Posted on May 7, 2007 - by Justin Hartman
Bullard responds – now even a bigger wanker
So Bullard has responded via video all thanks to Groogle and while bloggers all over South Africa may have asked for an apology from the Sunday Times all we got was more of the same shit.
Now I’m sick with flu at the moment so my sense of humour is probably not what it should be but it would appear that Bullard’s article is simply a moronic tactic to get reaction out of the blogosphere and to build up publicity for the Sunday Times. youngBLOOD has said as much in his blog post this morning and I’m even more perplexed than before as everyone who was complaining last night seem to be all smiles today.
I know I’m no highly-paid, well-respected journalist for a major sunday newspaper but can someone humour me please?
A interesting point I got out of Bullard’s response was that he’s a columnist that has never based any of his commentary on fact and that’s was has made him last for 13 years. He goes on to say that had he based his article on fact then he’d simply be a journalist however that’s what makes him a columnist.
So, the question has to be asked Mr. Bullard – are you then just in fact a glorified blogger? It seems as if The Times’ new Editor in his blog post this morning might concur with me?
It would appear by your statements that your column simply does not go through the “journalistic” procedures of being proof-read, checked for facts and approved by the editor so I’m struggling to see the difference between you and I? Oh wait, it’s that huge salary you get paid.
Bullard goes on to say that as a journalist he has responsibilities unlike “us” bloggers when writing which makes me see red. How can he claim to have responsibilities when he can go on a scathing attack like he has against 70-million people world-wide and create a vastly negative impression to his huge Sunday Times readership?
If this is Sunday Times’ reaction then I’m appalled.
UPDATE: This is just for some great fun! I think I’ll take this stance from here on in.
I am the MD and co-founder of 
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May 7, 2007
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Yeah. thats telling him. Hot debating.
Huge salary? Have you ever even met a journalist?
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May 7, 2007
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Hmmm… Is he not contradicting himself? In the column he says:
“I have no objection to reading my Sunday Times on
the Internet because I know the content has been through the same
process as the print edition.â€
Yet in the video he clearly states that he does not have to write facts or research facts as he is a columnist not a journalist. Bottom line, the old statement that says “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers” does carry some weight!
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May 7, 2007
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Justin – I definitely think the flu is getting to your head. If you are even a casual reader of Bullard’s column, you would know that some of his opinions need to be taken with a pinch of salt. That’s why IT’S a column and NOT a hard news story because columns DON’T need to be fact; they are very subjective, kinda like a blog.
Instead of complaining about the way we reacted, you should mention the fact that we actually responded at all. How many other print editors or journalists would’ve posted a response on their own blogs within the same day?
The other thing that particularly irks me, is the way certain “bloggers” have implied that either myself, Ray, Carly or Gregor could’ve done something about the column since we work within the organisation and play in the same digital space. While I don’t necessarily agree with what was said in his column that is the beauty of a free and democratic press and no one can silence our journalists, especially David Bullard. Sorry to disappoint, but we are also not a PR agency so don’t expect a humble apology or a sugarcoated explanation for why he said the things he said. It prompted debate and served its purpose… in the words of our good Police Commissioner – finish and kla.
In a nutshell, I think this says a lot about the Sunday Times as a brand and it’s one of the reasons so many people continue to read the paper religiously (hence the exaggerated huff ‘n puff).
I look forward to discussing this with you over coffee or a cold beer when we finally meet in person and I hope you get well soon!
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May 7, 2007
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Matthew: yes my parents are both journos so I know what the top-earners make and it’s a shade off what most of us make…
Stii: my point exactly
Colin: I’m not a casual reader of his column so forgive me for getting worked up about it. Yes credit has to be given to you guys for reacting as credit is most certainly due and please don’t think I’m trying to bash you, Carly, Gregor or Ray on this issue however you guys have all publicly responded so it’s only natural that we as serial-killers make reference to your posts. I don’t think you guys are responsible however you do work for the company and your public comments are going to be under scrutiny. Either way it doesn’t matter because it’s a blog site and doesn’t hold much weight
PS. I really can’t wait for Wednesday to finally meet you!
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May 7, 2007
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David Bullard responds ……
… and the message is pretty clear really.
We all did exactly what Bullard was aiming for. We, the bloggers, focussed so heavily on Bullard’s clearly inflammatory column so much that we drove a lot of traffic to it. All we did was feed…
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May 7, 2007
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Justin – Forgive me if I implied that you were bashing us as employees. There are most certainly other people that I was pointing fingers at but you weren’t one of them.
I also understand that since we work here, our blogs may be under public scrutiny. To make it clear to everyone, our blogs are not affiliated with the Sunday Times nor it’s holding company. They are intended as a personal publishing space and are hosted on external servers. While we occasionally make announcements related to the Sunday Times on our own blogs, they are most definitely not an official or authorised response. The response on my own blog was intended to be in jest to lighten things up so please don’t read too much into it.
