GilfordGrok

Gilford Grok and Granite Grok editorialize the news they report all they [sic] time. Yes, the Grok is unquestionably a news source, as a three-minute clip the local blog YouTubed from the Giuliani event a couple weeks back has been viewed upwards of 60,000 times.

That's right – that is what a blog IS! Personal commentary on whatever amuses us. On GilfordGrok, we do talk about things that go on locally. And we are biased – and anyone reading either 'Grok would be able to tell that pretty quick.  We make no bones that we are conservative, pro-taxpayer, and for anything that promotes more open and transparent government.

Oh, I get it! The Steamer thinks that we are one of them - REPORTERS! Coming from a member of the MSM (main stream media), that really is high praise! As in the software industry where a lot of engineers don't like the “suits” (especially the sales and marketing guys who sell vaporware, pocket the commission, and then expect the engineers to restructure their lives in order to meet insane promises of functionality and deadlines), many professional journalists don't care much for bloggers. After all, the stereotype that is often thrown out is that we're just a bunch of loser cranks that sit in our underware in the cellars of parents' homes pounding on keyboards.

While I do believe that we can and have done original reporting of newsworthy items, I think that Alec has tried to move the line too much. We do wish to inform people of what is going on, but we make no hidden agenda of what we think of the news – our biases are out for anyone to see.

Or to comment upon!

In the context of a hard news story, a reporter is expected to present the facts as fairly and impartially as possible. However, those just entering the field often make a mistake of throwing in adjectives or descriptive sentences that they assume all readers would agree with. Let's say Person X was arrested and charged with murder. The good reporter says Person X was charged with a crime. The bad reporter writes "Person X has been charged with this terrible crime." That's against the rules; by calling the crime "terrible," the reporter slipped an editorial comment into the story. While most would agree that murder is terrible, it is still a matter of opinion and a seemingly innocent comment like that damages the journalistic product.

Sorry Alec, but we are not reporters. Could we be? With some discipline, I bet we could be decent ones; maybe even good ones. But that's not us and not what we are about.  Thus, we'll talk about things just as we wish....sometimes just reporting, sometimes with commentary, and sometimes, just because we like to have some fun (and do!).

Back to the Giuliani clip. The news content is solid, as the mayor succinctly answers questions about who deserves credit when government acts on a given issue. As the clip plays, most viewers would agree with the text running along with the images about how Giuliani is speaking with confidence. Most would get a chuckle from the line on how Bush would probably never use the word "egregious." However, it's still all editorializing, and that is too bad.

No, that is not bad. It IS editorializing, and we have fun doing so and will continue to proceed apace with it. Some, however, may not have fun reading it or agree with it. Well, do the RIGHT thing in that case – start your own blog!. Come on in – the water's fine!

We applaud the Grok's efforts at offering new ways to get information to the public. There is real value to that.

Again, I take that as high praise from a professional “reporter” - I really do, and thank him for it.  We like the fact that technology allows us to do this - or anyone else for that matter!

However, as people who can appreciate the cause you're going after, we hope the Grok also sees the value of keeping a high standard on content.

Sorry, but that IS our “value add” - the ability and means to create commentary on just about anything.  We've NEVER said that we were only a news gathering and distribution mechanism....after all Alec, if we were, we'd be competitors now, right?  And you probably would never have keyboarded this particular editorial, would you?

Nor given me the ability to comment upon it and remind the folks of what we do - observers and commentators on things pertaining to Gilford and the Lakes Region. 

The engineers may rail against the S & M guys (the suits – the sales and marketing folks). Yet, if you really get to the nitty–gritty, most engineers would be lost without them (or, at least out of a job). Same with bloggers – we need the MSM if for no other reason than to make fun of them or to use actual reporting to provide fodder for the blogs. And yes, most bloggers would not have much to say if it weren't for the MSM.

And yes, as in the engineer and sales situation, there are some sales guys that engineers really do like – they make up (mostly) for the ones we don't. We think that many of the MSM reporters and editorializers are, as Karl Rove said, effete elitist snobs.

But our local reporters covering the local news? We'd be lost without them....and we do like them.  You too, Alec!

Keep the news and the editorials separate. We find Page Four works well for us for the editorial stuff. Surely, the Grok can find a solution as well. –O.A.

Sorry Alec, this is one editorial that I will not be taking to heart – but I do smile because of it. As reporters, you all should should keep the news separate from the commentary and that is done to a fairly good degree here in the Lakes Region. It is my opinion that the troubles facing the established newspapers that are hemorrhaging huge amounts of money by not keeping that boundary more straight and wide.