I was watching TV last night (big surprise), and a had a total "connection with 506" moment. There's a new show called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip that's about the behind-the-scenes world of a variety show like SNL. There was this great scene where two of the characters were talking about blogging. The scene opens with Tommy, sitting at his laptop, reading aloud a bad review of the show from The Bernadette Blog:
Simon: Stop reading the Internet
Tommy: Bernadette of The Bernadette Blog says--
Simon: Bernadette is writing this in her pajamas. Tommy, why do you care? She’s got a freezer full of Jenny Craig and she’s surrounded by her five cats.
Tommy: The New York Times is going to quote Bernadette so that the people can be heard and The Times can demonstrate they’re not the media elite. I preferred when they were elite. I’m a fan of credentials. It’s like we’ve all spent the last five years living a Roger Corman film called Revenge of the Hack. I have to care about the Internet, Simon, you know why? Because everybody else does.
I just thought this really captured my own feelings of ambivalence about technology, the Internet, etc. I think credentials are important, especially if you are going to be quoting something and passing on information, or if you are going to be basing decisions on something someone has said. At the same time, everyone should have a voice, there should be room for the "little guy" to have his/her say. So...I don't know, I'm still deciding what I think about it all. But, either way, this scene totally speaks to how important blogging has become.
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5 comments:
Just a little ironic to be blogging this, eh? How would you apply the criteria of credentials to yourself? Maybe you would say that you have no credentials to be evaluating bloggers? Curious.
Anyway, I don't know that we've gotten anywhere trusting the "credentialed." One's credentials are only as good as one's commitment to ethical behavior, and professional journalism finds itself embattled by citizen journalists b/c of its ethical failures. It makes little difference that not all bloggers are ethical. All that means is that bloggers and journalists have something in common.
In your example it would seem that Bernadette has influence because she has established her ethos for her audience: they believer her and respect her opinion. The newspaper quotes her, perhaps for cynical reasons, but also out of recognition that she has some rhetorical power.
Yes, bloggers may be hacks, but no more so than Hollywood writers. Getting paid doesn't make you any less of a hack; it just makes you a paid hack. And any number of Hollywood movies and network TV shows stand as evidence of that.
Hi T, looking for some new content!!
Hi Trac, I'm still waiting to hear back from the conf. chair -- frustrating since her email on Wed. indicated she'd get right back to me after a morning meeting.
I miss reading new content at your blog!
Hi Tracie,
This is in response to your podcast.
I know that it was not published on ITunes U the way that you had wanted it, but I think we were still able to get your point.
I really liked the song that you used, I think it fit in nicely with your message.
Also, I really liked the repetition of the world's population..6 Billion, etc.. It was kind of..soothing..
I know you were frustrated with the assignment, but I think your final (although not "your" final) piece came out good. You made your point and captured the mood.
See you next week!
Jenn
Tracie, I miss hearing what you are thinking about .. I check your blog regularly...I'd even settle for musings on the relationship b/w the flat world and the OUTBACK! K
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