Winnipeg Free Press columnist Dan Lett tackled the issue of blogging as a form of alternative media last weekend in a blog post. He hit on some excellent points, but mainly focused on the issue of a certain anonymous Winnipeg blogger making the leap into the spotlight of the mainstream media.
“Policy Frog”, whose blog has erupted into a serious debate over whether he’s a sellout or not for filling in on CJOB in the days to come, has been the voice on many issues in the city. PF is an influential blogger with a loyal following and I personally don’t feel his stint at OB will change the questions his site asks, the issues he tackles or the information he provides.
An excerpt from Dan’s blog post:
Credibility and integrity, even in the alternative media, are achieved through the quality of the information you produce. If you’re making good points, breaking some news, and providing content that enough people want to read, then you’re credible, relevant and, one might argue, able to display some integrity. PF’s integrity hasn’t been eradicated by his decision to do OB; his anonymity has been eradicated, and that is a different issue.
Image credit: Winnipeg Free Press
