When it comes to partisan political censorship, New Media is not much different from traditional media
Although the Internet has given minorities traditionally excluded from the mainstream media an outlet to speak to the public and promote their news, events and opinions, the Internet has its land mines.
When it comes to partisan censorship, apparently, the New Media is not much different than the mainstream media ... although with the New Media, the writers censored have a greater ability to keep their audiences.
A newspaper can simply lock you out. It happens all the time in the traditional news media. Diversity limited and what there is serves as a front for traditional Ivory Tower guilt. If they pick just the ones they can deal with, and exclude the rest, they'll feel better in their newsrooms.
Well, the Internet can also exclude you too, except that you can still manage your own media networks to reach your audiences.
Facebook is notorious for censorship. Supposedly the Internets best networking site, when it comes to some issues, they have no probelms shiutting you down. In fact, hacking of controversial sites appears to have had some support from Facebook's team.
One sensitive area is the Middle East where passions run high, rhetoric is rampant, facts are AWOL and attacks prevail. Yet, even moderate voices are targeted in blanket censorship vigilance.
Another site that censors is UStream.TV, a site that supposedly is open to anyone to broadcast their own Live Internet Video Feeds. If your topic tends to lean too heavily to one side in the Middle East conflict, your show is shut down and you are locked out.
It's happened and efforts to find out why never result in answers. People who censor don't like to be accountable.
Twitter.com is also another site where people complain that comments too critical of Middle East policy and even Barack Obama are "mysteriously" deleted.
There's no mystery. It's intentional. It's censorship.
No one likes to talk about censorship unless those censored represent popular mainstream causes. If you have to represent a view that is not considered "mainstream popular" you are SOL.
It's the way of the world of journalisma nd it doesn't matter whether you are in a Third World dictatorship or oppression Middle East country. Doesn't matter if you are in a harshly repressive country like China. And, it doesn't matter if you are in the United States.
Censorship is a fundamental part of all forms of journalism. Apparently just as one man's terrorist is another man's patriot. One man's censorship is another man's civil rights border.
You won't find this discussion in American journalism schools.
-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com