Are Bloggers Journalists?

One of the common arguments among the "traditional media" (aka journalists) is whether or not Bloggers can be counted as journalists and whether the work they do is worth as much to the masses as the work that traditional journalists do for television networks and newspapers. Many of the traditionalists insist that there is no way that a Blogger will ever be regarded with the same respect as a journalist. Others say that there is no reason that the work completed by a Blogger, if done correctly, cannot be just as noteworthy as traditional newsgathering sources.

Bloggers first came on the scene around five-six years ago and many Bloggers today insist that they are the "watch dogs" that keep that traditional journalism community honest. Do you think this is true? Who are you more likely to trust?

It is true that, even after five years of blogging being an acceptable form of self publishing, most bloggers do not get the same sorts of access that traditional journalists are able to get. Newspaper and television reporters are often able to get interviews with heads of state and their staffs. Some reporters go one on one with very famous people. Not a lot of Bloggers have this privilege. So, how do bloggers get their information? Some get their information by submitting requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Others obtain their information by pestering their subjects into interviews. Most seem to wait for traditional journalists to report a story and then simply comment on whether or not the journalist's point of view is valid or not.

Journalists have the helpful backing of whatever news organization they represent. Unlike a Blogger who only has his or her own name to stand on, many journalists are given access to information and people because they stand on the platform offered by their parent companies: Viacom, CNN, the New York Times, etc. In current thinking it is not usually the journalist herself who is granted an interview but the network or organization that the journalist represents.

On the other hand, a journalist who reports false information is more likely to keep his or her job and go on to report on other stories. A Blogger must stake his or her reputation on what he or she prints on a website. If a Blogger reports false information, his reputation can be irreparably damaged, which can be disastrous for the Blogger. Once a Blogger loses his reputation, he loses his traffic and his advertising revenue. So one could argue that a Blogger has more incentive to make sure that what he reports is legitimate than a traditional journalist.

What do you think? Are you more likely to trust a blog or a newspaper? Are you more likely to trust a blog or a television station? Do journalists have to re-earn their credentials now that there are so many Bloggers out there ready to take them to task for inaccuracy? Are you a Blogger who writes about news or current events? Where and how do you get your information?

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