"Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?"
Local blogger Jack over at The Columbia Blog Project experienced his own bit of Gonzo journalism. Jack had a bit of a dust up with an irritated Robert Tennenbaum. Jack handled himself professionally. Check it out if you feel so inclined.
Monday, March 2, 2009
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4 comments:
Thank you so much for the positive feedback. When I took media law, I learned about libel and defamation and all that, but the course work never prepared me for the real thing.
While Tennenbaum screamed at me over the phone I thought of Hunter S. Thompson thinking about Horatio Alger. Stay calm!
Did Jack handle himself professionally? We'll see how things unfold in time.
It might be that Jack didn't tell the whole story but told the parts of the story that make Mr. Tennenbaum look bad. (That's part of the power of the pen, oui?) Did Jack ask Mr. Tennenbaum if he had permission *to publish* the unedited recorded conversations online? That's quite an assumption. Not saying it's illegal. I don't know. But I find it quite assuming and audacious, in any case.
Jack may discover that others in the community are less interested in being interviewed by him after observing how he handled this particular situation. Perhaps others will be *more* interested in the opportunity, because of how he handled this. I don't know.
I do believe, one way or the other, that his future career and capacity as a journalist is getting quite a work-out and training in this experience.
Jesse, very well said. There are a range of reporter-types. The range goes from those who Chris Matthews describes as living like vultures on broadcasting the worst secrets or mistakes in a person's life, and those who hold back too much, in support of civility.
It's all in the priorities. Reporters who prioritizes a personal agenda (like fame) is not even in the same category as those who prioritize truth, or even the reporter who prioritizes civility (above truth).
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