Comments on: A newspaper whines about Google. I hear crickets. http://wemedia.com/2008/11/21/a-newspaper-whines-about-google-i-hear-crickets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-newspaper-whines-about-google-i-hear-crickets The Power of Us Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:42:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrew Nachison http://wemedia.com/2008/11/21/a-newspaper-whines-about-google-i-hear-crickets/comment-page-1/#comment-4731 Andrew Nachison Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:18:29 +0000 http://wemedia.com/?p=2560#comment-4731 Actually, I'm resurrecting an old debate. Newspapers have a long tradition of unsigned editorials posing as the "official" position of the newspaper. Some newspapers have also ditched that form in favor of signed editorials - and some, like the The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, have gone back and forth. That newspaper ditched anonymous editorials in 1994, and brought them back in 2004. The British Medical Journal <a href="http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1507114" rel="nofollow">dropped most anonymous editorials</a> in 1981. U.S. newspapers in particular suffer a serious trust gap - and top-down, authoritarian practices in an age of expanding transparency and open debate won't help them regain the trust of their communities. Some publishers, editors and editorial writers may cherish the ruse of authority and wisdom they seem to attach to their "official" groupthink. I don't and I see little evidence that readers with more access to more ideas and information than ever before feel compelled to trust writers who can't even sign their names to their opinions which, in the tiny example I cited here, may be poorly researched, unsubstantiated and not worth the paper they were printed on. Actually, I’m resurrecting an old debate. Newspapers have a long tradition of unsigned editorials posing as the “official” position of the newspaper. Some newspapers have also ditched that form in favor of signed editorials – and some, like the The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, have gone back and forth. That newspaper ditched anonymous editorials in 1994, and brought them back in 2004.

The British Medical Journal dropped most anonymous editorials in 1981.

U.S. newspapers in particular suffer a serious trust gap – and top-down, authoritarian practices in an age of expanding transparency and open debate won’t help them regain the trust of their communities. Some publishers, editors and editorial writers may cherish the ruse of authority and wisdom they seem to attach to their “official” groupthink. I don’t and I see little evidence that readers with more access to more ideas and information than ever before feel compelled to trust writers who can’t even sign their names to their opinions which, in the tiny example I cited here, may be poorly researched, unsubstantiated and not worth the paper they were printed on.

]]> By: Heather Billings http://wemedia.com/2008/11/21/a-newspaper-whines-about-google-i-hear-crickets/comment-page-1/#comment-4723 Heather Billings Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:20:33 +0000 http://wemedia.com/?p=2560#comment-4723 Er, editorials never have specific authors. It's the opinion of the newspaper as a whole, not of one specific person. Otherwise, it would be a column. Not saying your point's not valid, just that your complaint about an author not being named isn't really valid. Er, editorials never have specific authors. It’s the opinion of the newspaper as a whole, not of one specific person. Otherwise, it would be a column.

Not saying your point’s not valid, just that your complaint about an author not being named isn’t really valid.

]]> By: Rick Rochon http://wemedia.com/2008/11/21/a-newspaper-whines-about-google-i-hear-crickets/comment-page-1/#comment-4681 Rick Rochon Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:17:24 +0000 http://wemedia.com/?p=2560#comment-4681 Wow! I really hope the newspapers figure out that the time is nigh and they need get a new business model. Content is King for sure, but there has to be some blood and new ideas pumped into these old models. Seriously, get rid of the infrastructure and determine the true, not perceived value of product. Oh yeah and quit blaming Google. Wow! I really hope the newspapers figure out that the time is nigh and they need get a new business model. Content is King for sure, but there has to be some blood and new ideas pumped into these old models. Seriously, get rid of the infrastructure and determine the true, not perceived value of product. Oh yeah and quit blaming Google.

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