses, we stated that, currently, national security is seriously jeopardized by the inability of Intelligence to exercise effective control over information environments Jewish interest, known worldwide as the proper unfolding of the shares covered by the foreign related services, but also of business often dishonest, or at risk of legality, which makes money laundering and outsourcing amounts obtained illegally, often for financing certain operations of the Mossad and even terrorist organizations.
Such an environment completely beyond the control of the Romanian state bodies, starting with the intelligence services and police continued with specialized structures and Finance Ministry is that of casinos and gambling. Sources said that the omission of the factors mentioned competent stems complicity in the high level of decision-making structures of the state, that government and president. Almost daily aircraft landing at Bucharest players who passionately in Israel, at dawn, they go back, but out of country and large sums of money - operations under strict guard of Israeli armed to the teeth. Effectively, there are scenes of nightmare. Although many were made inform about the activity on the Romanian territory of intelligence structures have such concerns, data are clear that casinos are washed through the millions of euro cash, amounts finally take the road foreignness - pending cases have been protracted because the operative substance to dilute up to extinction, so that they can no longer be documented and investigated. This state of affairs led to the explosive proliferation in Romania gambling houses, most of which are patronized by so-called businessmen Hebrew, in fact, are nothing but Israeli intelligence personnel. In addition to the exorbitant sums that circulated in these places and which, largely in Romania go through various ways (in rural financial specialist to appreciate that 80% of this money shall go abroad, in some cases, to confuse, via Cyprus) in these casinos is an intense activity practice gathering information from various fields, mostly from the economic. This is one of the explanations for that, when the privatization was an advantageous to have signed it or companies from Israel or other states, but with the Hebrew citizens back. Because they received the "tips" of time. Worth mentioning is that in Israel such practices are prohibited by law, thus avoiding leakage of money so, how and the information. It is quite eloquently that three quarters of casinos in Bucharest belong "business" in the Middle East. They have significant connections with politics and control authorities in Romania. Israelis driving through companies registered in tax havens, business worth hundreds of millions per year, whose taxes to the state "forget" to pay them.
Romanian special structures at all is known that all casinos in Bucharest are suspected of money laundering and illegal expatriation of funds from fraudulent, whose destination is the support of various illegal actions of some foreign intelligence structures. As is known, for example, Israeli police were notified, and has started a criminal investigation regarding fraudulent obtaining electoral funds by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the amount of $ 1.5 million, while money laundering operations. The main investigation was his two sons - Omri and Ghilad Sharon - whose mother (Lily) was the Jew originally from Romania, in Brasov.
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