ET in Paris 07 photos - Montmartre memories | 49 comments (49 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 2)

I can't agree with that. I think American bloggers", like Kos, want a revolution in the Democratic Party and to change things drastically from within and from a position of power (perhaps that's what you mean by "pundit.") I don't know if Kos actually wants power for himself or just want a large say.
But I don't see how financial rewards come into play. Glen Greenwald, who I feel has the finest mind on American internet, left his job as a top first amendment lawyer in New York, when he became so shocked at the shreding of the American Constitution and started his own blog on spec. As we know, it grew like wildfire and now he writes a daily column for Salon. His second book is about to come out. His outlook is totally American so I don't know if many here read him. Glen Greenwald is a true patriot and totally selfless. Surely, finances mean nothing to him. If I was his father, I would be very proud of him.
Finally we can't compare Europe and America. America is always in flux; Europe is not. That's why I like it here- I'm old and I appreciate the relative calm.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 08:41:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (none / 1)

Over to Colman ;-)

Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 08:45:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 3)

I've found a much greater expectation among the Americans that political blogging can/should be a career rather than civic action. It seems odd, like paying people for participating in democracy. And that's across a fairly wide sample of bloggers. As you point out, Greenwald may not be making as much now as he was, but he's certainly making a living out of it.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 08:49:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 2)

There's also an increasingly loud complaint that we can't keep doing this unless we start getting paid. So, how did people manage to make it work before?

Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 08:51:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 3)

I think that it's important to distinguish between the pay-me-so-I-keep-going crowd and the pay-me-to-do-something-else crowd.

If what you're aiming for is proper journalism, then in the long term somebody is going to need to be paid for a full-time commitment to doing the required leg-word - voluntary work only takes you so far. But that then makes you a traditional media outlet, more-or-less, with a business model and such things. If what you're doing is opinion/analysis stuff based on existing sources then I don't know why you'd need to be paid for it.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 08:55:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 2)

Reader sponsorship is good enough, but yes, you need some sort of board of members who decide what is a fair amount to pay you for your time.

Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 09:18:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (none / 1)

We need leaders in the democratic experiment- and leaders have to eat as well. Even though blogs are participatory I regard the blogs I go to as information and opinion sources and I donate to all the ones I read just as I would have to pay to read the New York Times. I donate here, as well as to kos, common dreams, antiwar.com and Steve Gilliard who I miss very much.
And as Coleman says right here full time people can do better work; for me the blogs are the journalism which I prefer.
And I must say that Jerome must be very good in his work to be able to post here as much as he does.
Finally I want to apologize to Ted for hijacking his wonderful photo diary and I will excuse myself for a little while; I'm very late for my nap.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 09:12:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 3)

Jérôme is leveraging specific knowledge he already has in writing most of his stuff, as are most of us. Full-time people have the advantage of being able to do original reporting. I have little evidence that they do better opinion or analysis. Most blogging isn't original reporting, and most of us aren't all that interested in doing it.

Think-tanking is another matter.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 09:16:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 2)

That nap did me a world of good. Perhaps we don't speak of the same thing. I really don't distinguish between blogs (ET, Kos, Steve Gilliard, Juan Cole,etc) and news sites (Common Dreams, antiwar.com). They're places I go to, almost every day, to get news, opinion and analysis. At this point in time,I trust them much more than the mainstream journals. If I can participate in the discussion that's even better, and if the web sites can change things, thats much better. If they say they need money then I like to send something, to, well, pay my share. I never question what they do with the money nor do I care.
It's just my small way of saying "Fuck You" to the establishment.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 10:07:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (none / 1)

The line I'm drawing is between; opinion writing, which involves sitting at home mouthing off; primary reporting which involves making phone calls, interviews, travelling to see things for yourself; press release transcription and research work. Opinion writing doesn't need to be compensated, nor does press release transcription. Real journalism does because it's too time consuming to do as a hobby. Most of the news sites are simply writing opinions about what's in the news or other sources.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 10:15:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (4.00 / 2)

That's where we differ. Every newspaper pays its opinion writers, probably very well. And I'm happy to pay for opinion writers if I read them every day. I know that the closing of two blogs, Billmon (voluntary) and Steve Gilliard (death) left big holes in my heart, especially Steve who I read very day for about three years.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 10:32:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter meet up? (none / 1)

Maybe we're just sick of capitalism and corporate jobs. I know I am.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed Jun 27th, 2007 at 07:47:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

ET in Paris 07 photos - Montmartre memories | 49 comments (49 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

Ireland's Past and Future economic growth prospects

Pax Americana, deficit spending, and the debasement of the US$

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - January 2025

Recent Diaries

1st Phase Gaza Ceasefire Imminent

NATO a Tool to Expand American Neo-colonialism

The Zionist Dream A Biblical Myth

The 'Illegitimate' Court In The Hague

NATO War Rhetoric A Hot Air Balloon

NATO Secretary Propagates On Fear

Biden and American Manifest Destiny [Update]

Ireland's Past and Future economic growth prospects

Israel Not Done Yet ... Türkiye On Its Radar

Aggression Towards the Russia State and Its People

Lebensraum ... Hitler - Biden/Trump - Netanyahu

Baerbock Shaken Not Stirred

New Syria: Uyghur Terror Enclave Hosted by HTS

Does German Expert Condone IS-K Terror on Russia?

Terror By Design - Brzezinski, Lewis, 'Scoop' Jackson

January 2025

NATO Rutte Libertarian Economics for Europe

Best Europe Had to Offer ... Passing the Revue

Pax Americana, deficit spending, and the debasement of the US$

Ukraine: Defeatism Sets In

Occasional Series