[WikiEN-l] BBC blog on WSJ study

[Bod Notbod]

On Fri, Nov 27, 2009 at 9:30 PM, geni <geniice at gmail.com> wrote:

> The fate of newspapers is well beyond our ability to settle. Our
> interests are that good quality reliable reporting of events across
> the globe continues to take place.

I think most Wikipedians support good journalism. The question is "are
we harming them?" and "are we stealing?"

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. We've moved on from that. But should we
have done? Did we over-reach?

> The problem is far worse outside the first world. Other than a few
> government backed media organisations and commercial companies little
> first hand reporting goes on outside the first world that reaches us.
> Heh to use the cliche there is no obvious alternative to the current
> system that allows us to find out about the issues that most directly
> impact the child in Africa or say Honduras.

If there were a body of wiki-journalists going out, willing to give
their work for free then we could have proper wiki-reporting.

As things stand, we nick stuff, refactor it, and lay it down.

Again, as a reader, Wikimedia projects are my go-to place. But I'm yet
to hear that we can justify some of the stuff that goes on.