Cantankerous crusader

An English friend here in Carboneras lent me this book about a crusading, cantankerous and extremely energetic journalist who had a lot to do with establishing the ground rules for pamphleteers, journalists and today's bloggers -- nearly two centuries ago.


Ingrams, Richard. The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett. London: HarperCollins, 2005.

This is a very detailed bio, focused almost entirely on Cobbett himself (1763-1835), his movements and his voluminous writings, to the point that it is easy to lose sight of the wider context and why any of it mattered. It did matter, however, tremendously. Cobbett's vigorous journalism taking on powerful figures got him into many troubles, including a 2-year jail term, but ended up helping establish truth as a defense in libel actions and thus widen freedom of press in England. His campaign for parliamentary reform was a major contributor to its triumph in 1832 (elimination of rotten boroughs and much else), and his reports on country life in his late collection of articles, Rural Rides, includes vivid portraits of rural life in England, Scotland and Ireland on the brink of the industrial-urban revolution.

It would probably be best to read this after something like E. P. Thompson, so as to get the context and analysis before diving into so much detail of one man's life and career.

Above: Caricature of Cobbett (standing on cart and waving copies of his newspaper to beat his drum) and fellow reformer Francis Burdett (sitting on cart and waving his hat) at the 1806 Middlesex election. Click on image to enlarge.

Les petites nouvelles.

Il fait froid à Paris. But otherwise, there are some great treats here. One is the free Internet, at Wi-Fi spots throughout the city and paid for by City Hall (that is, the taxpayers). Right now we're in the Mairie (town hall) of the 3rd Arrondissment, along with a couple of dozen other people all with laptops (Apple iBooks like mine seem to be the most popular). That's because the city government (one overall mayor, plus local mayors for each of the arrondissments) is all or mostly Socialist (Parti socialiste), in contrast to the national government under Sarkozy (UMP), pushing hard to the right. We are lucky to be here between strikes. The big one of the subway and other transit workers two weeks ago has been lifted, in preparation for a more massive one that threatens to paralyze the country beginning November 13.

My French is no where near as fluent as my Spanish or English but so far I've been able to make myself understood, and to understand most of the replies, in the brasseries, la pharmacie and, most complicated, with the hôte du logement, and I've been reading the papers. So far I haven't found any -- not Le Monde, certainly not Libération -- as good for world news as Spain's El País. Libération is very interesting on the labor conflicts and the effects of Sarkozy's new measures on local households, and carries interesting literary reviews, but has almost nothing on events outside France that don't directly affect France. Le Monde has a little more, including the other day an essay on the coming Mideast conference by, of all people, Henry Kissinger, noted Christmas bomber. More when I learn something interesting enough to share with you. À bientôt.

Newsvine & new media

I just discovered Newsvine & am using it in two ways: Posting articles to see if I get any more readers, and reading some of the interesting stuff they collect. (You can see my page, with the articles posted, here.) It's free and easy. Makes me worry about the future of news media, though. If newspapers disappear, or morph into electronic diffusion of free info, who's going to pay for serious investigation?

There will be a solution -- we humans have always found a way out of whatever jam we've created for ourselves -- but I don't yet see what it will be. Probably a mix of things: university-based think-tanks, foundations (like the Fund for Investigative Journalism only bigger?), or funds gathered by interested NGOs (which would include all the neo-fascists as well as the people we like). The changes in our world of information are immense. The pretense of objectivity of the select few papers (Le Monde, New York Times, El País, Herald Tribune, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and a couple of others have always insisted on their independence), while maybe never more than a pretense, will erode to nothing. Maybe that's all right -- in a free-for-all of people shouting at each other, some few thinkers may be able to filter the sensible from the insane. Diderot did it, in the 18th century, so maybe we can too.

See Poynter article, Facing the News Business Model Crisis.

Talking heads

Don't miss this insightful newscast by the Onion reportorial team, telling everything the media experts know about Africa's biggest country: In the Know:The Situation in Nigeria.

