All the World's a Stage for Gannon

Next week's National Press Club panel on journalism and blogging (now retitled "Who is a Journalist?") has suddenly become a hot topic. Not so much because of the subject matter, but because the featured panelist is none other than James Guckert, best known by his stage name, Jeff Gannon. Guckert has been noted for his convincing portrayal of a conservative journalist in the White House press room for almost two years while simultaneously running a male escort service.

But the panel has been oddly constructed.

"This panel," notes The Agonist in a letter to the members of the National Press Club signed by over 100 bloggers including this one, "portends to discuss the meanings of the words 'journalist and 'blogger' and whether the two are different things or one and the same... As Gannon is not a blogger, we feel his inclusion means that the panel is largely about Gannon himself and what his specific case means in context of the discussion. We also note... that Gannon's presence on the panel will allow him to once again air his side of the story. Who will air the other side?"

John Aravosis of AMERICAblog who has covered Gannongate extensively, has volunteered to appear on the panel and is recommended by over 100 of his peers.

"The institutional press is giving the investigated his voice while not allowing the investigator to have its say," the letter continues.

"As we have noted above, you're discussing a story broken by the blogosphere yet cutting out the very people who made it a story there. This exclusion is shortsighted and raises questions of journalistic imbalance and ethical malfeasance. Thus, we again must raise our collective voice and insist that John Aravosis sit on the panel."

Please join us in politely calling on Julie Shue or Rick Dunham at the The National Press Club to request that they include John Aravosis of Americablog.org at their event. Here are their numbers: 202-662-7500 or 202-662-7501 or email at tglad@press.org and info@npcpress.org.