Wait, Weren't Big Newspapers Needed For Credibility?

from the so-much-for-that-plan dept

Over the last few years, it's been amusing to watch defenders of mainstream journalism trash online journalism by claiming that traditional journalists can do real investigative journalism, whereas online-only sources are too easily suckered into fake stories. In fact, one of the loudest complaints about the demise of newspapers is that no one will do "investigative" reports any more. There's no doubt that newer journalism properties get stories wrong at times, but traditional journalists seem just as likely to screw up as well. Witness the big news about the LA Times getting totally suckered into believing a completely made up story concerning Tupac Shakur's murder. Who broke the LA Times mistake? The online site, TheSmokingGun.com. This isn't to say that new media is any better than traditional media -- but it does highlight that for all the supposed "authority" of traditional journalists and their lofty standards, there's a pretty long track record of stunning mistakes and poorly fact-checked stories made by them.
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Filed Under: investigative journalism, journalism, newspapers
Companies: la times, the smoking gun


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  • identicon
    Kilgore Trout, 27 Mar 2008 @ 11:05pm

    Investigative?

    When was the last time *any* major news organization did any "investigative" journalism? Come on, all they pretty much do is take the press release, add a few random facts to the end, and publish it as "news".

    I'm in the wrong line of work.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jake, 28 Mar 2008 @ 12:05am

    In fairness to the LA Times, I bet about half a million bloggers fell for it too.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dorpus, 28 Mar 2008 @ 12:52am

    Ethics remain the same

    What I'm sensing here is Mike's usual rules-do-not-apply attitude. Whether the news comes from new or old media, the ethical responsibilities remain the same.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ronald J Riley (profile), 28 Mar 2008 @ 2:49am

    TechDirt Like Checkout Rags

    Mike, the vast majority of what you have to say about intellectual property is based on very low journalistic standards. It is nothing more than an endless stream of uninformed opinion based on your personal convictions (?) that the parasites of our society should be able to take other's IP without compensation. It is telling that your sympathies like with those who pirate other’s patent property rights.

    One example being your comments to others who don't like your IP agenda that it is strange that they show up at the same time I do. Apparently it has not occurred to you that when you post using keywords which inventors are monitoring via search engine alerts that that may bring inventors with similar interests to the appropriately named techDIRT.

    I have received solicitations from people who blog for a price. Basically they are stealth PR people who work for hire. I have no interest in hiring them but it has occurred to me that you may be one of these people. Most certainly the Coalition for Patent fairness & PIRACY, aka. the Piracy Coalition is spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to eviscerate the patent system. I have no doubt that they have a team of people working blogs. I cannot help but wonder whose payroll you are on?

    Ronald J. Riley,


    Speaking only on my own behalf.
    Affiliations:
    President - www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
    Executive Director - www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
    Senior Fellow - www.patentPolicy.org
    President - Alliance for American Innovation
    Caretaker of Intellectual Property Creators on behalf of deceased founder Paul Heckel
    Washington, DC
    Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Peter Thomas, 28 Mar 2008 @ 2:59am

      Re: TechDirt Like Checkout Rags

      Ronald, you've not been reading Techdirt for long. Mike isn't about getting people to throw away all their intellectual property for nothing.

      It looks like a lot of your gripes are founded on the fact that Techdirt scores highly on search engine results that inventors are interested in.

      Your innuendo surrounding Mike and paid bloggers is quite a low blow. How ironic you headed your ill-informed rant by comparing Techdirt to "checkout rags". Your own journalistic standards belong there.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      DanC, 28 Mar 2008 @ 5:33am

      Re: TechDirt Like Checkout Rags

      based on very low journalistic standards. It is nothing more than an endless stream of uninformed opinion based on your personal convictions

      Actually, he's provided plenty of research to support his opinion, but why let facts get in the way of a personal attack?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike (profile), 28 Mar 2008 @ 11:01am

      Re: TechDirt Like Checkout Rags

      Hi Ronald,

      Always nice to see you drop by. It would be really appreciated if, in the future, you could actually support and backup some of your assertions. What's most amusing to me is that it's one of the key things we try to do here: backup everything with real evidence.

      Mike, the vast majority of what you have to say about intellectual property is based on very low journalistic standards.

      We are not, and have never claimed to be journalists. We give our analysis on important tech and business topics. I'm not sure why you suggest that we are journalists.

      It is nothing more than an endless stream of uninformed opinion based on your personal convictions

      Actually, that's not true at all, and suggests that your reading comprehension skills might be a bit rusty (all that lobbying can do that to you). I have rather clearly backed up my assertions by pointing to well-respected, peer-reviewed research on the topic. I'll note that you have never done the same. I have also shown examples at both the micro and macro level concerning why what I'm talking about makes sense. It is not my "uninformed opinion based on personal convictions." It's the end result of many years of understanding what's going on. I didn't start out with this position, but the more I read, the more I discovered.

