[WikiEN-l] Daily Mail article on Sam Blacketer case

[Giacomo M-Z]

Charles says: "All that can be done with the press is to try to get your own
spin in there, along with what they'll print anyway." Charles is quite
wrong; that is not all that can be done. Once can refute vociferously -
anywhere and everywhere. Sadly though, Wikipedia and Jimbo are afraid to do
that, as I learnt to my cost in the "Giles Hattersley affair"- Some of you
may remember that  Jimbo blocked me for defending his encyclopedia from a
high profile attack. A high profile attack, incidentally, that has never
been properly reputed. It's almost as though they are frightened of
defending themselves - or do they just dismiss the European press, and
indeed Europeans, as less important than the American. One can only
speculate as to why this is? Wikipedia's governors and public relations
people are worse than nothing; they are incompetent, amateurish is the
kindliest thing one can say.

Giano

On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 8:21 PM, Charles Matthews <
charles.r.matthews at ntlworld.com> wrote:

> AGK wrote:
> >> Gross inaccuracies that harm our public image? Not that I can see. Some
> of
> >> the details are wrong - number of ArbCom cases for instance, but that's
> >> pretty irrelevant to the story or indeed our reputation. Likewise with
> the
> >> relationship between Wikimedia UK and the Foundation.
> >>
> >
> >
> > (Belated reply to Andrew's post of one day ago.)
> >
> > The article certainly doesn't give a positive impression of us. It's
> quite
> > clear to me that there are inaccuracies and that the article harms our
> > public image. Wikipedia gets quite enough stick for being "totally
> > unreliable" (and such) without the Mail spreading incorrect information
> > about how we operate.
> >
> But that, largely, is how the press operates - without regard for the
> impression Wikipedians would like to be given of Wikipedia. and with
> obvious inaccuracies (often exacerbated by the efforts of subeditors who
> know little about the topic itself). All that can be done with the press
> is to try to get your own spin in there, along with what they'll print
> anyway.
>
> Charles
>
>
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