Re: “Winnipeg blogs”

In response to Winnipeg Blogs, published July, 17, 2009.

The story about Winnipeg blogs in your latest edition (July 16 edition of The Uniter) deliberately propogated (sic) a “myth” that I am responsible for the writing of an anonymous blog, The Black Rod. 

You and your readers should be advised that I write one blog only, www.tgcts.blogspot.com.

Your writer, Matt Preprost, solicited numerous comments about The Black Rod from an apparently aggrieved Professor Sampert of your university, which cast that blogger in a negative light.

The story claimed the blog could not be reached for comment, then proceeded to repeat this “myth” about my responsibility or as Sampert would put it, irresponsibility.

Preprosts’ (sic) subsequent statement “either way,” leads readers to conclude it is at least 50 per cent likely that A) I am The Black Rod, and B) I could not be reached for comment. Neither is true.

Preprost and/or The Uniter made no effort to contact me about this rumour before publication.

Preprost does not cite a single source for this “myth” but he quoted only one critic of that blog, so the conclusion I must draw is obvious. In fact, Sampert is one of the few people who has refused to appear on The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 Kick-FM, which I host.
While the story went on to mention marginal blogs, like where some people go to eat breakfast, there was no mention of serious bloggers such as Jim Cotton or of my own blog, www.tgcts.blogspot.com, in breaking important news stories ahead of the mainstream media and holding elected officals (sic) to account.

It is only fair that this letter be published in your next edition, so that regular readers of The Uniter can be made aware of the facts surrounding the flawed editorial supervision of your volunteers. Next time, call or e-mail me, I am not hard to find.

Editor’s note: The goal of the piece was to discuss the power of blogs and highlight some local bloggers who do interesting work for the enjoyment of it. We did not intentionally preclude others’ work, but the sheer size of the printed space allowed ensures this will happen. Please follow the discussion at http://uniter.ca/view/939/.

– Marty Gold

Published in Volume 63, Number 30 of The Uniter (August 13, 2009)