      It is telling that your sympathies like with those who pirate other’s patent property rights.

      Telling? My positions on IP issues are my own. As I have made clear, I don't know of any company that agrees with me on it. And I'm not sure why you use the derogatory and inaccurate term "pirate."

      One example being your comments to others who don't like your IP agenda that it is strange that they show up at the same time I do. Apparently it has not occurred to you that when you post using keywords which inventors are monitoring via search engine alerts that that may bring inventors with similar interests to the appropriately named techDIRT.

      I'm not sure what that's an example of? But, honestly, I write about these subjects all the time. You and your friends show up only once every few months. So I don't think the keyword explanation makes sense. If that's true, that's fine, but it doesn't ring true. Either way, I don't have anything against it. If you want to alert your friends to discussions here, that's great. Rusty Mase, for example, has been well worth talking to. He, unlike you, seems quite willing to engage and discuss and has helped expand the discussion in interesting ways.

      I have no problem discussing things with people who want to discuss. You, on the other hand, seem to want to insult, not discuss.

      I have received solicitations from people who blog for a price. Basically they are stealth PR people who work for hire. I have no interest in hiring them but it has occurred to me that you may be one of these people.

      Nice accusation there. Incredibly wrong, but still, impressive for someone who first accuses me of stating things with no factual basis to then state a really ridiculous howler. So someone who disagrees with you must be a paid shill? And this from a guy who proudly announces his lobbyist badges with every comment?

      If you're wondering, I'll put this to rest for you: I do not, and Techdirt does not, do any public advocacy work. As should be rather clear from our website, we help provide insight and trend analysis for internal purposes at companies. Doing any kind of outbound advocacy would be a huge conflict of interest.

      Accusing me of being a shill is a rather cheap political move, but unless you have something to back it up (which is impossible since it's false), I'd ask you to retract such a defamatory statement.

      In the meantime, if you want to actually prove me wrong, why don't you respond to the economic studies I have pointed out? Why don't you respond to the examples that have shown how patents have harmed specific innovations? Why is your only response to insult me?

      Most certainly the Coalition for Patent fairness & PIRACY, aka. the Piracy Coalition is spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to eviscerate the patent system. I have no doubt that they have a team of people working blogs. I cannot help but wonder whose payroll you are on?

      If the Coalition for Patent Fairness were paying me, I'd imagine they'd want their money back. Clearly, your reading comprehension problems are worse that I'd originally imagined. Or did you not notice that I'm AGAINST the current patent reform effort in Congress? I've pointed this out to you before, but you seem to be unable to get it into your head.

      I am on the payroll of Techdirt Inc., a California company.

      I have nothing to hide, which is why I back up my statements with evidence. I'd like to see you do the same.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    comboman, 28 Mar 2008 @ 4:34am

    inventor?

    Affiliations:
    President - www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
    Executive Director - www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
    Senior Fellow - www.patentPolicy.org
    President - Alliance for American Innovation
    Caretaker of Intellectual Property Creators on behalf of deceased founder Paul Heckel

    With all your lobbying activity I'm surprise you have time to be an "inventor".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2008 @ 4:49am

      Credentials?

      What I don't get is why we care?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      DanC, 28 Mar 2008 @ 5:53am

      Re: inventor?

      The last time someone questioned his illustrious credentials, he accused them of being corporate shills without actually responding to the criticism. I wonder if his response will be any different this time?

      He continually uses various phrasings of "the Coalition for Patent fairness & PIRACY, aka. the Piracy Coalition" in just about every post he makes on various blogs, and throws baseless accusations at those who question him.

      He's a self professed 'expert' on Intellectual Property, and likes to post his credentials to give the illusion of authority. In other words, he's angrydude with a better vocabulary.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    BRADLEY STEWART, 28 Mar 2008 @ 7:32am

    THERE IS NO NEWS FROM THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA!

    TWENTY THREE TO TWENTY FOUR MINUTES OF EVERY HOUR IS COMPRISED OF COMMERCIALS, BUMPERS, AND PROMOS. THE NEWS THAT YOU DO GET IS AS STALE AS A THREE DAY OLD FISH. THE REST OF IT IS WHAT ARE THE HOLLYWOOD STARS DOING. DOGS THAT WON AWARDS IN SHOWS. PROPAGANDA ABOUT HOW GREAT OUR MILITARY TROUPS ARE DOING, AND HOW MUCH THAT THEY LOVE THE MILITARY. OH YEAH DONT FORGET THE IDIOTIC ENDLESS CHATTER ABOUT WHICH PRESIDENTAL CANDIDATE OR VOLUNTEER FOR THE SAME SAID THE MOST IDIOTIC THING TODAY, OR A WEEK OR TWO AGO AND ENDLESSLY BLATHERS ON ABOUT IT. JEEZ LOUISE I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THEIR RATINGS ARE IN THE DUMPSTER?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2008 @ 7:44am

    "He's a self professed 'expert' on Intellectual Property, and likes to post his credentials to give the illusion of authority. In other words, he's angrydude with a better vocabulary."

