Free speech in the Blogosphere

Re: http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/blogger-loses-day-job-with-cnn-over-blogging/

Is it right for a television network, normally a defender of the Constitutional right to free speech, to fire an employee for exercising his right to free speech, in the form of a blog? Chez Pazienza, a producer at CNN, was fired for his long-time blog (http://www.deusexmalcontent.com/). Why? No where on Mr. Pazienza's blog does he mention that he is an employee of CNN, nor does he make any implication that his opinions represent the opinion of CNN Network.

In my experience, I find media companies extremely terrified of their employees voicing an opinion in a public forum. I have been on the receiving end of this. At one point in my career, I worked for a PBS affiliate on a temporary basis, producing local coverage of local state government congressional meetings. I wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about a particular news story. The next day, I was pulled into my boss' office and lambasted for writing that letter. The opinion I wrote was not particularly incensed or offensive in any way. The reason I was reprimanded was because the PBS affiliate was afraid someone in the legislature would read my article, somehow know that I was affiliated with the station, become angry at my letter and yank the funding for the station. I only worked at that station for a very short, temporary work assignment - I was a very young nobody in that organization. Yet the station was extremely fearful someone would connect the dots.

I would not be surprised if a case like this eventually ends up in court. If companies restrict the blogging activities of their employees, where do you draw the line? Would my company be able to fire me for the contents of my personal blog (the one written to family and friends about my daughter)? Perhaps the company does not approve of my parenting skills demonstrated on my blog. Hmm. Ok, if that is the line, what about emails? I know companies have the right to read your work email, but what about personal email accounts, or social networking group accounts? If I go on MySpace and post a bulletin about how I had a crappy day at work, could THAT be a fireable offense?

Let me be very clear here - this blog represents my own personal experiences and opinion about the media industry and the art of media research. In NO WAY does this blog represent the opinion of my parent company (which, by the way, is not mentioned here).