Slovenia’s Image: The Fall of Foreign Correspondents and Rise of Bloggers Michael Manske

Professional Journalists vs. Bloggers

The Fight For Slovenia’s Image

• Foreign Correspondents are an Endangered Species like the Siberian Tiger or Long-toed Salamander

From 2002 to 2006, foreign newspaper correspondents shrank from 188 to 141

From 1996 to 2007, there’s -26% less demand for newsprint

Only four U.S. papers still keep foreign correspondents

(sources: Washington Post, Harper’s Magazine)

Television is Also Under Attack

(Random screenshots from the Kosovo Conflict)

In the 1980s, the “Big Three” had 15 Foreign BureausToday they have, at most, six.No bureaus in Africa, South America, or India.

Are Wires Our Final Hope?

• AFP (Agence France-Presse) has 36 bureaus in Europe• AP (Associated Press) has 243 bureaus• Reuters has 196 bureaus worldwide

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= One bureau in Ljubljana

Marja Novak of Reuters

No, not really.

The Vanishing Point

• The world according to G7 media (source: http://www.low-fi.org.uk/vanishingpoint)

The Floods of 2005: A Case Study Damages around Celje and nearby

estimated at 23 million euros

Worst hit is Romania: 18 dead,

20,000 homes flooded and more

than 1,000 small bridges damaged.

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Reuters reports: “Flooding in Germany, Austria, and

Switzerland”

Parachute Journalism

• “It usually consists of reporting basic details, misrepresentation of facts and ignorance of contextual issues. The journalist lacks in-depth knowledge of the situation and is usually disoriented because of the strangeness of the environment he is in. The information gathered is usually from bureaucratic sources and may contain propaganda.”

(wikipedia)

The Sunday Herald Parachutes into Slovenia

"Slovenia’s enthusiasm for adopting the euro remains undimmed.“• "Slovenia’s support for the euro seems the most ardent.“• "It remains so despite the problems over the constitution and doubts being

expressed over the currency by both Italy and Germany.“• "In Slovenia, support for the euro and the European Union appears as

strong as ever."

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His source: Božo Jašovič, Bank of Slovenia

According to poll: Fifty-nine percent of respondents believed that the euro would have "more negative consequences than positives ones." Only 23% were convinced of the benefits, and 18% were unsure what would happen.

(source: Slovenian Chamber of Commerce)

More Parachuting

Slovenia was the first country to ratify the EU Constitution ?

No: Lithuania was the first in Nov. 2004, followed by Hungary in December.

Professional Media Organizations That Have Messed Up the Basics

• New York Times• Pravda (Russia) • Reuters • Aftonbladet (Sweden), erased Slovenia off map of Europe• Eurosport – Put Kranjska Gora in Poland• Stern magazine: confused Slovenia with Czech Republic• USA Today• Chicago Tribune (Ljubljana is capital of Serbia-Montenegro)• Interfax (Russian news service) Also:• 1) The World Tourism Directory.• 2) EuroHockey.net• 3) The European Science Foundation• 4) OAMTC (mapmakers!)• 5) Amazon• 6) Lonely Planet• 7) City of Essen official page• 8) Nuclear Engineering International• 9) Keith Bellows, editor of National Geographic• 10) EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas• 11) President George W. Bush

Bloggers Filling in the Void

• Global Voices Online

Aggregates and FiltersWorks together with ReutersCovers Slovenia!

Transitions Online and New Eurasia

Cover former communist countries in Europe and Asia

Emphasis on “Bridge Bloggers”

Pays some bloggers

Here’s to a brighter future!

It probably can’t get much worse either way…