Filed by Bil at 10:20 pm under Fightin' Words, Homophobia, Politics, The Media

Well this is just incredible:

For 5 days, 5 Journalists will only source news from Twitter and Facebook to test quality of news.

This is bound to be a fascinating little experiment, and I am eager to read the results.

>> Update: you can follow the journalists here.

Speaking of breaking news via Twitter, I’ve been sitting at my computer for like half an hour now just watching the real-time tweet feed come in on the Prop 8 trial in California. For all of you on Twitter, just search #prop8 (or click this link) and sit still for ten seconds. You’ll see. They won’t stop coming.

One point of contention I can already see with the new media/old media “versus” paradigm is the age difference. If we’re going to move forward by pitting “old” against “new” we have to beware that we keep this strictly to the media itself, and not the humans providing the information. This #prop8 feed is overwhelmingly young and liberal, and thus presents the opinions of the young and liberal without really giving any attempt at objectivity whatsoever, and without any respect to the opinions of the old and conservative.

Granted, I’m on the side of the young and liberal in this case – I think Prop 8 is the most embarrassing thing to happen in the United States since Carrot Top – but personally, I couldn’t be proud of a case won simply by a majority popular opinion. That’s exactly how Prop 8 was passed to begin with.

Also, it’s a mess. Objective and respectful articles, concisely written and presented with information derived from both sides of the fence, which do not preach to their own choir but genuinely make an effort to reach out to the other side and show reason to the unreasonable…THAT’s the way to make lasting change with peace and stability.

For example, Prop 8 opponents really ought to engage the crazy people rather than just try to shout louder.

And new media really ought to take what it knows from old media and try to work together. I think we all need to drop this whole new-replaces-old mentality and start thinking more along the lines of integration. Information technology is advancing almost as quickly as the universe is expanding, but humans are still humans.

“Versus” isn’t going to get us anywhere. We’ve got to make it work together.

The Crowns - Live Together, Die Alone

By the way, nerds, don’t forget: the final season of LOST premiers Tuesday, February 2nd.