Monday, November 29, 2010

Columbuzz: Web Tabloid

From http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/tabloid.htm/printable:

"The key to tabloid story writing is that something doesn't have to be true to print -- someone just has to have said that it was true. Writers can bring in sources and experts to confirm just about anything. They will use leading questions to get a 'money quote' from a source, or offer up the quote themselves and use it as long as the source agrees with them."

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a journalist for more than 30 years, I can tell you that this is absolutely true and Columbuzz is not only tabloid, it is trash.

Columbuzz appeals to the people who believe any and every conspiracy that comes along. Columbuzz also appears to be a self-serving enterprise for those who either write or cut and paste articles that either support there particular political view or attempt to direct public opinion with inane commentary from people with questionable credentials.

There are choices one makes when holding an open forum. You can allow open commentary meaning that anyone and everyone with an opinion can comment and post without a burdensome screening process, such as what you have here on this blog.

You can also choose to track I.P. addresses, screen entries and so on to control who authors your posted materials.

Columbuzz has opted to tightly control everything that appears on it's site. Because it does this, you can pretty much tell from every single thing that is posted the political views, personalities and moral leanings of the "commentators." It is more reminiscent of Pravda or the KCNA than it is ABC, CBS, MSNBC or even FOX for that matter.

I am not sure what they are trying to gain from I.P. tracking. THE REPUBLIC does not I.P. track, neither does ABC News where I work. Our "material" is posted from a myriad of sources like the Associated Press, Reuters and a network of correspondents around the world.

Columbuzz passes themselves off as something they are not. They are a credible print, broadcast or even internet media source. They are akin to a telephone answering service that takes complaint calls from the public and then broadcasts or in this case posts the information as fact.

I no longer live in Columbus but my family is still in the area. I don't choose to post my personal information on this blog because the writers and "staff" of Columbuzz have shown disdain for anyone and everyone that disagrees with there premise, regardless of what it is. I don't want a poodle nipping at my ankles basically.

My take on Bob Freeman and company is that of an outsider with local ties but an outsider than understands how Columbus works because the fundamentals that make the city have not changed in the last 60 years and probably longer than that.

Bob Freeman is not credible. He is not a journalist. He is a horrible politician. His comments would be best relegated to letters to the editor of THE REPUBLIC but he lacks the depth to write such material. If you will pardon the expression, Bob is like a "shit slinger." He slings fecal matter in every direction hoping it will stick. He hopes to make a name for himself by tearing others down in turn bringing the same upon himself.

I agree with other posters who have suggested he is not taken seriously but makes for some decent entertainment from time to time. The man has no self-respect or he would stop entertaining all of the nonsense that is directed his way.

I will close by saying Thank God he has failed in every election attempt he has made and I suspect that those who are aligned with him will fall off one by one as they realize what an absolute dope he really is.

Anonymous said...

Bob PROMISED us that heads were going to roll at the Columbus Township Trustee's office regardless of who won the election. Bob stated, as FACT, that the gross negligence of the current Trustee was so bad that "Indianapolis TV" would be involved in the coverage. Here we all are Bob, still waiting for the heads to roll.

Barry Goode said...

That was just Bob's Empty Promise #37.

Anonymous said...

King of Fools
http://oi56.tinypic.com/5yrhw2.jpg

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
King of Fools
http://oi56.tinypic.com/5yrhw2.jpg
November 29, 2010 10:27 PM

A VERY ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF BOOB.

Anonymous said...

Bob - I know you read all the comments on this blog so I want to make an extremely serious recommendation to you.

In this "article" from your site regarding someone supposedly parking illegally (http://columbus1.ath.cx/index.php?news=5220), you commented:

>> "This explains your support of Fred Barkes and his 'wife.'"

I watched during your campaign while you attacked Fred Barkes and his family without regard to truth and any sort of honor and called Sandy Barkes a bitch and a monster.

Fred is an elected public figure and therefore fair game, but his wife is off limits.

Just to be sure I communicating on your level - do not **** with Sandy anymore or I will come and discuss this with you further - not on the internet (where you think you are immune) but in real life.

Are we clear?

Anonymous said...

Now you know that good old Citizen Bob doesn't tolerate threats, and he's never 'clear' on anything that is logical, has moral value, or makes sense.......so stay tuned for Big Mouth Bob to continue spouting as regularly as Ol' Faithful itself.
Bob doesn't have the balls or integrity to discuss anything with those he attacks or offends. It's his stoneclad modus operandi.

