
This mirrors events during the RNC protests were authorities arrested independent and community journalists while releasing credentialed ones.
As many have pointed out, the Constitution enshrines the role of journalism.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
What it doesn't do, is provide a formula for who can be a legitimate journalist. The time it was written was the era of the broadsheet and pamphlet, therefore, anyone with access to a printing press was a journalist. These days, with the internet and all, anyone who publishes, despite the format, is a journalist.
There was an attempt last year to formally recognize journalists only as those who, from journalism, earn "a substantial portion of the person's livelihood or for substantial financial gain." That one, the Free Flow of Information Act, got lost in the Senate, but it could pop up again.
I was at an Associated Press job fair yesterday with about ten local traditional newspapers. There were virtually no jobs available, even in small markets. Just internships. It was a job fair without jobs.
As the business model supporting traditional newspaper journalism cracks and flounders, these behemoths have very little advantage over scrappy outfits like the Minnesota Independent. Hell, the Independent breaks more than its share of stories. The main difference between traditional and Indie right now is one of access, essentially a privileged relationship with authorities that might speak to why so many besieged newspapers are hesitant to piss them off and perhaps lose that last bastion of their strength.

I love the first image in this post--the printing press as the light of truth. Do you know where I can locate the original?
ReplyDeleteLance Newman
lancebnewman@gmail.com