Thoughts about Journalism:

Journalism is a public art, not poetry. It is part of "the literary system," that includes book publishing, reviewing, bookstores and other forms of distribution, writers, and readers. The public has a fairly dim view of journalists, putting them behind auto mechanics for honesty. This should
shake the effects of delusive wine that has stirred some to think that journalism will be reformed by the "citizen journalist."

The "citizens" themselves are not exactly credible either. Look at the pop culture they support; porn, gambling, violence, propaganda, hysterical claims, conspiracy, and many other weird fantasies of the putative "free people."
Surely the journalists jest when they think they can, out of that motley group, produce a "we media" of some sort.

In some ways its comparable to making Iraq a democracy. Well, when
the people are prepared for such a thing, maybe. Start with the democratic person and then proceed.

Journalism works when a trained person is able to make a livlihood by researching, interviewing, writing, fact-checking stories that his or her editor says to do.

Nonetheless, "we media" and blogging are all part of a fascinating new adventure we can term "the remaking of the literary system."

So, we are supportive of it; weary and skeptical of the claims we've heard elsewhere, in other years.

Stephen King's experiment with e-books excited everyone but it didn't really transform anything.

Yet, the transformation will take place through time.

The exciting thing is that in this new digital literary system, the writer will have a major role. It will not simply be the art of communication but the art of editing.

What else is a great storehouse of information and knowledge but a pleasure palace for the editor?