GPO still considering Press Creds for Bloggers

This JPost articles mentions many of the salient points in my posting from last week and the accompanying comment thread.

Yet its always nice to get mention in the JPOST...especially as a "leading blogger" :-)

Ron Dermer, a senior adviser to the prime minister, took the opportunity to formally recognize the work bloggers do in defending Israel and uncovering fraudulent claims against the Jewish state at the International Jewish Bloggers Convention last week.

Lauding the work of bloggers in defending Israel, Dermer claimed that "The blogger [Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs] who revealed Reuters' doctoring of images during the Second Lebanon War did as much as any Israeli intelligence officer did."

Following Dermer's praise of the work bloggers do in protecting Israel, he was asked by leading blogger "Jameel" of the Muqata blog whether the government would consider extending bloggers the same accreditation afforded to journalists.

In his response, Dermer stated at the Jewish Bloggers Convention in Jerusalem that the "government should identify a number of good bloggers, serious bloggers, and give them journalist IDs." (JPost)

We'll see if I get a response from Dermer's office. I wrote to them last week, yet have received zero response.

I guess they're busy...or they got turned off by a blog name "The Muqata"

(then again, look at all those who do have press credentials from the GPO: Al Jazeera, AP, Reuters, etc...)

hat-tip: Wallid.

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Breaking News: Bloggers to get Israel GPO Press Credentials

NRG Reports (in Hebrew, this isn't in English anywhere yet):

Israel's Prime Minister's Office announces its intention to give accredited press credentials, issued by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) to leading bloggers.

Press credentials entitle reporters (and now bloggers) to receive invitations to media events, as well as the ability to report on events without interference from the police and IDF.

Ron Dermer, special adviser to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would be conducting an investigation this year to determine the leading blogs and bloggers -- so that they can receive accreditation.

Unlike the USA, Israeli bloggers do not yet significantly make their mark on local opinion, but the Prime Minister's Office's announcement is tacit acknowledgment that Israel's bloggers are starting to influence the public via their reporting.

Ron Dermer: Kudos for taking my suggestion seriously!

hat-tip: AST.

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Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד