Why Max Mosley and sadomasochism makes me a pouty journalist
Something fanstastic is happening - so why do I feel so depressed?
The slump in my mood came when I read Max Mosley had won the landmark High Court legal battle with the News of the World over revelations about his private life.
I was delighted by the outcome. How could it possibly be in the public interest to reveal the Formula One chief takes part in sadomascohistic role play - even if Max is the son of the fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley? Had the News of the World won, I would have been really fed-up.
I'm also pleased to discover that on the back of the Max Mosley story the BBC website has a backgrounder on sadomasochistic sex, including comments by those who are into it, which will hopefully puncture many a popular misconception about spankings, role-play and all the rest.
This is fantastic.
As the author of a book on sexuality, I'm passionate about the need for us all to develop self-awareness around the things that turn us on. I've done lectures and led workshops up and down the country in an attempt to foster a greater understanding about the darker sides of ourselves.
As a journalist one of my roles is to give a voice to those at the heart of any particular issue. So it's great that the world wide web offers an opportunity for those many would consider deviant to explain how it really is, in their own words, to an audience of millions.
Isn't it?
In theory, yes.
In reality I'm feeling depressed. I'm sitting here with a pouty face: "THERE'S NOTHING FOR ME TO DO ANY MORE!!!!"
At one time it would have been my job to got out and interview people. I would have sat down with them, gained their confidence, listened to them carefully as they talked about difficult things and then tried to write up their stories as accurately and respectfully as I could. Who needs that now people have the opportunity to speak for themselves?
Once I felt journalists played an invaluable role. Today I'm feeling like nothing more than a signpost stiffly saying: "Go to that website. Listen to them talking over there."
P.S. - (she says as she sniffs) - the most moving book on sexuality I have ever read is Ties that Bind by Guy Baldwin.
Older/Newer
« DARK KNIGHT: BELIEVE THE HYPE | Can the Web save the Flapper? »
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Why Max Mosley and sadomasochism makes me a pouty journalist. TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blogs.birminghampost.net/cgi-bin/mt421/mt-tb.cgi/15485
6 Comments
Leave a comment
Lifestyle authors
Richard McComb - Restaurant critic and columnist for The Birmingham Post
My postings |
My feed
Jon Bounds - Digital consultant and creator of Birmingham: It's Not Shit
My postings |
My feed
Selina Jervis - Student and creator of fashion blog, "Flying Saucer"
My postings |
My feed
Pete Ashton - Pro-Blogger and creator of the “Created in Birmingham� blog
My postings |
My feed
Nikki Aaron - English language teacher uncovering life in Beijing
My postings |
My feed
Brumcast Lite - A taste of the best of Birmingham's music scene by Brumcast creator Little Chris
My postings
| My feed
Sarah Gee - Young professional and founder of Indigo PR
My postings |
My feed
Jo Ind - Features writer and columnist for The Birmingham Post
My postings |
My feed
Andrew Cowen - Features writer and columnist for The Birmingham Post
My postings |
My feed
Sid Langley - Freelance writer and cultural commentator
My postings |
My feed
Michael Mclean - Cinema manager at Birmingham Odeon
My postings |
My feed
Pint Sized - Searching the best ale in the West Midlands
My postings |
My feed
Latest Birmingham Post News blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from the midlands give you their opinions on local and national news.
Latest Birmingham Post Business blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from Birmingham and the midlands inform and entertain on all business matters.
Latest Birmingham Post Sport blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from Birmingham and the midlands inform and entertain on all sporting matters.
It's clear that you aren't looking for reassurance or some sort of self-purpose, so the answer to "Who needs that now people have the opportunity to speak for themselves?" come from a purely objective and pragmatic position.
Most of those same people still need someone to help them articulate their own thoughts. Every one of us would benefit from interrogation by a competent and perceptive journalist, researcher, etc., even though it's mainly public figures who get the benefit of that attention.
So a journalist has two key qualities: access and perspective. Plus they get paid for it.
Thanks for this dp. You actually mention four things that made journalists distinctive - attention, access, perspective and dosh.
Of those it's the attention that I find most interesting because it's not acknowledged much in journalism that paying good attention can make the difference between someone being able to tell his or her story and not. And there are still those who are unable to tap away on the internet.
Even so, I still feel down. I still feel our role has been reduced...
I don't think 'reduced' is the word, Jo. 'Changed' is better - we have to find new roles in new places. I won't even open the debate about 'dosh' ...
Go on then Sid. What do you see as the new role of a journalist? Or is it still all to play for?
Interesting to have this debate in the light of Jo Geary's latest blog and Twitter replies about functions of reporters. I know the media world is changing rapidly and we have to be prepared to let old ways go. But I think it's more to do with how work reaches other people - at the moment the web is the obvious new kid on the block, but what's about to happen, who knows? I know that the nature of journalism is undergoing a radical change, and I'll blog on it more fully soon. You, Jo, of course, cannot be replaced. You are a WRITER as opposed to a REPORTER, and I think Joe Public really doesn't understand the different functions of these roles. It's the difference between CCTV and a perceptive and intelligent commentator and observer.
Oh Sid, you are such a flatterer! I don't know about this distinction between a writer and a reporter but I feel sure that by naming me as the former rather than the latter you have paid me the highest compliment. I can feel myself blushing and I don't even know what you're talking about. Thanks friend!