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A few years ago I wrote an article that covered press releases from the point of view of a news service. I could try to rewite the article I did a few years ago, but instead I'll just post a link.

What I will say is that knowing what Alienware did here I would never take review hardware from them, at least not until they change their tune. What they did is like shooting themselves in the knee cap. After reading this, few ethical journalists will have much to do with them. I really do hope the /. editors take the lead by refusing to run any AW reviews.

The fact of the matter is that press releases serve a very valid purpose in the news industry. As much as 1/2 (and by some estimates 3/4) of the news stories run start life as a press release. And no, its not a few big companies that do these, its thousands of small PR firms that put out the vast majority of press releases.

A short while back I wrote a guide to writing good press releases thats really aimed at mom and pop shops without anyone to write these for them. (if your new to this area of the news, this is an excelent primmer on the who what where when why and how these are written). For those of you who won't read it, let me cut and paste a few key bits:

Rule #1: Write releases to help the press do their job.
Editors run press releases when they can run the release as a story with little to no modification, making it a cheap piece of copy for them. Reporters pick up press releases when they can easily turn the release into a story, either meeting their quota (salary) or making an easy buck (freelance). Releases that are hard to turn into a story are usually skipped over / ignored by most of the media.

Rule #2 Make sure what you are sending out is newsworthy.
If your story is not newsworthy, it is not going to be run, no matter how well written it is.

OK, so their are valid reasons for press releases. As a news editor I run press releases all of the time. So why do I oppose these? Because they really are a take-it-or-leave it prospect. If I don't like a segment of a press release, I can (and often do) edit it. You really can't do that with these video releases, tipping the long standing balance so that it no longer favors the greater good.

The fact of the matter is that press releases serve a very valid purpose in the news industry. As much as 1/2 (and by some estimates 3/4) of the news stories run start life as a press release. And no, its not a few big companies that do these, its thousands of small PR firms that put out the vast majority of press releases.

A short while back I wrote a guide to writing good press releases thats really aimed at mom and pop shops without anyone to write these for them. (if your new to this area of the news, this is an excelent primmer on the who what where when why and how these are written). For those of you who won't read it, let me cut and paste a few key bits:

Rule #1: Write releases to help the press do their job.
Editors run press releases when they can run the release as a story with little to no modification, making it a cheap piece of copy for them. Reporters pick up press releases when they can easily turn the release into a story, either meeting their quota (salary) or making an easy buck (freelance). Releases that are hard to turn into a story are usually skipped over / ignored by most of the media.

Rule #2 Make sure what you are sending out is newsworthy.
If your story is not newsworthy, it is not going to be run, no matter how well written it is.

OK, so their are valid reasons for press releases. As a news editor I run press releases all of the time. So why do I oppose these? Because they really are a take-it-or-leave it prospect. If I don't like a segment of a press release, I can (and often do) edit it. You really can't do that with these video releases, tipping the long standing balance so that it no longer favors the greater good.

We have let a madeup word blur what a journalist is.

Has I have owned the domain http://www.zines.com/ for well over 8 years, See BTW below. I would guess it qualifies me as well, but my role has been more as an editor then journalist. Of bloggers, I would say they could be journalists. But Blogs are closer to being like Punditry. Un-original, un-researched, regugitations.

However, I can't see the test being anything that could exclude them from calling themselves journalists. If the laws say X number of stories in Y timeframe that isn't workable.

The test shouldn't be, did the person write stories that where "printed" on-topic to what they are trying to get protection. If somebody wrote a few fiction stories or opinions then went out an slammed a politico for some misdeed without showing clear proof. If they claimed Journalistic Privledge, then that a fair indication they are not covered. That falls into slander, if they can provide some documentation, like signed checks or pictures that's proof. Protect the source is one thing, have no proof is another.

A pundit should not be covered, they don't report anything. Unless your Bob Novack and your reporting on the identity of a undercover CIA agent. Or using the cover of a reporter to "report" for a fictious "News Organization" in the whitehouse press corps. I am slamming Novack because he's not reporting anymore. He's a full blown pundit. A pundit is a puppet.

Republican bashing aside, Air America barely squeaks by as a Actual News 0rganization. They do research, they report and opinionate much to the same degree like, I grudging admit Fox News is also an Actual News 0rganization.

Where as Talon "News" fails completely. From Wikipedia;

--

The Standing Committee of Correspondents, rejected Gannon's application for a Capitol Hill press pass because of Talon News'lack of independence from a political organization. Committee chairman Jim Drinkard wrote in his letter:

The application for accreditation to the press galleries states that "members of the press shall not engage in lobbying or paid advertising, publicity, promotion, work for any individual, political party, corporation, organization, or agency of the Federal Government." Talon News has not demonstrated to the satisfaction of the committee that there is a separation from GOPUSA/Millions of Americans.com.

