Journalism

Validate Your Sources

This entry was posted in bush Constitution Journalism Privacy on by

In an editorial kind of calling for more congressional oversight of the NSA this Miami Herald editorial says:

Let’s be clear about what this program is and is not. ”The government does not listen to domestic phone calls without court approval,” President Bush insisted shortly after the furor was ignited by a story in USA Today. In short, no indiscriminate wiretapping.

Really, these folks consider this quote from bush as a valid source to justify their clarification of what this program is and is not?
The authors should take the advice of their own closing sentence:

We should be well past the time when ”trust me” is an acceptable response to questions about what the government is up to. That’s the way freedom is lost.

Well, yes. But congress has failed to provide so called oversight and the executive branch seems to be out of control. Ample evidence that the concept of checks and balances is severely flawed.

Better than enhanced congressional oversight might be a complete elimination of these rotting organs which seem unconcerned with our freedom and liberty.

How Soon In The States?

This entry was posted in bush Constitution Domestic Terrorism Federal Government Journalism Law Enforcement Libertarianism on by

Are these guys practicing for their return home?

American troops in Baghdad yesterday blasted their way into the home of an Iraqi journalist working for the Guardian and Channel 4, firing bullets into the bedroom where he was sleeping with his wife and children.

Ali Fadhil, who two months ago won the Foreign Press Association young journalist of the year award, was hooded and taken for questioning. He was released hours later.

Dr Fadhil is working with Guardian Films on an investigation for Channel 4’s Dispatches programme into claims that tens of millions of dollars worth of Iraqi funds held by the Americans and British have been misused or misappropriated.

Jeanne says:

If that isn’t an attempt to intimidate a journalist asking dangerous questions, I can’t imagine what it is. But American journalists ought to demand some answers.

Yes, definitely intimidation.  And,yes, American journalists ought to demand some answers but will they be intimidated? Will they, especially if based in Iraq, be willing to ask dangerous questions?

Open(ing) Content

This entry was posted in Information Internet Journalism on by

I have way too much in my reading queue. Still, it’s great news that several magazines including one of my old favorites, Fortune, are opening up access to their content:

Folks, here is the good news…. all Business 2.0 archives and new articles are wide open, no subscription necessary! You said…. “bring down those walls….” and we did. Not just Business 2.0, but also Fortune and Money.

Via beSpacific.