Is a blogger a journalist?
Saturday, August 27, 2011
I will preface this post with the fact that this is the first "official" blog I have ever written. This new challenge got me thinking more and more about what blogging really is, and if it constitutes journalism. After doing some research, I began to agree with Gina Masullo Chen. http://savethemedia.com/about/.
She candidly states that she believes blogging is not journalism. I must say she has many compelling arguments to sustain this side.
Blogging, like so many new media outlets we see today, has opened an unbelievable amount of doors for many who otherwise would not have a voice. I see this as a positive. However, that is a lot of voices claiming to have authority on topics that may not be the voices we should let advise us. This is where the problem arises when it come to journalism, and being able to get accurate and credible details on a topic.
It is a new frontier and an aspect of journalism that cannot be ignored, despite our feelings on the matter. Chen states that it is not blogging itself that is worry-some to many, it is rather the change it is propelling in the way people consume news. I completely agree that change is scary, but perhaps after it passes, the possibilities of what may come is the end goal that is a truly great result of this new form of communicating.
2 comments:
I tend to disagree a little bit with regards to blogs. I think they have had their place in the growing world of online journalism, and that they will continue to serve as a forum for journalists heading into the future. It is a very informal form of journalism, but in today's world it is almost as essential to a journalist as any of the social media platforms.
I think the real key in what you said, and it deserves restating for emphasis, is that there are many voices claiming to have authority on topics that may not be the voices we should let advise us. In order to gain authority, they have to show credibility. To me, that would mean that they would have to back up the unbiased statements with facts and references in order to win me over. Otherwise it garners no more credibility than an article in the Opinion section of a newspaper.
The tools of a journalist are growing and evolving as our technology continues to move forward. In order for journalists to thrive, they must be willing to do the same. I think a lot of the casualties in the journalism world will come from those who attempt to ignore the changes. What do you think?
I agree with you on the standpoint of evolution. The journalistic world has to evolve with the trends, or it will miss the opportunity to leverage a new platform. I also agree with you on the fact that they need to maintain their credibility. For example, Jon Stewart; I am both glad and appalled by him (personally). He highlights the errors made in information that has been relayed to the public. This should disturb us that there is enough incorrect information to make a nightly show out of. However, I love him for utilizing the television platform and making us aware of the fact that we are in fact receiving incorrect information. So, at this point it is all a double edged sword.
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