Josh Wolf released

The world's most controversial blogger, Josh Wolf, was released from prison yesterday after handing over the raw footage of the video that landed him the 8-month lock-up. Judge William Alsup was finally content as he had “all the materials sought in the subpoena.”

Wolf's raw footage was subpoenaed last February as part of a federal investigation of damage caused during riots at a G8 summit protest in San Francisco. Wolf captured the riots on tape and posted them to his blog, The Revolution Must be Televised. You can watch the video here. While it doesn't highlight the alleged damage to a police car, it displays police brutality that sent a shiver up my spine.

In addition to the scorn received for his ethics, the media continues to question, even after his release, if Wolf is in fact a journalist. However, the Society of Professional Journalists, Reporters without Borders, and other advocacy groups stand firm in their position that Wolf is a journalist.

“Josh gave up his freedom for 224 days because he believes that a free and independent press cannot exist without a trusting relationship between a journalist and his information sources,” said Lucie Morillon of Reporters Without Borders.

In his first post back from prison, Wolf maintains that his case was more than an investigation about damage to a police car. In a previous phone interview with Democracy Now!, Wolf termed his case a "witch hunt." He claimed that the federal government has targeted the anarchist community of San Francisco and intends to try them as terrorists.

Though he had been stripped of his freedom for 8 months, Wolf believes he was released on his terms. He did not testify nor appear before a grand jury, which he considers a victory. He wrote:

"After two rather strenuous sessions of mediation, we at last came to an agreement that not only leaves my ethics intact but actively serves the role of a free press in our so-called free socieity [sic]."

via NYTimes

conflict of interest or who cares?

In a move to keep up with the kids, ABC hired former Rocketboom vlogger, Amanda Congdon, to their blog. A pretty cool idea, actually and it worked for a while until Congdon broke some of the rules...or did she?

ABC's ethics code forbids their journalists from engaging in commercials or other outside ventures so as to maintain their journalistic integrity.

Congdon, fully aware of this policy, filmed a handful of "infotainmercials" for DuPont. On her blog she claims, "I am not subject to the “rules” traditional journalists have to follow. Isn’t that what new media is all about? Breaking the rules? Setting our own?"

ABC has not made an official statement. But Jeffrey Schneider, a spokesman for the news division, told the LA Times that Congdon is a commentator, not a journalist.

Josh Wolf would be pissed. But hey, he can't read about it because he's in jail.

via Gawker [via LA Times]

blogger's rights comprimised.

The French government passed legislation yesterday banning citizen journalists from taking pictures or video of acts of violence. French authorities are policing the web and mobile phone services for images and video of violent acts captured by non-professional journalists.

Offenders can face up to five years impriosnment and a fine of up to €75,000 (US$98,537)!!

The law was passed, I'm sure, to protect bloggers from harm. But, censoring an unestablished community of citizen journalists is ludicrous. The internet should always remain a platform for free speech.

The question now is: will the law be enforced? How will French authorities determine what is an act of violence, who qualifies as a professional journalist, and most importantly how will they track down those who post acts of violence anonymously?

Also, don't forget that the French press is government regulated. How will the French people receive unfiltered, unbiased news? The mainstream media is censored and now so is the blogosphere.

The irony of the situation is that the bill was passed on the 16th anniversary of the Rodney King beating which was documented and convicted solely by citizen journalist footage.

(Source, MacWorld)

blog forces talk radio to kneel down, suck it

West coast blog Spocko's Brain has scored some big points against San Francisco conservative talk radio station KSFO, an ABC affiliate (why there is a conservative talk radio station in San Francisco to begin with is anyone's guess). Blogger Spocko has been recording clips from Melanie Morgan's controversial show and sending them to major KSFO advertisers. According to the Guardian:

Spocko objected to various comments by Melanie Morgan. In one exchange about about a book by environmental writer Rachel Carson, Morgan said it made her want to dig up Carson and "kill her all over again". Carson died from breast cancer in 1964.

Morgan's colleague Brian Sussman, meanwhile, called Democratic presidential contender Barak Obama "Halfrican".

The New York Times notes that Sussman also "challenged a caller who said he was not a Muslim to prove it by repeating back an insult to Allah", although Sussman later apologized.

You can mock Rachel Carson, you can even mock Allah, but don't mess with my boy. Now slob is pissed too. It's on, now, KSFO. That's why we're posting the following soundclips. Here are some really classic numbers:

-"Allah is a Whore"
-"Stupid Liberals"
-...and my personal favorite:
"How to Torture Detainees"

In response to Spocko's campaign against KSFO, Disney, ABC's parent (KSFO's grandparent?), attempted to shut Spocko down, but alas you can't stifle the internet. Just ask the Chinese Communist Party. Unfortunately for Disney, using copyrighted soundclips to make a new argument or create a political or social critique falls under fair use best practices.

Apparently, Spocko's campaign against KSFO has worked. Various reports point out that major advertisers have pulled some or all advertising from KSFO, including MasterCard, Visa, Bank of America, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Blogosphere: 1; Talk radio: suck it.

More: San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, The Guardian, and of course, a third party blog devoted entirely to covering this subject