Journalism 2.0 on Science 2.0

It is not surprising to hear the results about open access to scientific journals. Open access appears to have positive results that benefit both the scientific community and the public at large. I definitely understand the concerns of scientists that their individual research, and in some cases their life's work, may be compromised.

But the overriding factor here has to be the fact that taxpayer dollars are funding so much of scientific research. In an age where government accountability appears to be non-existent at times, it is important that an area where so many taxpayer dollars are being devoted contain an air of transparency to the general public, especially when the public may not see/realize the immediate tangible benefits of scientific research.

International Wire Agencies

One thing that struck me about the reading from "Global Communications" was the lack of competition in the wire service industry. The fact that there is only one major wire service operating in the United States is surprising given the rising level of competition across media forms in the United States today.

This fact begs the question of what role the Internet will play in defining the future of these wire services. With UPI beginning an online-only presence, can they become a viable competitor to the AP? Is there enough of a market for an Internet-only provider?

Ethical questions are posed as well by these issues. Is it right that only one company dominates the wire industry in the United States and is such a large supplier of news to a vast amount of news companies?

The New Wave

The issues Corey Pein illustrates in his article seem emblematic of the past seven years of foreign policy in this nation. At its core, using the Voice of America as a propaganda tool fails to make logical sense.

The peoples targeted most by VOA right now are those in supposed terrorist centers and areas unfriendly to the US. Yet many of these people--the Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis, Afghans, etc. live in or lived in regimes with basically dictatorial leaders and endured steady streams of propaganda. It is safe to assume that most of these people recognized propaganda as just that and refused to believe/accept the government line.

It is likely that these people sense that what the US is feeding them through VOA is also propaganda, especially for those living in war zones who see the truth unfolding around them. It is not only insulting but also ineffective to spread propaganda to these people. It does little good to improve American standing in the world and fails to accomplish a central goal: improving trust in America and our nation's image.

CNN International

The most troubling aspect of the numerous competitors formed by foreign nations to take on CNN is the amount of government control and funding over these networks. Despite the fact these networks have been formed with the best intentions, the amount of government control, even in liberal democracies, should be troubling for any journalist.

The fact remains that while these networks may be acting objectively and without any governmental pressure, that all can change in the blink of an eye. The way the American government was able to handle an "independent" media during the initial invasion of Iraq, with closely shepherded embedded reporters, indicates what kind of effect a government can have when in bed with the media.