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| Image taken from Jon |
After looking at blogging and its
threat to traditional journalism, I thought I would publish a follow up post on
‘Is blogging really considered a form of journalism?’
Some media pundits are sceptical to
this question and claim that blogging cannot really be considered a form of
serious journalism.
Blogging does not seem to follow the same
conventional journalistic standards of imbalance, accuracy and objectivity that
large media and news outlet organisations are strictly made to abide by. Described
as a media platform for ‘amateur’ citizen journalists, blogging is essentially
subjective and seeks an emotional response of some sort from its reader. These
are features that do not fall under traditional journalism and if digital
journalism is dismissed, then blogging in essence could be challenged as a form
journalism.
Mike Smartt, editor of BBC News Online,
told dotJournalism: "It's like all
stuff on the web," dissemination of information is great, but how much of
it is trustworthy? They are an interesting phenomenon, but I don't think they
will be as talked about in a year's time.”
Lloyd Shepherd, chief producer for
Guardian Unlimited agrees, claiming “weblogs
have a role alongside the usual news output, but are not journalism: Blogging
is not structured in the way journalism is. People are putting their views out
in a relatively unprocessed manner.”
Nevertheless, many of those who are
embracing the digital journalism culture are pleased to welcome blogging as a
form of serious or light-hearted journalism.
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| Image made on Pablo Buffer |
In a modern age of constant thirst for
something new, frequent internet users who need their daily fix of news are
interested in a new media realm that print or TV journalism cannot offer, such
as a personalised, interactive account, which provides a new ‘voice’ on the
angle of news. At the heart of this growth is the dissatisfaction and loss of
faith in large media conglomerates. If journalism by formal definition
is to report in a non-bias, objective manner, than blogging is not journalism.
However, if professional media outlets do not even follow these codes and
conventions then surely blogging cannot be pushed off of journalism
territories?
Some also believe that blogging is not
monitored, but much like news organisations who have a system of editorial
practises, blogging has a community of editors, who will likely report any
misconduct or inappropriate published material.
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| Screenshot: Blogger content |
Blogging has attained an authoritative status,
by readers who have trusted their content over the content of a professional
news mediums. Reflecting on the discussion and weighing up blogging in light of
‘new found’ and digital journalism, I would answer false to the blog title
question. Blogging does infact play a significant part in the world of
journalism, especially in a society that is growing in contemporary means of communicating
news.
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