Now that the legalese and misgivings are over, chat to you soon!
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
Yeah. thats telling him. Hot debating.
Huge salary? Have you ever even met a journalist?
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
Hmmm… Is he not contradicting himself? In the column he says:
“I have no objection to reading my Sunday Times on
the Internet because I know the content has been through the same
process as the print edition.â€
Yet in the video he clearly states that he does not have to write facts or research facts as he is a columnist not a journalist. Bottom line, the old statement that says “Don't believe everything you read in the papers” does carry some weight!
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
Justin – I definitely think the flu is getting to your head. If you are even a casual reader of Bullard's column, you would know that some of his opinions need to be taken with a pinch of salt. That's why IT'S a column and NOT a hard news story because columns DON'T need to be fact; they are very subjective, kinda like a blog.
Instead of complaining about the way we reacted, you should mention the fact that we actually responded at all. How many other print editors or journalists would've posted a response on their own blogs within the same day?
The other thing that particularly irks me, is the way certain “bloggers” have implied that either myself, Ray, Carly or Gregor could've done something about the column since we work within the organisation and play in the same digital space. While I don't necessarily agree with what was said in his column that is the beauty of a free and democratic press and no one can silence our journalists, especially David Bullard. Sorry to disappoint, but we are also not a PR agency so don't expect a humble apology or a sugarcoated explanation for why he said the things he said. It prompted debate and served its purpose… in the words of our good Police Commissioner – finish and kla.
In a nutshell, I think this says a lot about the Sunday Times as a brand and it's one of the reasons so many people continue to read the paper religiously (hence the exaggerated huff 'n puff).
I look forward to discussing this with you over coffee or a cold beer when we finally meet in person and I hope you get well soon!
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
Matthew: yes my parents are both journos so I know what the top-earners make and it's a shade off what most of us make…
Stii: my point exactly
Colin: I'm not a casual reader of his column so forgive me for getting worked up about it. Yes credit has to be given to you guys for reacting as credit is most certainly due and please don't think I'm trying to bash you, Carly, Gregor or Ray on this issue however you guys have all publicly responded so it's only natural that we as serial-killers make reference to your posts. I don't think you guys are responsible however you do work for the company and your public comments are going to be under scrutiny. Either way it doesn't matter because it's a blog site and doesn't hold much weight
PS. I really can't wait for Wednesday to finally meet you!
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
David Bullard responds ……
… and the message is pretty clear really.
We all did exactly what Bullard was aiming for. We, the bloggers, focussed so heavily on Bullard’s clearly inflammatory column so much that we drove a lot of traffic to it. All we did was feed…
Visit My Website
May 7, 2007
Permalink
Justin – Forgive me if I implied that you were bashing us as employees. There are most certainly other people that I was pointing fingers at but you weren’t one of them.
I also understand that since we work here, our blogs may be under public scrutiny. To make it clear to everyone, our blogs are not affiliated with the Sunday Times nor it's holding company. They are intended as a personal publishing space and are hosted on external servers. While we occasionally make announcements related to the Sunday Times on our own blogs, they are most definitely not an official or authorised response. The response on my own blog was intended to be in jest to lighten things up so please don't read too much into it.
Now that the legalese and misgivings are over, chat to you soon!
Visit My Website
May 9, 2007
Permalink
Interesting that the blogging community has risen up in righteous anger against the Bullard column, with the suggestion that the readers of the Sunday Times have now been unfairly prejudiced against blogging.
As a reader of Bullard’s column, a reader of the odd blog and someone who harbours the ambition to start a blog of my own should I ever get around to pulling figure, I find all of this a bit mystifying. In fact, I thought Sunday’s piece was one of Bullard’s weaker pieces because its relevance appeared so limited. Others I discussed this with felt the same.
So fear not, gentle bloggers of the world: nobody who isn’t in the blogging world really noticed. They were too busy looking for the next Jacob Zuma insult.
Visit My Website
May 9, 2007
Permalink
Interesting that the blogging community has risen up in righteous anger against the Bullard column, with the suggestion that the readers of the Sunday Times have now been unfairly prejudiced against blogging.
As a reader of Bullard's column, a reader of the odd blog and someone who harbours the ambition to start a blog of my own should I ever get around to pulling figure, I find all of this a bit mystifying. In fact, I thought Sunday's piece was one of Bullard's weaker pieces because its relevance appeared so limited. Others I discussed this with felt the same.
So fear not, gentle bloggers of the world: nobody who isn't in the blogging world really noticed. They were too busy looking for the next Jacob Zuma insult.