Forbes has published this indiscriminate smack-down of the whole blogosphere. Shaky factual basis, loads and loads of innuendo, and doesn't even try for a semblance of objectivity.
B.L. Ochman outlines some of the problems with it.
Blogs are here to stay, so groups like Forbes that just whine and moan about it are going to lose their relevance. What the old money and corporate power behind Forbes magazine is afraid of is losing control over the flow of information around their companies. Well, they've already lost it, and the tactics for "fighting back" are beyond the pale.
... Threaten to drag the host into a defamation suit against the blogger. The host isn't liable but may skip the hassle and cut off the blogger's access anyway. Also:Subpoena the host company, demanding the blogger's name or Internet address.
Wait a second: this is a piece about a huge bunch of bloggers that are supposedly using libel and malicious tactics to hurt businesses, and the article itself suggests hassling the ISPs with frivolous lawsuits in order to get them to take down pesky bloggers. Blatant hypocrisy. They need to get with the program and come at the blogosphere with a hand extended, instead of with a sword drawn.
No one's debating that there's a lot of crap on the blogosphere, but the thing is that the good stuff ends up at the top. Daniel Lyon's practice of citing single examples and then making generalizations about all ten million plus blogs on the blogosphere is more irresponsible than the practices of a goodly chunk of the blogs that he wishes to condemn.
I thought this debate over whether bloggers are 'real' journalists was over. Bloggers are real journalists if they write real journalism. Forbes needs to learn the difference between content and medium. Blogs are a medium. They convey information. Content is content. If it's bad content, then it's bad content. If it's good, it's good. It shouldn't matter where you put it.
Article comments
1 - Temple Stark
I will only say, you seem to have your sword drawn as well.
2 - Sam Jack
Well, I feel like I'm justified in being somewhat annoyed. Besides, this is labeled 'opinion.'
3 - Sam Jack
Have you an opinion on the issue, Temple?
4 - Temple Stark
I thought I just made it. Why are you attacking Forbes for being beligerent when you are equally so?
Also there doesn't seem to be an issue, except that you are PO'ed.
Also I'm dead tired, so not thinking crooked enough to see straight. ask me again tomorrow.
Also Forbes isn't a group.
Also, if you're preaching to a blog, you're preaching to the choir, for the most part. I never could sing, so I'm not part of the choir, and definitely not an altar boy.
And please go check out the Blogcritics Radio Podcast, top of the front page right now. Let me know you're opinion.
5 - Sam Jack
Well.. Forbes is belligerent and wrong, whereas I am belligerent and right. Heh heh...
Also, you're right, Forbes is basically Tim Forbes.
6 - Eric Berlin
I think this resistance to the blogosphere from traditional establishment figures is only proof of its success. Resistance really is futile, and those who can't or won't roll with it are going to be rolled over.
7 - kob
Huh? Ok, you run a business. Your competitors launch blogs all over the place and trash it. So you're suppose to do what? Extend you hand and say "feel the love."
Hello? "Blogs" are people and there are lot of evil shits in this world.
8 - Joe Smith
The Forbes article p*ssed me off, so much so that I wrote an angry. Click on my "URL" to the left to read it. As a blogger, I'm happy to end my op-ed piece with "Dude, get a grip! Your article did nothing except to scare 1,000 people, while upsetting tens of thousands like me who will blog against the inaccurate journalism you spew forth."