Anonymous said...

Very clear. She works in a public position. You say the things about her are false. What I say about her is true and provable.

Read carefully what I wrote. Each and every word is true.

Stick your threats up your ass. Is THAT clear?

If she doesn't want bad things to be said about her, then she shouldn't do bad things.

But don't threaten me.

Anonymous said...

Sandy Barkes went to a funeral and acted like she shouldn't have acted as a human being, much less as a representative of the trustee office.

Prove ONE thing I said as false, THEN come crying to me. You can't.

Dude said...

Anonymous said...
"But don't threaten me."

He wasn't threatening you "Anonymous". He was threatening Bob Freeman.

Dude said...

"What I say about her is true and provable."

We're all still waiting for your proof.

Dude said...

"Prove ONE thing I said as false, THEN come crying to me. You can't. "

Prove ONE thing you have said as true. You can't.

Anonymous said...

I said she needed to be knocked on her ass and if she did that at my families funeral oneof the women there would have knocked her on her ass.

Saying she needed to be and doing it aretwo different things. I would never hit a woman, but I would enjoy watching a woman do it to a woman if she did what they say this one did.

I posted the proof but you're too stubborn to see it.

She was there. She admitted it and apologized for her actions.

Witnesses said she asked why they didn't pay for the funeral.

Withnesses said she told people she was there to see that the family got what the trustee paid for.

It seems to me that she was there to gloat.

What sort of other proof could there be?

And I'm ready for anybody dumb enough to bring their punk threats to me.

Dude said...

"I would enjoy watching a woman do it to a woman"

Now, Bob, settle down. This isn't a porn site.

"What sort of other proof could there be?"

So a witness can say anything they want, and as long as its something you want to believe, it must be true? Bob, you are truly an idiot.

"It seems to me that she was there to gloat."

If that is true, how many other funerals did she attend just to "gloat"? How many Bob?

Mercman Loves Bob said...

Hey Bob..........shut the Hell up!
You are nothing but a noisy, whining, crying, perverted, egotistical windbag.
The only ones who take you seriously are uneducated, ignorant, gossip-mongering busybodies like you.
Shouldn't you be out taking pictures of people doing things wrong?
Get your badge out of the cereal box, pin it to your janitor's uniform, and go driving around Columbus in Shelby Materials' truck looking for 'perps'. Or maybe you prefer looking for teens....for penpals.
I'm sure your wife and dog would love for you to leave the house for as long as possible. Take your boyfriend Rutan with you. he can keep you warm....or do you still have the opened BOTTLE OF LIQUOR you carry around with you in THE COMPANY TRUCK?
BTW, I saw you out eating this evening. You have the table manners of a feral pig....and the face to match. It was all I could do to stop myself from walking up to you and laughing at you and your insignificance in the world. Lucky for you, the company I was with urged me to be civil in the face of stupidity.

Here's a threat for ya: If I ever see you in public, and I'm alone....I'll beat your ass just for my own amusement.
People will stand in line to post my bail.

Dude said...

"People will stand in line to post my bail."

Can I be first in line? :-)

Anonymous said...

I will wire you the money!

Anonymous said...

Bob the retard is back. I was getting bored.

Dude said...

"I said she needed to be knocked on her ass and if she did that at my families funeral one of the women there would have knocked her on her ass. Saying she needed to be and doing it are two different things. I would never hit a woman, but I would enjoy watching a woman do it to a woman if she did what they say this one did."

I don't know Bob. I'm not a lawyer, but this sounds like Provocation to me:

http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title35/ar42/ch2.html

GONNA GET BOB said...

It is either inciting or provocation. Bob is his own worst enemy. Everything he says is beyond stupid. It will be fun to be in the gallery in Circuit Court watching this bozo go down.

Anonymous said...

http://tinypic.com/r/331opkx/7

BOB THE FERAL HOG

Anonymous said...

What does a 500 pound feral hog and Bob Freeman have in common? They are one in the same!

Mercman said...

Bitching is not something new for Bob.
Here is a screenshot of a review he wrote of a Howard Johnson's where he and his wife (or some whore)stayed in 2005.

FREEMAN'S REVIEW

Anonymous said...

maybe he'll be Bubba and you'll end up as his butt boy

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
maybe he'll be Bubba and you'll end up as his butt boy
December 5, 2010 10:08 AM

Cute Bob. Did you come up with that on your own?