Courtney Anne Blogging

Bloggers have a rough gig. They are seldom paid and are shunned by some journalists for not being real reporters. Are bloggers journalists?

Where journalists traditionally have more prestige and income from their stories than bloggers, bloggers compensate with freedom.

Bloggers are at liberty to write slanted articles with as many sources as they want, while agency guidelines and editors confine journalists. Steve Outing with Poynter Online, a Web site devoted to news and journalism research calls blogging “no restraint journalism.” (See “What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers”)

He says a big difference between journalists and bloggers is the editor, who, in addition to fact-checking and correcting grammar, also protects against libel. (See “What Bloggers Can Learn From Journalists”)

“In the years ahead, I expect to see some solo bloggers get into trouble…when they lose libel lawsuits,” says Outing.

And there are blogs with noted editors listed on the main page. The Health Care Blog reports original material about the health care industry from many contributors and the Global News Blog aims to teach about international problems and issues.

Some news-based blogs demonstrate as much professionalism, research and quality of sources as a reputable news site. Outing notes bloggers can’t always access top executives or experts, but end up finding insiders who tell a unique story. This is important lesson for journalists who are trained on traditional reporting techniques. (See “What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers.”)

Some Blogs are a combination of first-hand reports and linked news sources, like The Mexico Institute, which is heavy on linked sources and the more debonair The Gates of Vienna, .

These blogs can accomplish something the print media can't: speedy news. Many online newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian recognized the technological advantage of reporter blogs, and sustain popular traditional printed editions.

But even speed doesn't offset inaccuracy. Jessi Hempel of Business Week says bloggers have a reputation for errors.

"Just as these sites have been touted as the new pillars of American democracy for their ability to ensure that any literate person can publish, they have also proven to be swirling rumor mills," she writes.

When Hempel wrote her article in 2005, most people probably still read newspapers to find current events. But five years later, blogs have catapulted into commonality for issues ranging from diaries and religious beliefs to legitimate, objective stories.

In November 2009, ProPublica posted an opening for a Reporter-Blogger:

"We don't pretend to have all the answers about how enterprising, aggressive journalism should best be married with the iterative model of blogging. So we'd like to hear about how you envision filling the role."

The future of blogging in journalism is therefore tenuous. Reporter-Bloggers might slowly gain status as reporters after making a professional display of sources and transparent investigation, or by linking with popular news sites like ProPublica.

# posted by CourtneyH @ 6:52 AM 0 Comments