Autocrats of the World, Unite!

Yet another Lulu from the mouths of the democratically “differently abled”

Ahmadinejad: Iran, Belarus should manage world through cooperation

That their instincts run along the lines of “running the world” for the same of humanistic warm-fuzzies should indicate quite a bit about anyone taking the story to be anything legit.

How do we know this? A simplistic journo-bot told us so. By the way, in case you’re wondering if an item like that eliciting mockery, let alone horror about the bright lights of the EU-observatory class, you shouldn’t. Another comment thinks rather glowingly of remaking a “new and honest” form of journalism that’s funded by non-profits, NGOs, and para-governmental organizations with unstated motives, and appointed panels that choose what ‘investigative journalism’ efforts to fund.

Every time, money is granted to journalism, there must be a buffer to guarantee editorial independence. In this case we have chosen a combination of two elements. Journalists and investigative journalist organizations give their good reputation to Journalismfund.eu by joining the advisory board. In addition we have a model with an anonymous jury.
The jury consists of four persons. They were selected in the spring of 2009 among a long-list of highly respected media persons gathered by the advisory board. In the spring of 2011 the first two members will leave the board and their names will be published then.
Are there any criteria and rules? Yes, there are. Journalismfund.eu aims to fulfill the niche of covering stories that go across borders or have relevance in several European countries, se the rules for application and the assessment criteria, which the jury applies.

Which to say that the panel are opaque to the point of being able to remain anonymous, and that the product must promote the EU. Also unstated is that the funder’s funder is funded by the Flemish sub-parliament of Belgium which seems to be promoting the EU with all the highmindedness and enthusiasm of a city trying to get a sports franchise to relocate to their patch.

To these folks, anything is better than lowering themselves to ‘touching money’ (unless it’s a grant). That their instincts run along the lines of “running the world” for the same of humanistic warm-fuzzies should indicate quite a bit about anyone taking the story to be anything legit.

The regimented and money fixated mindset that pervades European (apparent) do-gooders is rife, in that the concept of citizen journalism and self-publishing are not even mentioned, let alone considered. The notion that underhanded motives could even possibly trickle in? The idea that one would do better to watch what people do, rather than what they say? Phooey! Who needs it? That couldn’t happen!