    I think that most inventors are sick of opportunists stealing their creations, and yes it is flat out theft because it is a constitutionally defined property right. And I am a recognized expert about intellectual property issues as they relate to inventor-entrepreneurs. Frankly the opinions of those who associate with the Piracy Coalition or otherwise stooge for them carry no weight in the inventor community.

    “With all your lobbying activity I'm surprise you have time to be an "inventor".”

    Actually I consider the patent deform issue so important that I have put my inventing career on hold. I fund my activism with royalties from inventions I have already commercialized. I have already sunk in excess of a million dollars in the current patent deform fight.

    Also, unlike most of the people on this forum I am willing to sign my name to what I have to say. It seems many of you do not have the gumption to stand behind what you say, and frankly that makes many even less credible than Mike.

    Mike most certainly scours high and low to find corporate shills who agree with his agenda. But I have yet to see any who are recognized experts.

    I keep speaking to the issue of the Coalition for Patent fairness, aka. the Piracy Coalition because I think the companies involved in that group are very poor corporate citizens. I also think, as evidenced by the Cisco fiasco that Piracy Coalition members are using stealth tactics to get many people to carry their water who would not do so if they knew who was really behind all this troll crap.

    Last, once again I must point out that I am fully aware that Mike with never be swayed by reason or the real facts. As I have said before I suspect that he has a very good reason$ for backing bad players and their agenda.

    Therefore, the only reason for me to drop in here is to catch the attention of other people who share my views. You would be amazed at how Mike is pissing off inventor-entrepreneurs. His comments are making an impression and driving those people to join our efforts to kill patent deform.

    One more point, in that troll tracker made it much easier for me to locate people who are being victimized by Piracy Coalition members. It is my opinion that Cisco and those who stooge for them are scum, but even scum can be used for good purposes.

    Ronald J. Riley,


    Speaking only on my own behalf.
    Affiliations:
    President - www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
    Executive Director - www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
    Senior Fellow - www.patentPolicy.org
    President - Alliance for American Innovation
    Caretaker of Intellectual Property Creators on behalf of deceased founder Paul Heckel
    Washington, DC
    Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rose M. Welch, 28 Mar 2008 @ 12:39pm

      Re:

      If you're speaking on your own behalf, then why do your affiliations matter?

      You can be affiliated with an organization that you have some difference of opinion with. Like being a Democrat but disagreeing with the official stance on gun control, or supporting Planned Parenthood because they provide birth control but being anti-abortion.

      So, unless you're speaking for your affiliates, then you should leave that part off. It makes you look and 'sound' like an asshat.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ronald J Riley (profile), 28 Mar 2008 @ 7:46am

    Why I drop in.

    "He's a self professed 'expert' on Intellectual Property, and likes to post his credentials to give the illusion of authority. In other words, he's angrydude with a better vocabulary."

    I think that most inventors are sick of opportunists stealing their creations, and yes it is flat out theft because it is a constitutionally defined property right. And I am a recognized expert about intellectual property issues as they relate to inventor-entrepreneurs. Frankly the opinions of those who associate with the Piracy Coalition or otherwise stooge for them carry no weight in the inventor community.

    “With all your lobbying activity I'm surprise you have time to be an "inventor".”

    Actually I consider the patent deform issue so important that I have put my inventing career on hold. I fund my activism with royalties from inventions I have already commercialized. I have already sunk in excess of a million dollars in the current patent deform fight.

    Also, unlike most of the people on this forum I am willing to sign my name to what I have to say. It seems many of you do not have the gumption to stand behind what you say, and frankly that makes many even less credible than Mike.

    Mike most certainly scours high and low to find corporate shills who agree with his agenda. But I have yet to see any who are recognized experts.

    I keep speaking to the issue of the Coalition for Patent fairness, aka. the Piracy Coalition because I think the companies involved in that group are very poor corporate citizens. I also think, as evidenced by the Cisco fiasco that Piracy Coalition members are using stealth tactics to get many people to carry their water who would not do so if they knew who was really behind all this troll crap.

    Last, once again I must point out that I am fully aware that Mike with never be swayed by reason or the real facts. As I have said before I suspect that he has a very good reason$ for backing bad players and their agenda.

    Therefore, the only reason for me to drop in here is to catch the attention of other people who share my views. You would be amazed at how Mike is pissing off inventor-entrepreneurs. His comments are making an impression and driving those people to join our efforts to kill patent deform.

    One more point, in that troll tracker made it much easier for me to locate people who are being victimized by Piracy Coalition members. It is my opinion that Cisco and those who stooge for them are scum, but even scum can be used for good purposes.

