Major MSM Figure: It's "Dangerous" To Allow Amateurs To Express Their Opinions Via Blogs

I kid about the "major MSM figure." It's an idiot sportscaster named Steven A. Smith. Here's what this genius has to say:

On if he considers going back to newspapers, or whether it's a dying industry:

"I don't believe that. All the newspaper industry has to do is connect itself better with the internet and guess what? People will read the newspaper on the internet, not rely so much on the paper copy and get with the internet age more so than it has. The foundation of the newspaper business... should never die. We should do all we can possible to make sure it lives in perpetuity because it’s extremely important with everything. It keeps radio and television on their ps and qs.

"And when you look at the internet business, what’s dangerous about it is that people who are clearly unqualified get to disseminate their piece to the masses. I respect the journalism industry, and the fact of the matter is ...someone with no training should not be allowed to have any kind of format whatsoever to disseminate to the masses to the level which they can. They are not trained. Not experts. More important are the level of ethics and integrity that comes along with the quote-unqoute profession hasn’t been firmly established and entrenched in the minds of those who’ve been given that license.

"Therefore, there’s a total disregard, a level of recklessness that ends up being a domino effect. And the people who suffer are the common viewers out there and, more importantly, those in the industry who haven’t been fortunate to get a radio or television deal and only rely on the written word. And now they’ve been sabotaged. Not because of me. Or like me. But because of the industry or the world has allowed the average joe to resemble a professional without any credentials whatsoever."

All emphases mine. Note the Freudian slip where he whines about the poor public forced to read the drivel of non-professional non-experts, but then says more importantly those professional experts are being "sabotaged" by the competition from "the average joe."

At least he's honest about his real concern.

Thanks to both DaveR. and spongeworthy.

posted by Ace at 10:15 PM

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