As long as Internet access is available, there should be no lack of freedom for the media.
Plus, when ever the fuck was freedom given? It was always taken by those who wanted it. There is no way some government agency, ally, or anyone will ever give anyone else true freedom. At best it’s a deal with the devil. Consider that for a bit.
There are places all over the world where journalists get a fist in their face every time they try to report against the “powers that be”. These powers can be totalitarian regimes, corporations, or just any kind of thugs and bullies. Sometimes, a fist in the face is the least of the bad. So what follows doesn’t necessarily apply to them, but to countries where political regimes are forced to maintain appearances of democracy for some reason.
The truth is that freedom comes with anonymity. Take a domain, make a WordPress site with a free theme, buy domain privacy. If you’re in some weirdo place, buy a domain from outside your country. Use some anonymity tools; write your articles under a fake name or, better yet, don’t use any names, just in case someone knows you well enough to read in the subtleties of your way of processing.
Now, unless your government or whatever “enemies of the free press” are out there, are super-much into screwing you, you’ll be able to get your message across, provided your material is well argued, with evidence and written in a way that will not lead readers to believe you have lost your freakin’ marbles.
This way it will be the issue that gets attention, not the person. Media freedom organizations worldwide will say “Country X is screwing with freedom of the press” not “Country X is persecuting journalist Y who, among other things, fought for freedom of the press.” When you take the person out of the equation, things become simpler and less vulnerable than when you attach a name to it all.
Think of it this way: you’re a solid journalist, you are perfectly right to be angry and frustrated at your powers that be, you have some evidence. If you were deemed credible by your peers, they’ll take on your cause. If, however, you like a glass too many every now and then, or you worked for some shifty publication with a stained rep, or, as it sometimes happens to the best and brightest, you were an arrogant ass, it will reflect on your cause.
If there is no name, such associations cannot be made, there’s no way to make them. It might pose a credibility problem “Interesting, but anonymous?! Should we believe this?” However, the keyword here is “interesting”. Something that is interesting and controversial will be taken on by others who will do the digging, spread the word if they find something. Heck, your thing, which no one knows is yours, could make it to the front page of something big.
It helps if you have rock solid evidence and if that evidence can be understood by everyone – read: it helps to have audio/video and a translation. Threatening emails? Screenshot or it didn’t happen, but make sure not to leave marks of your real persona and make sure that you created an email account just for the hatemails you’ll get for publishing on all types of dictatorial or criminal actions targeting the press.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. As long as your will is applied to solving a problem, rather than coming out a hero, things should be possible.
But here is where a huge problem comes along: all of us, and I mean ALL of us, like to be recognized for our merits and our actions. It comes with being a human and a professional in a world where making a real name and a good reputation for ourselves is harder and harder. Only the most humble of us journalists, writers and bloggers can honestly say we don’t want a little bit of fame. If we didn’t we’d write in an old fashioned diary with a little lock on it. But we don’t.
So, as long as fame and possibly fortune are among the reasons we start yelling (nothing more ridiculous than a blog for a free press with adsense on it, really), we will achieve nothing. You can’t be free if you’re trapped in your own ego, right?
I know it’s bad to write this. I mean, there are people out there who are really oppressed, jailed, killed for reporting mere truths that in other places are reported in the same way. And I am angered that humanity can allow this in the 21st century. But because these people and these horrific situations actually exist, I will say that journalists with less trouble yelling about not having freedom to write makes me sick.
Granted, an editor corrupted by politics, interference of the political in the media environment can be frustrating and annoying. But to just cry like a baby about some stupid shit law is ridiculous when you have so many ways of expressing your right to free speech, as a citizen or journalist, and more: You can actually fight it!
If it weren’t for fame and fortune, journalists and bloggers who feel wronged by a law or the actions of the “powers that be” would also form a strategic partnership, pulling their collective resources and knowledge to promote a cause and fight a wrongful law. Unfortunately, such efforts are at best temporary and never the best out there.
If each journalist or blogger would put just as much effort in a cause to fight against measures that tend to limit freedom of speech and freedom of the media as they put in their personal blogs and websites, full of Adsense and other commercials, I think those old (and young) farts that try to control public opinion would really have a problem. Don’t you?
Anyway, because of this belief of mine, I will stop reading on “lack of media freedom” especially in the western/EU countries. It’s ridiculous. And don’t get me started on WikiLeaks, because in that case, the truth of it is really halfway. In respect to that, let me just say that I would absolutely love to know what weapons, technology and infrastructure my enemy has when I plan an attack on their base. And I have personally seen that kind of info on WikiLeaks. So, shut it.
On the other hand, telling what private companies and corporations are doing was a good thing and it would continue to be a good thing. But now, oops, they are out of money and face trials and whatnot. Stick to the relevant and proper truth of your cause if you want it to prevail.
Photo: anhminh26 @ photobucket.
