A new kind of journalism
The release of classified information about the Afghan War by WikiLeaks and three news organizations is being described by some as a new form of “assymetrical” journalism.
In a column in The New York Times, David Carr says the collaboration between WikiLeaks, a whistle-blower Web site that specializes in publishing classified or secret documents, and three traditional news organizations, The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Spiegel. was unusual.
“In one sense, the carefully choreographed exercise represented a new kind of hybrid journalism. WikiLeaks was more than just a source, it was a publisher… But the episode was also an affirmation of traditional journalism. WikiLeaks might have simply dumped the data on its Web site for all to see, but chose instead to engage mainstream publications which sifted, annotated and made sense of it all.”
The release of classified information about the Afghan War by WikiLeaks and three news organizations is being described by some as a new form of “assymetrical” journalism.
In a column in The New York Times, David Carr says the collaboration between WikiLeaks, a whistle-blower Web site that specializes in publishing classified or secret documents, and three traditional news organizations, The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Spiegel. was unusual.
“In one sense, the carefully choreographed exercise represented a new kind of hybrid journalism. WikiLeaks was more than just a source, it was a publisher… But the episode was also an affirmation of traditional journalism. WikiLeaks might have simply dumped the data on its Web site for all to see, but chose instead to engage mainstream publications which sifted, annotated and made sense of it all.”
