An open letter to the National Press Club

You can't make this stuff up: The National Press Club's panel on blogs and journalism includes Gannon/Guckert and Wonkette, but no liberal bloggers.

This oversight prompted Sean-Paul Kelley of the Agonist to draft the following open letter of protest:

Members of The National Press Club,

We, the undersigned bloggers, are very concerned about how liberal bloggers are being systematically under-represented in the mainstream media, academic settings and media forums. By being segmented away from these venues, we are effectively pushed out of the discourse of opinion-leaders. The result is that the conventional wisdom becomes a feedback loop framed by the Conservatives and their media allies. Indeed, just a few weeks ago, The Brookings Institution hosted a panel that originally included no liberal bloggers and yet included many conservative political operatives in the event. We registered our protest and the Brookings Institution relented by inviting a few real liberal bloggers to attend, yet not sit on the panel, as we had originally insisted upon.

Today, however, we are faced with an entirely new situation that is more insult that misrepresentation. The discredited conservative media operative Jeff Gannon, nee Guckert has been invited to sit on a panel at the prestigious National Press Club. His token liberal counterpart will be a gossip blogger. While we have no animus towards Ms. Cox we believe that she does not represent the kind of serious, thoughtful, liberal blogging views the National Press Club would normally seek out.

Therefore, we the undersigned bloggers, respectfully but firmly insist that John Aravosis, of Americablog.org be included on the panel to fairly and accurately represent us. He has agreed to this and is available.

This situation is simply unacceptable. We will push back against misrepresentations like this. If we do not we will never achieve any semblance of balance in the media. If we do not, we abdicate our ability to tell our own side of the story. If we do not we leave it to others to define us.

Please call Julie Shue at the The National Press Club and politely insist that they include John Aravosis of Americablog.org at their event. Here are there numbers: 202-662-7500 or 202-662-7501.

Sincerely,


Sean-Paul Kelley, http://www.agonist.org
DCMediagirl, http://www.dcmediagirl.com
Ezra Klein, http://ezraklein.typepad.com
Echidne of the snakes, http://www.echidneofthesnakes.blogspot.com
Amanda Marcotte, http://www.pandagon.net
Mark Karlin, Editor and Publisher, http://www.BuzzFlash.com
Matt Stoller, http://bopnews.com
Lindsay Beyerstein, http://majikthise.typepad.com
Shakespeare's Sister, http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com
Big Brass Blog, http://www.bigbrassblog.com
Bob Brigham, www.SwingStateProject.com

Comments

[quisp]

I guess sex sells.

[Jeremy]

Hey, isn't that interesting, I wrote a letter saying that liberals were also being underrepresented.
If years of hystericall pointless screeching from the mountaintops doesn't get us anywhere we might as well write a letter to the National Press club about how right wing dittoheads are incessantly chirping about liberal tripe. As any UC Berkeley professor would know, liberals are open minded, intellectually superior creatures that most obey liberals every wish. After you write this letter you should realize that Bush and his evil cronies that he has set up in the National Press Club will be after you like a fat lady going after the last donut. But, I will stand right by you guys so that our socialist utopia may finally come to pass, Michael Moore will become president of the United States and gays can finally get off the island Bush has segregated them to. If we do not we will never achieve any semblance of balance in the media (because as everyone knows CBS, ABC, CNN, and BBC are all apart of the brainwashed hoards Bush has mind controlled).

[Lisa]

I saw this first at John's site. My first thought was this is a purposeful attempt to make sure that blogs are not taken seriously. To include a site known for more gossipy material rather than one of the more serious liberal bloggers out there demonstrates that. Considering the fear of the blog by the MSM this shouldn't surprise anyone.

[Mnemosyne]

Is it just me, or did anyone else read those two names and think, "It's an ass-fucking smorgasboard!"

[Spaz Cadet]

I am not convinced that Guckert/Gannon is a stunning intellect of the right. Rather, he's a parroting nobody with more fame for his cock shots than his ability to pull together a story.

If you want John A to go up against a right wing blogger, he's already torn that Gannon asshole to shreds. He could use a worthier opponent.

Who that might be, I have no clue. Those righty bloggers can be pretty stupid.

[Roxanne]

You guys might be greatly overestimating the prestige of the National Press Club. It's essentially a restaurant and
a couple of meeting rooms. Oh, and they have a library and a gym.

But, I get your point. I guess if said event was to be covered on CSPAN or something, I'd be alot more worried.

[Roxanne]

Also -- make sure that Joe Strupp at E&P is on your press release lists if he isn't already:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000856306

[Ken C.]

Obviously, Gannon would have been better invited to a different press event, for which he would likely have had a very interesting tip:

( http://www.press.org/abouttheclub/record/2005/record-03-24-05.shtml#STORY7 )
"White House Reporters Offer Tips on Coverage

There is no one way to join the White House press corps, veteran journalists said at a NPC Young Members March 17 panel on "How to be a White House Reporter."
...
Reuters' Steve Holland urged the audience to learn "a little bit about a lot of different things" and to be prepared for grueling hours. "It's more physically demanding that I thought it would be," said Holland..."

[j swift]

Maybe the topics for this meeting are "Gossip Blogs and Online Prostitution". I mean that could happen....

seriously the NPC is either utterly ingnorant of blogging or they purposely chose these people because they do not take blogging seriously.

[liza sabater]

I'm just hoping they're setting them up for a Candid Camera moment. For the life of me, why invite those two unless they want tips and jokes on rimming?

[Alan Bostick]

Somehow I don't think this is about left and right. Gannon is blogtopia's y!sctp!) celebrity hustler, and Wonkette peddles rumors about nasty doings inside the Beltway. This isn't about blogging, it's about salacious gossip. Sean Paul Kelly's letter, IMHO, ascribes it more dignity than it deserves.

[Roxanne]

Bloggers have been added to the event:

http://press.org/calendar/caldbevent.cfm?eventid=7139