Media lesson from 15th c. Europe

This is fun, a reminder that the idea of "protected knowledge" or copyright is not exactly new. Terry Heaton’s PoMo Blog » Blog Archive » It’s all about empowered people

Act to protect press freedom

Thanks to Daniel del Solar for forwarding this urgent notice from Martha Wallner about this latest effort by the Bush administration to suppress our right to know and reporters' right to report. Martha writers:

Dear friends, I am forwarding this information about a colleague of mine, Sarah Olson. Sarah does excellent reporting for the National Radio Project program “Making Contact” which is heard on community and public radio all around the country.To listen to a program she recently produced on what pregnant women in prison face – go to: radioproject. Please read about Sarah’s case below and if so moved take one or more of the support actions also described below. Thanks, Martha Wallner

***************************************************************************************************

Sarah Olson, a reporter for Truthout received a supoena in December to testify in the court-martial of 1rst Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq. The supoena is to compel Olson to testify that Watada made statements against the war to her that the military has deemed conduct unbecoming an officer. Olson objects to testifying and if she doesn’t she risks 6 mos. in jail (unlike civilian grand juries which can hold you up to 18 mos.) Dahr Jamail, who blogs and reports on Iraq, and who you may have heard on Democracy Now! is also on the witness list although he has not been subpoenaed. He recorded a speech Watada gave to a Iraq Veterans Against the War conference and posted it on the web.

At this juncture, Olson is in urgent need of support, please see below for details.

To read her full interview with Lt. Watada

In a statement explaining why she will not testify, Olson points out that,

“It seems clear that the U.S. Army is attempting to redefine the parameters of acceptable speech and to classify dissent as a punishable offense. Subpoenaing journalists in this case unequivocally sends the message that dissent is neither tolerated nor permitted. Utilize your constitutionally guaranteed speech rights and go to prison. What rational soldier would agree to speak with me or any other member of the media if jail was a likely result?

When the press cannot or does not reflect the vibrant and varied perspectives within our society, it is reduced to a simple transcriber of government press releases. The record of existing dissent is erased, and a dumbed-down, homogenized version of “The American Experience” is all that’s left in its place.”

There is now a website set up to cover Olson’s case where you can learn more and make donations to help defray her legal costs. Olson is also asking people to send letters to the commanding general at Ft. Lewis and to Robert Gates. The addresses are:

Lt. Gen. James Dubik
Commanding General
Fort Lewis and I Corps
Bldg 2025 Stop 1
Fort Lewis WA 98433


Honorable Robert Gates
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington DC 20301


Finally, Olson is asking for signatures on the following statement:

We, the undersigned journalists, academics, artists and citizens, object to the Army’s decision to subpoena independent journalist and radio producer Sarah Olson and Honolulu Star Bulletin reporter Greg Kakesako, to testify in the court-martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the first officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq. We are further disturbed by the Army’s decision to add independent journalist Dahr Jamail and videographer Sari Gelzer to the prosecution’s witness list.

It’s a journalist’s job to report the news, not to participate in government prosecutions of political speech. The press cannot function if it is used by the government, and hauling a journalist into a military court erodes the separation between government and press. Turning reporters into the investigative arm of the government subverts press freedoms and chills
dissenting speech in the United States. The press must preserve its ability to cover all aspects of a debate, not just the perspectives popular with the current administration. We believe a journalist’s duty is to the public and their right to know, not to the government.

In the name of the cornerstone values this nation claims to uphold and for which the men and women in the military are fighting, we ask that you to end your insistence that journalists participate in the court-martial of Lt. Watada. We need more information, participation, and debate – inside and outside the military – not less. As the LA Times argued in its January 8th editorial: “It’s time for the Army to back off.”

You can sign the statement by sending an email to Sarah Olson at solson75@yahoo.com indicating your support. Very important–do this TODAY, Sarah needs these letters by Jan. 19th!

For more information and to support Olson and Jamail

For more information on the case of Lt. Ehren Watada
#30

Daniel del Solar
e-mail solarmedia@hotmail.com
cell 510 290 3022

IF you WANT PEACE work for JUSTICE

Outsourcing hits a new class of workers: Journalists - Business - International Herald Tribune

Outsourcing hits a new class of workers: Journalists - Business - International Herald Tribune

Arrested for watching TV!

This is deranged patriotism -- "Fahrenheit 451" applied to the airwaves. Two Individuals Arrested for Supporting Hizballah

Ted Rall: New dangers from old foes?

Lest Tuesday's Democratic and democratic triumph appear too sweet, Ted Rall offers us a dash of bitters. uExpress.com: Ted Rall by Ted Rall -- (11/07/2006) RALL 11/7/06.

And another comment by Tony Auth.

Still, the triumph was sweet!

More journalists killed

BBC NEWS | Europe | Chechen war reporter found dead
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Journalists killed in Afghanistan