Keenan Wellar, a mover and shaker in the Volunteer Ottawa World (CEO & Co-Founder at LiveWorkPlay), also a tweeter, but NOT a blogger! (No, after the big rant, he tweets and is on FaceBook, but doesn't blog!) He's very busy working with his volunteer group. Me, I just post picture for those disinterested in the rabble rousing around Ottawa! This was sunset yesterday after the storm.
He was criticized by a paid journalist for an error, which then led to a rant, by a P.O.d Ken Gray, Ottawa Citizen journalist.
Gray (the journalist) thought that Wellar, avid twitter fan, ought to refrain from blogging. Do you see the error of his ways, yet?
Me either. I have favourite blogs. I have favourite tweets, by friends and family. I do not confuse the two. And I'm just a humble blogger. All this led to a good discussion between Wellar and Gray (the journalist), a shutdown of discourse by the latter, and then a rant by Ken Gray. KenGrayOttawa, not THE journalist, has entered the fray and is having a grand time.
The words are flying!!!
The self-appointed Minister of Truth followed up that post with "Blogging and the law: let the bloggers beware," in which he asserts that bloggers (and tweeters) shouldn't be trusted because they don't always get their facts right.
Ken Gray and his sort-of-blog The Bulldog took a wicked thumping last week , writes the OTHER KenGrayOttawa. Rumour is that the 'Guest posts' on The BULLDOG blog (AKA Citizen blog) is a chance to appease writers. Yet, as KenGrayOttawa writes, why should they guest post Jim Watson? A politician?
My response:
I do not believe that a journalist ought to be blogging! We expect a higher level of writing by a journalist. We expect facts, unless, of course the word 'column' is beside their name. Then they are free to rant about issues under the guise of 'editorial'.
We know that journalists NEED editors to keep them under control. Bloggers and twitter fans we know to read with tongue-in-cheek, as they are supposed to use sarcasm and wit. (Both sides use puns, but that is another discourse!)
Here is the NOT Ken Gray Journalist:
@KenGray thanks for promotinghttp://kengrayottawacitizen.wordpress.com/ but you should know http://bit.ly/gWSy9A beat me to it! #ottnews
And RealGrouchy has a go at him, too! Look at the great photo of Ken Gray on his site.
posted by RealGrouchy at Tales from a Grouch
5 comments:
I was offended by the original diatribe about bloggers but these recent attacks by Ken Gray using his Ottawa Citizen pulpit are despicable. It's certainly not encouraging of reader feedback. It seems we're all just supposed to bow down. No thanks.
I'm with you, Gary. But then, who really cares? These days we have to write and talk about the things that interest us, not what journalists and/or editors tell us is news!
Here in rural Ottawa just keep on blogging. I have readers around the world, bless their souls.
I am an Ottawa Citizen subscriber. When living in Muskoka I was a Toronto Star subscriber. The Star and cbc.ca/Toronto were continually navel gazing. As if TO was the centre of the universe. I expected better of Ottawa Citizen.
It's too bad that some people have to take themselves so seriously! I haven't found wery many bloggers who play fast and loose with the truth. Politicians seem to own the market on playing fast and loose with the truth.
Good post!
Jiminy, I found this on page 15 of an egosearch on Google. (which I'm doing in preparation for my perpetually delayed responses to Ken Gray's posts)
Thanks for the shout-out; I won't stop you from using the jester-hat image (ZOMG, I just realized I forgot to include it on my second post! ... fixed).
I must say, though, that I'm skeptical of comments left on the blogs of us Ken Gray critics that have names of Citizen writers. For example, maybe Ken Gray wrote the above "Gary Dimmock" comment to bait you. Dimmock doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would call the actions of a fellow Citizen writer "despicable".
And some of the comments by the wordpress blogger seem unwarranted. I find it poor satirical form to just take some random joke and insert your subject into it; it has to draw into the narrative. (This is why I changed the label on my blog from "Kenny G" to "KenGray"--sure it's a clever insult, but doesn't really come from or go anywhere).
All the best--see you in the blogosphere!
- RG>
What? We don't always get our facts right? (unlike reporters who are apparently never wrong???)
I dunno... Once I thought I was wrong, but it turns out I was mistaken :)
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