In looking at mainstream media, sometimes I shake my head.
John C. knows this over in Shelbyville, I'm thinking that most likely Cuppa and Frank also get it. We've had to look people we've had coffee with, gone to parties with, had long lengthy conversations or what not, then three weeks later put these folks on the front page of the hometown newspaper or on the air to report some dastardly deed that has the rest of the community up in arms with us because we actually put them in the limelight and talked about it.
I've said it before, there are no favors in news.
Now I'm not talking about casual acquaintances, I'm talking about people we know intimately.
Thus the lives of someone in smaller media formats.
So, when I see that Time magazine completely wusses out by naming "You" it's Man of the Year, I become somewhat irate at the laziness of it all even though issues like YouTube, blogs and digital media are extremely relevant as I participate in blogging and a small (very small, I'm not naive) nook of the world's mainstream media, this editorial decision just seems to me something they decided over coffee at the Waffle House two days before deadline. It's like they didn't want to put a face to one person or idealogy, and lumped it all together.
Even the cover looks like something I could have done in Photoshop (and I blow at Photoshop. Absolutely suck.)
There were a ton of people worthy of this honor and remember, the person who wins this honor is someone who negatively or positively impacted the entire world throughout the year. Let's take a gander, shall we:
Muhammed Yumus and the concept of MicroFinance - 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Started in 1976 by Professor Muhammad Yunus with a mere $27 from his own pocket, Grameen Bank today serves more than six million poor families with loans, savings, insurance and other services. The bank is fully owned by its clients and has been a model for microfinance institutions around the world.
Donald Rumsfeld. The man is revered by many, despised by others. No matter what you think about things, he is a better contender for his actions during 2006. People either love him or hate him, but the reality is, many of the decisions have come down to sending young men and women to war. He also was the sacrificial goat thrown on the fire by the White House's Administration after the GOP suffered heavy losses in the mid-term election.
Last Friday, Mr Rumsfeld closed six tumultuous years at the helm of the US military with an appeal to Americans not to lose heart in a long and difficult struggle against extremism.
Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson. Nope they didn't get very far in the alleged CIA operative outing, but I believe they played a big part in changing the mindset of a lot of people in questioning the unscrupulous power that Washington has held on the country since 9/11. Once again, love them or hate them, the bottom line is they went to the front lines before anyone else did. They also put a spotlight on journalists who were also more concerned with power than reporting the news. Judith Miller Viveca Novak and Robert Novak come to mind.
I can think of others, but I recommend adding your own in the comments. A CNN report named several examples from e-mails I hadn't thought of like the grace of the Amish Community after the schoolhouse shootings, the actual creaters of YouTube, Al Gore for bringing a new conversation out about global warming (with much criticizm) and others. Everyone has a different idea about it all. My point is, why did Time come up with this. We've been in the digital age for awhile now. So Time Magazine, I think I have a suggestion. My community, like many others, buried a 23 year old man killed by an IED on a lonely road in Iraq named Dustin Laird in August. He, with other soldiers in this war, gets my vote for Man of the Year, and the families left behind who suffer such a high loss. Next year, show some more moxie about a journalistic tradition that has sold you millions and millions of magazines since 1927 and place yourself on the list for this year you in where you just literally dropped the ball.
