Let's cap this spate of posts about Craigslist and its founder, Craig Newmark, with a link to a recent podcast interview.
Talking again about citizen journalism, Newmark reiterates his belief that "the people who by consensus are saying more important things" have a talent for speaking truth to power. And he criticizes the mainstream media on that quality, saying, "sometimes they are not allowed to or fear to speak truth to power."
The interviewer doesn't ask Newmark to elaborate on the charge that media are afraid of powerful people. Would have been an interesting follow-up. And I have no idea what prompts Newmark to allege that the media is sometimes not allowed to challenge powerful people.
Newmark sums up the danger of citizen journalism to mainstream media this way: "Some companies will do really well and some may disappear."
And that's probably the most straightforward he's been about the importance of citizen media.
Comments (5)
"Some companies will do really well and some may disappear."
Wow. Way to step out on a limb there. ;-)
Posted by Bryan Murley | January 28, 2007 11:23 AM
Posted on January 28, 2007 11:23
hmmm...but he's also said in the past that the citizens were getting 'too excited' about citizen journalism...interesteing....
Posted by tish grier | January 28, 2007 11:26 AM
Posted on January 28, 2007 11:26
Tish is on target on this one. Newmark sees citizen media as the viable alternative to mainstream media, which are owned by the type of large corporations that Newmark's "moral compass" opposes. He's actually quite excited about the prospect of using citizen media to hit back at large media. And this comment was revealing of that attitude. It was as much a prediction as it was also a threat.
Posted by Lucas | January 28, 2007 11:31 AM
Posted on January 28, 2007 11:31
Here's my question: To my knowledge, most of the Cit-J projects Craig has supported are more national in the scope of their reporting.
Why not local?
Posted by Mike Orren | January 28, 2007 1:38 PM
Posted on January 28, 2007 13:38
Newmark said at last year's SXSWInteractive that he was interested in doing something to help the field of investigative journalism. From what I recall, and there's podcasts on it, from what he learned from Jeff Jarvis, investigative projects were being "downsized" out of major newspapers because there wasn't enough money to front the reporters. Believing that investigative reporting is a high priority, he mentioned that he wanted to fund an investigative journalism project (which is why his money's in NewAssignment.net.) Craig also mentioned that he didn't want to become a publisher. Perhaps he doesn't do anything with local at this time is that he doesn't want to be perceived as a "publisher."
Posted by tish grier | January 30, 2007 9:19 AM
Posted on January 30, 2007 09:19