oped - Gawker

posts about #oped more →
The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Of Grownups, Mascots and the New York Observer
Why So Much Hand-Wringing Over TechCrunch's Decision to Publish 'Hacked' Twitter Documents?
Why Won't Weiner Run for Mayor?
Inside Fort Polio: A Former Staffer on What Went Wrong
Cause of Death Determined for Print Media
Roseanne on Brangelina: 'Vacuous Evil Spawn'
There is Only One Way to Repair the Olympics: Destroy Them!
Dowd Screams Her Point, Backtracks
A Legendary Newspaper For The Price Of Three Floating Fridges

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

atlasfugged
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Three words: Charles Fucking Krauthammer.

PS: Pareene, now you've done it. Expect another Op-Ed accusing Gawker of destroying print journalism in tomorrow's Post. #washingtonpost
Reply

Kaila Hale-Stern promoted this comment atlasfugged was starred atlasfugged was unstarred

Seeräuber Jenny
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Older, but still shameful:

As I recall, Fred Hiatt made an extremely lame apology after Valerie Plame's name was published in the WaPo. #washingtonpost
Reply

Seeräuber Jenny was starred Seeräuber Jenny was unstarred

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
applause. the post is sliding over to foxland #washingtonpost
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

TheBusinessGuy
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Paul Fussell in his book Class says that the Washington Post can never be considered a serious newspaper because it carries comics and a horoscope.
Reply

Edited by TheBusinessGuy at 10/16/09 1:21 PM TheBusinessGuy was starred TheBusinessGuy was unstarred

Perhaps Not
10/16/09

@TheBusinessGuy: I love old-school comics, but I concur on the horoscope. #washingtonpost
Reply

Perhaps Not was starred Perhaps Not was unstarred

Anthony De Rosa
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Well that's just your opinion. #washingtonpost
Reply

Anthony De Rosa was starred Anthony De Rosa was unstarred

Uncle_Billy_Slumming
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Brad DeLong put you up to this post, didn't he. #washingtonpost
Reply

sympathyforthebasementcat
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
Don't give yourself too much credit, blogs. Sometimes Tennessee is behind the times, but my hometown newspaper was riding this "irresponsible and not caring about the truth" trend long before Al Gore even invented the internets. #washingtonpost
Reply

Unsolicited Advice
10/16/09

In reply to The Washington Post Has the Worst Opinion Section in America
No. Wall Street Journal. Argument over. #washingtonpost
Reply

Unsolicited Advice was starred

Pareene
10/16/09

@Unsolicited Advice: No op-ed section featuring Thomas Frank AND Peggy Noonan can be the worst in the country. It's a SCIENTIFIC FACT. #washingtonpost
Reply

Pareene was starred Pareene was unstarred

mattchew03
10/16/09

@Pareene: I agree. Without Peggy Noonan, how would we know to let our freak flag fly?
Reply

Edited by mattchew03 at 10/16/09 12:47 PM mattchew03 was starred mattchew03 was unstarred

the tiniest mexican
10/16/09

@Unsolicited Advice: I don't know. The Wall Street Journal's editorial board is evil, but the WaPo's is stupid. Stupid is worse than evil, I think. #washingtonpost
Reply

adiam7
10/17/09

@mattchew03: Do you realize I find myself loving her for that statement, it is disturbing but true #washingtonpost
Reply

adiam7 was starred adiam7 was unstarred

Carol Gardens
07/28/09

In reply to Of Grownups, Mascots and the New York Observer
Also, I'm likely to give it up (just got the renewal notice) NOT because it is too trendy and I don't understand it, but because there's hardly anything in it and they fired all the sharp funny writers.
Reply

Carol Gardens was starred Carol Gardens was unstarred

Carol Gardens
07/28/09

In reply to Of Grownups, Mascots and the New York Observer
The crabby old NYO guy I miss more is Hilton Kramer!
Reply

Carol Gardens was starred Carol Gardens was unstarred

Nic Fit
07/28/09

In reply to Of Grownups, Mascots and the New York Observer
I'm 40 years old and hip hop will never be "unspeakable", to me. To the generation before you rock and roll was "unspeakable". Times change, pops.
Reply

Nic Fit was starred Nic Fit was unstarred

Astigmatism
07/28/09

@Nic Fit: Agreed - he completely lost me there. It's one thing to say "I will never understand hip-hop," but to disparage it in such broad strokes when it's been one of the only musical genres that's shown much artistic growth since Kurt Cobain died cheapens his argument, and makes him look less like an elder statesman leaving a no-longer-"serious" paper than an old fuddy-duddy who's pissed about life passing him by.
Reply

Astigmatism was starred Astigmatism was unstarred

BenSheffner
07/17/09

In reply to Why So Much Hand-Wringing Over TechCrunch's Decision to Publish 'Hacked' Twitter Documents?
@Michael Bauser:

I think you've hit on the key point: what really matters is newsworthiness, not primarily the way the info was obtained (again, assuming that the journalist did not play a role in the illegal activity (which TC didn't)).

