Tuesday 29 September 2009

Are the mainstream media “holier than thou“?

Our elected “representatives” are busying themselves trying to dream up legislation and rules in order to prevent Bloggers and Citizens Media reporting on, or videoing public meetings and continuously refusing us interviews because we are not “accredited”.

But thanks to the recent Panorama programme on offshore finance centres the tide just might be on the turn or the penny might be starting to drop with some of our elected “representatives”

The “accredited” Media, on regular occasions, employ surreptitious filming techniques and covert surveillance is a part of everyday life. As Bloggers we do our very best to “play by the rules” set by our ruling elite. We ask permission to film public meetings and when, as so often, we are refused, we don’t resort to “secret filming”. Any elected member we film knows they are being filmed. But the question our elected leaders must soon have to be asking themselves is how long is it before they force the hand of the Bloggers and leave “us” no alternative other than to resort to more dubious practices in order to report events?

Because the mainstream media are, in the eyes of our government, “accredited” it seems they are looked upon as holier than thou. When the truth is they have their own agenda just as Bloggers do, the difference is that Bloggers don’t pretend otherwise.

Here Senator Ben Shenton reluctantly concedes that the argument for Bloggers (thanks to Panorama) has been strengthened!

7 comments:

  1. You're doing a grand job team, keep up the good work and hopefully you, The Voice will be considered as "accredited" media rather than constantly being shoved aside.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ermm, his lips were not in sync with the audio. Was he talking our of another orifice?

    Sorry Mr Shenton, I couldn't resist. I do like this guy more and more since his willingness to talk with you on camera.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fair play also to Ian Le Marquand for permitting you to video his talk at his public meeting this evening to discuss the proposed Sex Offender's Register.

    Hopefully common sense will prevail with more of our politicians on the issue of who and who should not be permitted to film public meetings unless there is a valid reason not to do so.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How strange that Senator Shenton keeps appearing on this blog but he is so keen to restrict blogging!
    When Senator Ferguson is interviewed we will know that free speech has won - yet I seem to remember that you managed to get even Chief Minister Le Sueur to say a few words just after he was elected. Hope that you manage to interview him again when he resigns soon?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Senator Ben Shenton, Constable Julie Gallichan of St Mary and Deputy J. Reed of St Ouen are the special committee established by the States to look at blogging and reporting rules and much much more. So if you care about free speech and expression be prepared to argue your corner or give support to those who do.
    Can you hear me?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think putting blogger St-Ouennais up against deputy Reed would be such fun!

    ReplyDelete