Well ...

congratulations to David Beers and The Tyee.

And to Morley Safer: Boo, Hiss, and a rrrraspberry. I'd like to tell him why concerned Citizen Journalists have had to work hard for over 3 years (unpaid, need I add) to find and/or write reporting on one very important story so studiously ignored by the mainstream media, the BC Rail Case.

I'd like to tell Morley that the public wouldn't know, to this day, that in June 2008 the man who police were tracking when they raided the BC Legislature ... went to trial IN VICTORIA, just a few blocks down the street from the CanWest newspaper offices. He (Jasmohan Singh Bains, cousin of Dave Basi) was found guilty, was sentenced to 9 years + heavy fine ... and believe it or not, there wasn't a word about it in the MSM. A Citizen Journalist (that would be me) found out SIX MONTHS LATER and broke the story ... but it was another 3 months before an MSM journalist -- crediting me with the tip -- wrote it up for Vancouver Sun. [Drug dealer linked to legislature raid imprisoned. By Ian Mulgrew. Vanc. Sun, Feb. 17, 2009]

Even then, none of the other newspapers reported on something of great interest in the development of the BC Rail Case ... in fact, that's how we heard about it ... it was mentioned in a Basi-Virk pre-trial hearing ... a concerned observer in the public gallery of the courtroom happened to hear and realize what it meant ... he looked around and saw no journalists ... and he decided to tell me. I was able to verify the details. And that's how the story came to the public, who should know these things.

Citizen Journalists haven't been given any awards. We don't really expect it. But we sure as heck wouldn't expect someone to lash out with the kind of rebuke Morley Safer came up with ... at an AWARDS ceremony ... in Toronto, for gosh sakes. So here's another tip, Morley: Sometimes silence really is golden.

And by the way, three Citizen Journalists evolved out of the Tyee comment threads when we realized that the BC Rail Case was being officially covered up. Two of us are still going strong after 3 years. Strange thing for Morley to say ...

The Legislature Raids
http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/

and my congratulations, Tyee

and also to BC Mary, who raises many important points. So first, thank you, BC Mary, thank you.

The "passion", the "public conversation" that is developing is, in my book, one of the most important developments of my lifetime. If we continue to allow the 'professionals' of any stripe to direct and shape the public conversations that we have - we might simply continue to get the banal, the popular, the generally accepted, the vulgar... One sees this is what the universities have become, as well as some of the 'newspapers'.

I don't want to water down my sincere kudos to Mr. Beers and colleagues, but I do want want to bestow an award on BC Mary, who will stand in for others (although her efforts are rather larger):
the award for generating awareness of what citizenship in a democracy entails.

It seems clear that a viable democracy is doomed unless many more of us partake in the public conversation.

F****** Great (Canadian eh)........Congratulations!

The Tyee proves again it is a force to be reckoned with!

Faaaaaaaaan--tastic-

very well done David, the Tyee and all writers and techie suuport staff!

Thank you!!!!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to everyone at The Tyee!

Yes, there is an alternative to the conglomerate-controlled mainstream media. As Mr. Spock would say: live long and prosper.

Thanks for all your work, BCMary

Thanks for all your work, BCMary. It still amazes me that the MSM has ignored the BC Rail case for so long.

It gives a very strange shading to the academic notion that a news organization's editors are the gatekeepers, deciding what is and what is not news. Why has this scandal failed to pass the gate so many times and at so many different media organizations?

Congratulations Tyee

Journalism for all of us, including articles for those of us who are a little odd....

It's Morley Safer who wins the Darwin award for journalism. Such self-inflated pompery makes a lie of his intellect when one considers the greatest citizen-surgeon ever, Abulcasis, learned nearly everything on his own.

"Professional" journalists like Safer are much more akin to Mark Twain's description; "....a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who, having failed at ditching and shoemaking fetched up in journalism on the way to the poorhouse."

Take Jeff Lee with you, Morley.

Congrats!

Well done, David and all who work for The Tyee. In defence of democracy, you are David V. Globiath.

Ever give any thought to opening an Alberta, Ontario and/or Atlantic Canada bureau? I think the Canadian citizenry is ripe for more truth than they get from MSM rags.

In honor of your award, it would be wonderful to see a pardon granted to Skookem 1 and the Coyote. Their prose added much insight and colour to The Tyee. They helped it get to where it is. They are staunch defenders of democracy and freedom of the press.

Thanks everyone!

So great to read these kind and supportive sentiments. The Tyee wouldn't exist if you readers hadn't embraced our attempt, and rewarded us with useful criticism, lively engagment, and lots and lots of visits -- 8.3 million visits in just the past three years! This award goes to you, as well as our wonderful staff and all who have contributed their efforts and financial donations to The Tyee.

PS, while our story included Morley Safer's comment because he expressed his view with humour, I'd like to be clear that we at The Tyee don't share his blanket dismissal of "citizen journalists". We do place the emphasis on solid, sourced reporting here -- and many citizen bloggers or non-professionals more than meet those standards. Many citizens have guided us to important stories and provided key information. And some of our strongest series -- on Fare Free Transit and Teaching that Inspires, for example, have been written by non-journalists.

good 4 u

The little engine that could!
Also, great to have Rafe Mair articles!

The last thing any good

The last thing any good journalism wants to be associated with are -- the giving of awards --- you write good stuff--- people go for it--you get an award---very slippery slope my friend.

Well done, The Tyee.

Well done, The Tyee.

While the mainstream press intentionally snored on..... you have kept the hearts of some really important stories beating on.... eg. run-of-river, the BC Rail trial, homelessness, to mention just a few. Thanks.

SharingIsGood makes an excellent suggestion about "opening an Alberta, Ontario and/or Atlantic Canada bureau". The more tributaries travelled down the better.

I also like SIG's suggestion of a pardon.

Coyote, Kootcoot, Skookum 1 and Truman Green... among others. Unique.... and much missed voices all.

I'll tip a glass as well

You do good work David and the fourth estate is better today because of you.

As someone who has had my own disagreements with the way you wield the scalpel I'll suggest that this is a good time to let bygones be bygones as well. Those voices are missed too.

Keep up the good work.

I'd suggest you give the readers a chance to send along a cheque to help in the cause a bit more often too - maybe once a quarter.

Bonne fete .

Congrats Tyee, and re: Safer

Congrats to The Tyee on your win.

And re: the crack Morley Safer made about Citizen Journalists, "I would trust citizen journalists as much as I would a citizen surgeon".

I find that the traditional media leaves out a lot of important info when they report on certain stories.

In fact, a lot of important stories aren't even being reported by traditional media.

Perhaps pro journalists have learned not to report on certain stories in order not to offend certain 'important' people or institutions. Perhaps the media doesn't let the journalists report on certain stories. Who knows.

Citizen Journalists don't seem to have that fear of stepping on important toes, or exposing the 'sacred cows' of institutions, etc. Corruption and the lack of accountability is everywhere, and we citizens are fed up.

Stories that have to be told are being told, by the very Citizen Journalists whom Mr. Safer seems to deride. If the pro journalists and traditional media don't report it, then it's up to the 'Citizen Journalists' to report it.

It has to be this way now. The internet is available to everyone.

Hey Dave!

Any cash prize involved?