In both a leak and a hack, the company's proprietary information or documents were taken from the company against the company's will. The only difference is whether the info/docs were taken by an employee (acting against the interests of the company, and possibly civil or criminal law), or by an outsider, before being given to the reporter.

It seems to me the real issue isn't how the news org. obtained the info, but whether it is newsworthy. For example, assume these weren't business plans from Twitter, but instead were docs from a meatpacker revealing the presence of deadly bacteria in its ground beef -- info that the company planned to keep secret. I think just about everyone would agree that a news org. should publish the info -- whether the docs were passed along from leaker to reporter, or forwarded by email to the reporter by a hacker who broke into the meatpacker's email system.

I agree that, at some level, printing leaked or hacked info or docs does "encourage such activity. And I don't know anyone who, as a general matter, says that people should break company policy or the law. But I also think that having a free and aggressive press is vital, and that prohibiting publication of unlawfully obtained info (assuming that the reporter played no role in the illegality) would be a very dangerous development.
Reply

mattchew03 promoted this comment BenSheffner was starred BenSheffner was unstarred

1.1.1.
07/17/09

@BenSheffner:

With unsavory methods of newsgathering comes a stiffer test of newsworthiness. If a reputable news source publishes stolen information, it has to be able to justify it.

Saving lives and preventing gross injustice are justifications. Spreading private corporate information and possibly trade secrets aren't.
Reply

SNForrester promoted this comment 1.1.1. was starred 1.1.1. was unstarred

SNForrester
07/17/09

@BenSheffner: What's to prevent all reporters from using illegal means like hacking and then claiming they received the info anonymously?
Reply

SNForrester was starred SNForrester was unstarred

BenSheffner
07/17/09

@SNForrester:

If the reporter himself uses illegal means, he can and should be prosecuted. I don't think anyone argues otherwise. The question is whether a reporter can print info/docs where someone else obtains it through illegal acts, in which the reporter played no role. I think he can.
Reply

BenSheffner was starred BenSheffner was unstarred

RosalieNumski
07/17/09

In reply to Why So Much Hand-Wringing Over TechCrunch's Decision to Publish 'Hacked' Twitter Documents?
You are missing the point entirely. Publishing these documents just glorifies the Hacker's actions. Its the same reason sports broadcasts refuse to show people who have ran onto the field of play. They don't want to inspire others to do the same action.
Reply

Gabriel Snyder promoted this comment RosalieNumski was starred RosalieNumski was unstarred

Gabriel Snyder
07/17/09

@RosalieNumski: Sports broadcasts are entertainment and streakers ruin the show. Journalists generally want to -- or should -- encourage people to come to them with information, documents, news.
Reply

Gabriel Snyder was starred Gabriel Snyder was unstarred

SNForrester
07/17/09

In reply to Why So Much Hand-Wringing Over TechCrunch's Decision to Publish 'Hacked' Twitter Documents?
I think it's unethical because there was a crime and the proceeds of the crime went directly to TechCrunch. This is not the case of a whistleblower or tipster. This is info from a criminal.

What I want to know is if TC is going to help the investigation or are they going to protect their source/criminal?
Reply

Edited by SNForrester at 07/17/09 12:54 PM SNForrester was starred SNForrester was unstarred

Gabriel Snyder
07/17/09

@SNForrester: As long as journalists want to keep getting good scoops, they protect their sources.
Reply

Gabriel Snyder was starred Gabriel Snyder was unstarred

SomatraSea horse
07/17/09

In reply to Why So Much Hand-Wringing Over TechCrunch's Decision to Publish 'Hacked' Twitter Documents?
umm, i think it's more complicated than that. a dude broke into twitter's network to obtain the documents. can you imagine if a wsj ran documents that were stolen from, say, a senator's locked office? wouldn't fly.
Reply

Gabriel Snyder promoted this comment SomatraSea horse was starred SomatraSea horse was unstarred

Gabriel Snyder
07/17/09

@SomatraSea horse: The WSJ regularly runs stories based on documents that can be considered "stolen." They just can't do the stealing.
Reply

Gabriel Snyder was starred Gabriel Snyder was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion