Comments on: When is a blogger not a blogger?

By: podnosh

podnosh — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:02:03 +0000

jrp tells us:

“at its core, true, hard-news journalism is objective and well rounded with each side represented

at its core, true blogging is subjective with one point of view”.

I have been both a hard nosed investigative, political reporter, documentary maker type journalist and blogger type. The difference I find is that as a bloger I no longer pretend to have some special understanding of reality, objectivity or the truth. i recognise it all as a conversation and share it as such.

By: ruthward

ruthward — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:24:40 +0000

Thanks for all of your views and comments. They certainly confirm that this is a complex issue. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between press and bloggers evolves…

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By: Paul Groves

Paul Groves — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:02:31 +0000

I tend to agree with jrp.
There is a distinction between what I write – and at times how I write – as a journalist and as a blogger.
Obviously there is a lot of overlap, but I blog on issues I don’t write on as a journalist and I sometimes blog in a style that wouldn’t work as a feature for a newspaper or magazine.
I think I’m stuck in the middle of the grey area jrp is alluding to. My journalist training and background is sometimes hard to shake off as a blogger. I’ll carry a link to a quote to provide balance, whereas other bloggers might not bother. I’ve also been asked a few times if I’m interested in developing particular blog posts for feature articles and politely declined as I wasn’t interested in exploring the wider issue, just my own thoughts or experiences (but I pitched other ideas instead!).

There isn’t an easy answer because the goalposts are continually moving. I’m also not sure whether we’ll ever have a clear answer for the same reason.

By: MC Milker

MC Milker — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:26:33 +0000

A slightly different take than jrp’s…

Bloggers are rarely “news” journalists. They are more like a columnist found on the editorial page.

Possibly the best comparison, for a PR wonk to make, is to a book reviewer or a movie reviewer. Both of these types of journalists receive “in kind” compensation for their work.
Both of these types of journalists provide their opinion on a product that they have used and enjoyed.

Perhaps, bloggers, should be approached with product the way a studio or publisher approaches a msm reviewer with their product.

By: jrp

jrp — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:19:41 +0000

this difference is simple yet easily misunderstood

at its core, true, hard-news journalism is objective and well rounded with each side represented

at its core, true blogging is subjective with one point of view

the problem lies in the gray area in the middle, such as when a reporter starts editoralizing in the middle of the article or a blogger starts ponding the pavement and working up articles rather than writing about whatever he chooses

this debate isn’t going anywhere any time soon

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Stardust Global Ventures » How to Miss the Boat with Bloggers as Allies — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:10:15 +0000

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