The random thoughts of a genius...er...gene nash.
don't think it can't happen here
Published on March 10, 2005 By Gene Nash In Blogging
Mediaah! was an India based blog dedicated to casting a critical eye toward their mainstream media outlets (MSM). Unfortunately, when you look into the abyss the abyss also looks into you, and the abysmal Indian MSM didn't like what it saw.

One of India's largest media conglomerates, The Times of India, sicked their legal team on Mediaah!'s owner, Pradyumnan Maheshwari, demanding he delete 19 postings they considered "defamatory." Instead he has decided to close the blog.

"I would urge you to appreciate my predicament," Mr. Maheshwari writes. "As a solo performer, I don't have the time, energies and monies to fight a biggie. If I would delete the posts and continue, the guys could still pick on everything I write, and slap a hundred notices on me."

"(T)he conglomerate in question has deep pockets and has enough resources to have us run around in circles. We have a strong case, but it doesn't help fighting them."

Lest you think this could only happen in the third world or some dictatorship, consider that the tactic of a big fish unjustly suing a little fish because they believe the size of their legal war chest will force the little fish to concede is hardly a foreign tactic. Then consider how much anti-blog noise the American MSM has been making lately.

It looks as if war has been declared. I'm just not sure who fired the first shot. Is it foolish of the "blogsphere" to take pride in martyring people such as Dan Rather and not expect to take a few serious hits back?

One of bloggerdom's martyrs just may be Mediaah!, who went from "The Media's Media. No-holds-barred news and commentary on the Indian media" to "Brutally Unbiased. Independent. Now Muted."


Comments
on Mar 10, 2005
Good Grief. Is the mainstream media really that afraid of bloggers? They must really see us as a threat considering how much time they have been spending on the blogging world. Blogging has been all over the news the last couple days. {Link}
Great article. Here's hoping that they don't start shooting down more of us.
on Mar 10, 2005
Good Grief. Is the mainstream media really that afraid of bloggers?


It would appear so. Bloggers outed one of their own, and skunked them on several high profile stories. MSM is becoming pigeon holed for the mind numbed robots that need eye candy.
on Mar 10, 2005
for evidence of what "big fish" can do to "little fish", rent the movie "Tucker: a Man and His Dream".
on Mar 10, 2005
Thanks for the comments everyone.

Is the mainstream media really that afraid of bloggers?


Turf war. No-one likes to see their power and authority erode (not to mention a loss of audience equals a hit in the pocketbook). Using the techniques of propaganda and "discrediting the enemy" tends to make this enemy's case, though. Right now, MSM is more reacting blindly than thoughtfully strategizing.

I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened with print v. broadcast reporting once upon a time. Eventually we'll integrate, find a common enemy, and be one big happy.

Great article


Thank you.



for evidence of what "big fish" can do to "little fish", rent the movie "Tucker: a Man and His Dream".


I saw it on Starz a couple of years ago. Couldn't get that stupid "Hold That Tiger" out of my head for days.

If Tucker hadn't died shortly thereafter, I think he'd have made a comeback.