Episode V: The Mainstream Media Strikes Back

This is so going according to the script. A few days after a new hope, the mainstream media launches a well thought-out plan to gain the upper hand. 'Veteran' local bloggers mrbrown and mrmiyagi were invited to give an interview with the Today newspaper, and I think what became of the final article was a classic case of 中了借刀杀[自己]人之计。 Reading Mr Miyagi's entry, if I were in his shoes, I'd probably have muttered to myself, "主流传媒果然厉害！" Shellshocked, the two mounted a glorious comeback, telling their sides of the story in their own blogs. I've seldom seen such an incisive commentary of what the local mainstream press is capable of. And because of the nature of blogs, the collective wisdom of visitors adds to the effect. Normally, we hear of friends or friends of friends who were interviewed by newspapers and later complained that they were 'taken out of context' in the article that eventually appeared. And then we don't know what they actually meant. Aiyah, maybe they're just too sensitive. Or maybe, they misunderstood the article, lah. This time it's different. One can see exactly the angle that the newspaper wants to tell the reader. It's not only 'innocently taken out of context' or 'misunderstood', it's taking the words of the interview, and making it fit into a pre-conceived agenda or story. All in all, I think this is very good for public education, to view the media with a critical eye. And Gilbert Koh has a very good tutorial for handling newspaper interview requests. Read it at mrbrown's entry.