--

Gannon was a blogger, but not a journalist. Other more topical orgnizations like http://www.circusnews.com/ are journalistic in nature and I would think that one of their self imposed limits would be where their reporter strayed off the topic (in this case Circuses) and into say Astronomy. Nothing really incendiary there (heh heh), however it's outside their organizations obvious field. This does NOT make it NOT NEWS, If that was to be an opinion piece in Astronomy, is the reporter from Circus News still covered as a Journalist? I would think in that case, no. If they were to report on any subject that could be construded as a legitimate news story then it's still a legit story by an 'employed' reporter. Just outside Circus News' normal market.

Likewise if a so called 'Blogger' wrote a real news story then they are acting as a journalist. A blogger should be seen in much the same light as the difference between a Taxi Driver and Your Mom. Both can drive you somewhere, like a hospital or a friend's house, but the diffence boiled down is one get's paid to do it as a profession (unless your Mom is a cabbie). But both can drive.

The test for a Journalist should be in the simplest term;

If you are acting as a Journalist at the time, then your a Journalist. If your using the claim to cover most crimes then your not one. It would get gre

Blogs aren't journalism. They aren't about reporting the news, they're about commenting on it.

Our editorials and op-ed letters are opinion peices, exactly as you have in any news paper.

Our traditional news stories are written by reporters to the same high standards as exist in the printed media.

The news blog stories are what you won't find in any paper. The format of our newsblog stories are a paragraph (or so) detailing why this article is importiant (in italics), then a paragraph or so commenting on the story (ala slashdot)

We have been out in front of a number of major issues. For example, we played a part in the largest settlement in EEOC history.

Yes, I know of many others that do not maintain the same journalistic ethics with their blog that we do, but I also know of many print/TV news products that don't either.

See, the issue is not if blogs are journalism or not, the issue is one of the consumer judging quality. Next time you go to the supermarket, take a look at the rags the have. Are those newspapers? How much would you rely on what they printed?

See, we have good newspapers, and bad newspapers. We have good TV journalism and bad. We have good blogs and bad ones (and everything in between). We (i.e. the general public) just haven't figured out an easy way to discriminate between them yet.

Blogs aren't journalism. They aren't about reporting the news, they're about commenting on it.

Our editorials and op-ed letters are opinion peices, exactly as you have in any news paper.

Our traditional news stories are written by reporters to the same high standards as exist in the printed media.

The news blog stories are what you won't find in any paper. The format of our newsblog stories are a paragraph (or so) detailing why this article is importiant (in italics), then a paragraph or so commenting on the story (ala slashdot)

We have been out in front of a number of major issues. For example, we played a part in the largest settlement in EEOC history.

Yes, I know of many others that do not maintain the same journalistic ethics with their blog that we do, but I also know of many print/TV news products that don't either.

See, the issue is not if blogs are journalism or not, the issue is one of the consumer judging quality. Next time you go to the supermarket, take a look at the rags the have. Are those newspapers? How much would you rely on what they printed?

See, we have good newspapers, and bad newspapers. We have good TV journalism and bad. We have good blogs and bad ones (and everything in between). We (i.e. the general public) just haven't figured out an easy way to discriminate between them yet.

...this is how you make a bed of nails!

I really must protest. This new product from Simedia aims to give circuses everywhere a black eye. This product (if you can call it that) works with the popular Nokia 7650 and 3650 series of phones to provide callers with fake background noise. Now, this alone does not bother me. If people what to lie about where they are, thats up to them. What bothers me is the company is encouraging people to pretend that they are caught at a circus parade. Don't circuses get blaimed for enough traffic messes?

Oh, wait. I could use this. Every one would think I was at the show when I called. Maybe it's not such a bad idea...

SounderCover is available for immediate purchase for the price of 14.95 and a demo version is available for download.

I really must protest. This new product from Simedia aims to give circuses everywhere a black eye. This product (if you can call it that) works with the popular Nokia 7650 and 3650 series of phones to provide callers with fake background noise. Now, this alone does not bother me. If people what to lie about where they are, thats up to them. What bothers me is the company is encouraging people to pretend that they are caught at a circus parade. Don't circuses get blaimed for enough traffic messes?

Oh, wait. I could use this. Every one would think I was at the show when I called. Maybe it's not such a bad idea...

SounderCover is available for immediate purchase for the price of 14.95 and a demo version is available for download.

I really must protest. This new product from Simedia aims to give circuses everywhere a black eye. This product (if you can call it that) works with the popular Nokia 7650 and 3650 series of phones to provide callers with fake background noise. Now, this alone does not bother me. If people what to lie about where they are, thats up to them. What bothers me is the company is encouraging people to pretend that they are caught at a circus parade. Don't circuses get blaimed for enough traffic messes?

Oh, wait. I could use this. Every one would think I was at the show when I called. Maybe it's not such a bad idea...

SounderCover is available for immediate purchase for the price of 14.95 and a demo version is available for download.

