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Journalists, lies and message boards

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by lipstix, Feb 6, 2010.

  1. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I knew you weren't really a true blonde.
     
  2. Oggiedoggie

    Oggiedoggie Well-Known Member

    I want my pictures back.
     
  3. This site is a different beast. People come here to talk shop and often times the topics get highly sensitive. You can't have a lot of the good discussions we've had here over the years without anonymity. Does that get abused sometime? Sure. But the good far and away outweighs the bad.

    On other sites, especially ones dealing with a writer's/paper's content, a writer posting anonymously is extremely wrong, not to mention gutless. If you want to post on sports message boards, use your name. If you don't want to use your name, don't post.

    (By the way, kiddies, the politics board being closed has really robbed some of you of an outlet, hasn't it?)
     
  4. BrianGriffin

    BrianGriffin Active Member

    Back when I played on the PGA tour, between my win at Augusta and the first one at Sawgrass, I dabbled with journalism on the side and heard of somebody doing something like this from my colleague (was it Deford or Bernstein, can't remember who...). I can't recall if it was at the Times, where I won my first Pulitzer, and the Post, where I won the other one.

    Anyway, I don't understand why people would make up stuff. I even heard of a guy who tried to pass himself off on a message board as a either a cartoon dog or Alec Baldwin. Who would do such a thing?
     
  5. lipstix

    lipstix New Member

    Thank you all for your feedback, both on here and in private.

    I'm sorry to withhold key details but I'm sure you can understand the need for discretion. Plus, I'm not sure how long this post would survive if I did release more details.

    To address some comments: I like message boards in general. Personally, I see nothing wrong with creating an anonymous handle to more freely express your views on topics you normally wouldn't talk about outside of your peers or spouses. Even without the names, I think most anonymous handles manage to serve as an extension of ourselves.

    But it seems wrong, especially for journalists, to use anonymity to attack and bully people. I also think its creepy and dishonest for journalists to create fictional relationships and fictional stories and then pass it off as truth - not to mention posting your own story and lavishing it with praise. To do this as a journalist, anonymous or not, blurs the line between your role as credible news source and a bullshit artist.

    I think people who do this would also find that their own families can be hurt by the time invested in a fictional lifestyle, one in which they're not included. But that's another story.

    Again,

    Thank you all for your help.

    L
     
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