In the last chapters of “We the media” Gillmor talks about the current problems journalist face due to the new technology. Not only journalists are more exposed to being sued because someone posted material that is not accurate. (Especially in forums) Moreover, he talks about the misrepresentation of journalist stories, in which it has been found that some journalist including the one from USA Today, Jack Kelly had “fabricated some information in which he became a finalist to the Pulitzer Prize” (200). Among other things it has been know that other journalist have been copying other journalist materials.
He also, talks about how the big media and big business lobbied Congress to pass stricter laws and punish those who don’t use their material in a “fair way”. Gillmor says that Congress is deciding to listen to big media thus allowing them to expand their monopoly. He gives the example of copyrighted work that protects author’s creative work. Although I agree that if one creates a piece of art, music, or writing the author must be entitled until his death because that is product of his creativity. But he mentions how Disney Corporation managed to take away the rights of his cartoons from public domain and continue to make profit after the copyrights had expired.
Gillmor says that the old media is being responsive towards new technology, but they are being responsive, because they are afraid of losing money; and the new techniques they are adapting is done to intimidate the audience. For example at the end of the book he mentions how he and his publisher decided to have “We the media” Online for free. That is something that other publisher would not do because they know that somehow they would lose money. The only way publishers allow readers to download material is when the material is public domain. They don’t publish Online books for free because they are afraid of losing money.
