Archbishop Attacks Bloggers

Times Online reports Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has criticised the new web-based media for “paranoid fantasy, self-indulgent nonsense and dangerous bigotry”. He described the atmosphere on the world wide web as a free-for-all that was “close to that of unpoliced conversation”. In a lecture to media professionals, politicians and church leaders at Lambeth Palace in London last night, Dr Williams wondered whether a balance could be struck between the professionalism of the classical media and the relative disorder of online communication. Dr Williams also extended his wide-ranging critique of journalistic practice to the traditional media, arguing that there are “embarrassingly low levels of trust” in the profession and that claims about what is in the public interest need closer scrutiny. He called for a “more realistic, less fevered” approach to stories by journalists and added: “There is a difference between exposing deceptions that sustain injustice and attacking confidentialities or privacies that in some sense protect the vulnerable.”

Marcus @HarrysPlace blogged The senior cleric of a state-approved religious sect has been reviewing the blogosphere: He described the atmosphere on the world wide web as a free-for-all that was “close to that of unpoliced conversation”. And chose these adjectives to describe what he'd discovered: “paranoid fantasy, self-indulgent nonsense and dangerous bigotry”. There is plenty of the latter on the web - how could there not be considering the 'conversation' is open to anyone who has internet accesss - but I think I'd rather put up with or ignore the internet loonies if the alternative is having a bearded figure in flowing robes with any measure of power blithely using the word 'police' in the same sentence as 'conversation'.

Marc @USSNeverdock blogged What a twit! Dr. Williams needs to read my Case against the BBC and refresh his memory with all the fake stories put out by MSM.

Natalie blogged Archbishop warns against "unpoliced conversation" peril. Peter Glover of Wires from the Bunker writes. In a moment of madness I had an unpoliced conversation with my husband only yesterday. It was about strawberries. The horror lives with me yet.

The Anchoress blogged It is kind of interesting that Williams’ remarks grabbed headlines and even made it to Drudge, while last weeks remarkable commentaries on Europe, by Archbishop Chaput (which also touched on pop culture and press), went virtually unreported. Note, I said it was interesting…but not surprising. Meanwhile, perhaps Rowan Williams could stop worrying about “unpoliced conversations” and look into this very weird story.

I have not read that many British blogs, but I find it difficult to believe they are any more wrong than most BBC articles.