In the latest discussion about blogs and their part in the downfall of a Swedish minister [ here, here, here and here ] a side issue caught my attention.
The new Swedish foreign minister - Carl Bildt (a blogger himself) - said in an interview that he could name a number of journalists who had themselves illegally hired household services (the initial reason for the scandal). This can be seen as a threat to journalists. You out us and we will out you.
This got me thinking about the relationship between blogs, journalists and the people they cover.
There is a balance of terror between journalists and their sources. They both have secrets to reveal about each other and there is often (all too often) an unspoken agreement on mutual regard for each others closeted skeletons.
But now the blogosphere butts in. Here there are no gentleman's agreements. No signing of treaties. Non-proliferation is an anathema to bloggers. All must out!
And suddenly things begin to change. Secrets are no longer mutually assured. So the threat from the Sources becomes: follow up on what bloggers dig up and we will out you!
So blogs destabilize the status quo. Shake things up. Make things uncomfortable. Disrupt the balance of (media) power. Of course there will be ethical problems to be faced. It is not always right to publish everything. But on the whole this can only be good for society and the democratic process in general.
I must say that journalists and politicians shouldn´t have their morality of what might appear in the media.
They should start be the leader and be good examples and not being bad examples making people cheat and take no responsible of the society.
We should all work to build a better society. Media, politicians and citizens.
Posted by: Bengt | October 16, 2006 at 10:39