I really must protest. This new product from Simedia aims to give circuses everywhere a black eye. This product (if you can call it that) works with the popular Nokia 7650 and 3650 series of phones to provide callers with fake background noise. Now, this alone does not bother me. If people what to lie about where they are, thats up to them. What bothers me is the company is encouraging people to pretend that they are caught at a circus parade. Don't circuses get blaimed for enough traffic messes?

Oh, wait. I could use this. Every one would think I was at the show when I called. Maybe it's not such a bad idea...

SounderCover is available for immediate purchase for the price of 14.95 and a demo version is available for download.

Seriously, this guy has a point. I encourage every one to go and read the guide to protecting your rights online and then write a letter

Let me contribute this letter writing guide to the cause. Write. Write often.

Start by reading this, then do something about the problem.

It looks like its time once again to become proactive. read this then write in to your senitors and congressional reps and oppose this.

The most effective ways to communicate with those elected to congress:

1. Visit and speak directly with them either at their DC office, or home office. When you are standing in front of them, you are the most difficult to ignore.

2. Write a letter. Mailed letters are the second most powerful tool the average person has to try and change a vote in DC.

3. Send a fax. A fax has less of an impact than a letter does, but its still counted as a yes or no on an issue.

4. Call them. Calls from voters still count. Polite calls are even included in the yes/no tally.

5. Email them. Emails are still not always counted in the yes/no tally, but a lot of email from typically does get counted. Printing it out and mailing it is usually best.

6. Open letters to the press can work, however they can also be completely ignored. If you write an open letter in the press, encourage others to write directly.

And before you start all this letter writing, make sure to read this guide to letter writing to support your rights online.

Then, you get all pissed when your water bill comes and 5,000 gallons show up when the circus comes to town and all the clowns have used your water fountain to fill all their water baloons. :-)

Then, you get all pissed when your water bill comes and 5,000 gallons show up when the circus comes to town and all the clowns have used your water fountain to fill all their water baloons. :-)

Then, you get all pissed when your water bill comes and 5,000 gallons show up when the circus comes to town and all the clowns have used your water fountain to fill all their water baloons. :-)

This is a bill, a proposal for a new law, not a law. I would encourage every Oregon resident reading this to write your state senitors/reps and encourage them to support this bill. Letters from out of state can also be helpful, even if they are not counted as highly.

Probably not, I know.... but this privacy legislation has a hole large enough to drive the RIAA through. They certainly could have written it better.

Then I would encourage you to do something about it. Start here, and make your voice count.

We /.ers are one of, if not the most connected community on earth. We have, what, 375,000 people who read /. every day and come from just about every nation in the world? Why then do we not take a page from actual grass roots groups and become a proactive in writing to law makers to change this garbage?

For now take a look at this letter writing guide. Over the weekend I will post a new one specific to the /. community. Maybe we can stop just complaining and start trying to fix these laws.

Hey! We are already working on this! Ok, its essentually GPLed not PD (blame the lawyers), and its for circus arts not general education, but we have our first ready to be released this weekend!

The GNU is actually starting to have real effects outside of the free software world. circusnews is in the process of releasing a series of circus arts textbooks (used to teach kids things like acrobatic tumbling, stilting, juggling, fire twirling, clowning, etc), circus act scripts (the acts and routines performed), and other material for the circus an related performing arts community under a liceance inspired by the GPL. This circus-gpl is being adopted by a number of groups within the circus community much as the GPL has in the free software community.

I really wish the RIAA would go back to selling used cars or snake oil.

Used cars, OK. Any one can sell used cars. But snake oil is an artform. It takes real talent for a joey to do the pitchman act and sell snake oil. Even for a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act it takes YEARS and a LOT of HARD WORK! You really think these guys at the RIAA have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure in a real circus?

I really wish the RIAA would go back to selling used cars or snake oil.

Used cars, OK. Any one can sell used cars. But snake oil is an artform. It takes real talent for a joey to do the pitchman act and sell snake oil. Even for a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act it takes YEARS and a LOT of HARD WORK! You really think these guys at the RIAA have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure in a real circus?

I really wish the RIAA would go back to selling used cars or snake oil.

Used cars, OK. Any one can sell used cars. But snake oil is an artform. It takes real talent for a joey to do the pitchman act and sell snake oil. Even for a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act it takes YEARS and a LOT of HARD WORK! You really think these guys at the RIAA have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure in a real circus?

They will go broke and hopefully go back to loan sharking or selling snake oil.

Loan sharking, OK, but selling snake oil is an artform, man. It takes years for a Joey, even a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act. You really think these guys have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure?

They will go broke and hopefully go back to loan sharking or selling snake oil.

Loan sharking, OK, but selling snake oil is an artform, man. It takes years for a Joey, even a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act. You really think these guys have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure?

They will go broke and hopefully go back to loan sharking or selling snake oil.

Loan sharking, OK, but selling snake oil is an artform, man. It takes years for a Joey, even a Whiteface to learn and perfect the pitchman act. You really think these guys have what it takes to survive that kind of pressure?