The article "As Web Challenges French Leaders, They Push Back" in the New York Times, discusses the lawsuit brought against a 50 year old woman who published a comment about an apparent lie a member of the ministry said.
It is never as apparent that in America we have so much internet freedom than when we compare it to foreign countries. For example, Nicholas Sarkozy "receives a nightly report detailing the day's online chatter." Well, if you ask me, this is just absurd. First of all, the entire purpose of the media, corporate or not, is to be the fourth estate, the watchdog, the check that balances every other check. With this institution, they are dissolving the the watch dog media down to obedient lap dogs.
Probably the most infuriating part of this article is the quote: "“The Internet is a danger for democracy,” said Jean-François Copé, parliamentary chief for the governing party, the Union for a Popular Movement, in a recent radio interview."
There are no words to describe how ignorant this statement is. Further, there is a quote in the story about how the transparency of the media is the "beginnings of totalitarianism." Absurdity.
This society, this world as a whole, NEEDS the media, independent or otherwise. The sole purpose of the media is to watch out for its citizens. While I will wholeheartedly agree with the school of thought that corporate media is entirely biased and not performing as it should, I will go ahead and say that we are ever so luck to have so many independent media outlets who still understand the true purpose of why journalism exists. It is these outlets that will save our democracy.
Sorry, Mr. Sarkozy, you're going to have to get used to transparency.
No comments:
Post a Comment