(Mis)leading by example

What to think of mainstream journalism today? It appears the industry is imploding. From the CBS memos to the Reuters Photoshop follies to the Israeli airstrike on an ambulance that was very likely staged, it's hard to place much credibility in the commercial news we consume.

So one would expect the keepers of the professional flame to rally the troops and remind them of the high standards under which they operate, right? There are defined standards...right? After all, we routinely hear that bloggers aren't journalists, so there must be some way to determine who is and isn't a privileged member of the all important (or is that self-important) Fourth Estate.

Rather than admit the problem and take action, prominent journalists seem more inclined to follow the mantra of villains from Scooby Doo: "...and I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those darn bloggers!"

The editor of the industry magazine Editor and Publisher takes such a tack. And now it's thrown even more fuel on the fire.

Like it or not, the internet's ability to archive, search and collate information not only makes a reporter's task easier, but empowers his or her consumers to check up on the work they are doing. Information is no longer constrained by gatekeepers like William Randolph Hearst or Joseph Pullitzer. To the extent citizens use this new power, it's a great new day.