    Ronald J. Riley,


    Speaking only on my own behalf.
    Affiliations:
    President - www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
    Executive Director - www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
    Senior Fellow - www.patentPolicy.org
    President - Alliance for American Innovation
    Caretaker of Intellectual Property Creators on behalf of deceased founder Paul Heckel
    Washington, DC
    Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      John, 28 Mar 2008 @ 8:29am

      Re: Why I drop in.

      Obviously there is no point in arguing with you because you clearly have very defined interests in favor of stronger patents. I think, though, that you will be hard pressed to find anyone that agrees with you on Techdirt. Even if patents helped the "small-time inventor," explain how they help the 99 percent of Americans who are consumers and have to pay higher prices because of frivolous patent lawsuits and licensing fees. And accusing Mike of getting kickbacks for his views is plain lunacy. After all, you are the one in D.C. lobbying legislators and making money on a corrupt system, while Mike is in the heart of tech country working with the best entrepeneurs and inventors. Clearly your head is too far up your ass to see the irony in your complaints.

      Sincerely,
      John Bracke
      Affiliations:
      None

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      DanC, 28 Mar 2008 @ 8:44am

      Re: Why I drop in.

      I think that most inventors are sick of opportunists stealing their creations, and yes it is flat out theft because it is a constitutionally defined property right

      No, it isn't theft, it's infringement. The Supreme Court of the United States recognized the difference between infringement and theft. Furthermore, the Constitution does not define patents or copyrights as property rights, but simply as "exclusive rights". One would hope an 'expert' would understand the difference.

      And I am a recognized expert about intellectual property issues

      Who recognizes you as an expert? The organizations you founded?

      Frankly the opinions of those who associate with the Piracy Coalition or otherwise stooge for them carry no weight in the inventor community.

      Thanks once again for spreading baseless accusations. You don't actually answer criticism, you just spread BS.

      I am willing to sign my name to what I have to say. It seems many of you do not have the gumption to stand behind what you say, and frankly that makes many even less credible than Mike.

      The ability to publish anonymously is a proud American tradition. The Federalist Papers were authored anonymously, and carried great weight. Additionally, you have previously shown a tendency to make false accusations against those who question your credentials, so posting anonymously to prevent it is perfectly logical.

      Last, once again I must point out that I am fully aware that Mike with never be swayed by reason or the real facts

      You don't offer any facts or reason. You post propaganda. You haven't offered anything to back up your claims, but have resorted to name calling and accusations of corporate affiliation.

      Therefore, the only reason for me to drop in here is to catch the attention of other people who share my views.

      You're scouting for donations. No kidding. You show up on sites hosting blogs concerning patents and/or copyright, throw a few pro-ip/anti-reform lines out, flash your 'credentials', and hold out your hand.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rose M. Welch, 28 Mar 2008 @ 12:40pm

    Re:

    If you're speaking on your own behalf, then why do your affiliations matter?

    You can be affiliated with an organization that you have some difference of opinion with. Like being a Democrat but disagreeing with the official stance on gun control, or supporting Planned Parenthood because they provide birth control but being anti-abortion.

    So, unless you're speaking for your affiliates, then you should leave that part off. It makes you look and 'sound' like an asshat.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Mar 2008 @ 6:44am

    Ronald J Riley...

    is one of the best examples I can think of as to why we should just get rid of patents entirely. I mean, if patents breed @ssholes like this, then the sooner we get rid of them the better.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2008 @ 3:12pm

    Ronald J Riley dude....please go quietly die somewhere...away from the internet

    you take of so much time trying to filter through your shit

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Arnold Kempler, 7 Sep 2008 @ 11:45am

    Ronald J. Riley Sued By Internet Law Firm

    Karma....

    Ronald J. Riley / InventorEd - Largest Website for Inventors Sued by Internet Lawfirm

    SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozier Internet Law: Ronald J.
    Riley and Inventored.org Sued.

    Dozier Internet Law has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the
    County of Henrico, Virginia against Ronald J. Riley and a total of eleven
    of his businesses and fictitious names. In response to recent legal action
    by this law firm against Riley, he is attempting to convince the
    blogosphere that this lawsuit is an attack on his free speech rights. Just
    the opposite is true.

    Ronald J. Riley's alleged misconduct includes his attacking bloggers
    and blog and forum moderators with threats of getting IP addresses of
    anonymous bloggers and then tracking them down.

    The Dozier Internet Law lawsuit resulted from a year long investigation
    of Ronald J. Riley and took us from interviews with Harvard Law School to
    Nobel Prize Winners. The discoveries about Mr. Riley along the way are
    troubling, and as he attempts to continue his attacks on his critics, a
    well rounded understanding of who Mr. Riley is and how he operates will be
    profoundly revealing and educational.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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