The Wardman Wire

Paul Bradshaw, who lectures in Journalism at Birmingham City University at is compiling a list of “the most significant events in the history of journalism blogging?” Examples Paul quotes include one over 5 years, which is my favourite.

2007: Dave Winer wins his $2,000 bet (made in 2002) that blogs will rank higher than the New York Times for the top 5 news stories of 2007 (h/t Bob Stepno), demonstrating the importance of blogging in news distribution.

And here are some suggestions that I think should be on the list.

Podcasts and Enclosures

The widespread adoption of a mechanism for automatic distribution of media files – Podcasts – starting in autumn 2004. Podcasts are now used by most media sites, and provide a mechanism for commentary by individuals. I’d make the same comment about Vodcasts – video-podcasts – but I think it fits under the same point. Both podcasts and vodcasts are intimately linked with blogging, which is the heartland of the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology now used everywhere.

Nosemonkey 7/7 Liveblog

He was in the wrong place at the right time on 7th July 2005. This shows how bloggers can respond instantly:

London tube explosions

So, what’s this “bang” on the tube all about then? Anyone got any clearer idea than “either a bomb or a big crash”? And does this count as Sod’s Law, coming the day after the Olympics announcement?

Hutton Enquiry Reporting Via Website

The decision by Lord Hutton to make all the documents from the Hutton Report available via a website.

The Final Report came across as a whitewash, but the transparency of the reporting process as the enquiry happened was new:

Transcripts

All the public hearings, including the evidence of witnesses, will be recorded and a full transcript will be available to all sections of the media and to the public almost immediately.

This decision made the information available for immediate reporting via blogs.

Imams’ Mohammed Cartoons Campaign

This one is not remembered as well as it deserves, but bloggers made at least two key contributions in exposing the manufactured nature of the campaign by a group of Danish Imams who went on a tour of Middle Eastern governments to stir up trouble seek support from Middle Eastern Governments about the publication of the Mohammed Cartoons.

Cartoons already Published in Egypt without protest

Firstly, an Egyptian blogger – the Sandmonkey – remembered that the Mohammed Cartoons had already been displayed in a large circulation Egyptian Newspaper weeks before the Danish Imams visited the Middle East to seek support for their demands, without any riots occurring in Egypt or anywhere else:

Boycott Egypt

Freedom For Egyptians reminded me why the cartoons looked so familiar to me: they were actually printed in the Egyptian Newspaper Al Fagr back in October 2005. I repeat, October 2005, during Ramadan, for all the egyptian muslim population to see, and not a single squeak of outrage was present. Al Fagr isn’t a small newspaper either: it has respectable circulation in Egypt, since it’s helmed by known Journalist Adel Hamoudah. Looking around in my house I found the copy of the newspaper, so I decided to scan it and present to all of you to see.

Forged Picture in Imams’ Dossier

Secondly, bloggers exposed that a picture taken to the Middle East and shown to Leaders and Governments as part of the “dossier” was a forgery.

They should because they are the same! No, not a satire of Mohammed nor any other sacred Islamic figure but a photo of Jacques Barrot, a pig squealing contestant at the French Pig-Squealing Championships in Trie-sur-Baise’s annual festival. NeanderNews discovered this photo, taken by Bob Edme of AP, posted on an August 15, 2005 AP story seen here on MSNBC’s website.

Credits: Bob Edme. Ekstrabladet

It is not clear whether this was included in the dossier in good faith by the Imams themselves.