Can bloggers be journalists? DOCX

Title	Can bloggers be journalists?
Author	Kirsten Han
Pages	11
File Size	36.6 KB
File Type	DOCX
Total Downloads	124
Total Views	237

Summary

1 Can Bloggers Be Journalists? Whenever discussions over whether bloggers can be considered journalists arise, there are those who will be quick to point out all the differences: while professional journalists have established codes of conduct to adhere to, bloggers are generally not bound to any sp...

Description

Can Bloggers Be Journalists? Whenever discussions over whether bloggers can be considered journalists arise, there are those who will be quick to point out all the differences: while professional journalists have established codes of conduct to adhere to, bloggers are generally not bound to any specific set of ethics that would govern their behaviour (Knight et al. 2008, pp. 122). Bloggers are often painted as freewheeling mavericks untrained – or even uninterested – in the rules governing content production (Lasica 2002, para. 5), while journalists are seen as trained professionals producing accurate reports adhering to a high standard. Another distinction between bloggers and journalists is made by saying that bloggers rarely produce original reporting, seen as "the heart of all journalism" (Blood 2003). By pointing to these differences, it is then proposed that bloggers are not journalists, and should not be considered as such. While I do not deny that there are many differences between a blogger and a journalist dealing in hard news, in this essay I argue that the exclusion of bloggers from consideration as journalists fails to recognise different traditions of journalism such as partisan or advocacy journalism where different practices and goals are prioritised. When we recognise that the concept of journalism encapsulates much more than professionals in a newsroom, we begin to see similarities between bloggers and some journalists, and to consider bloggers as a type of journalist. Taking my examples from the Singaporean blogosphere, as well as drawing on my own experience, I will show how bloggers can – and should – be considered journalists, especially in a country where the lack of independent mainstream media leaves a gap in society. Of course, one needs to recognise that although there are a huge number of bloggers in Singapore, not every blog is relevant to this essay. Like others have observed with blogs around the world (Andrews 2003; Blood 2003; Domingo and Heinonen 2008), most Singaporean blogs publish non-journalistic content ranging from personal diary entries to lifestyle advertorials to cat pictures. Some of Singapore's most popular bloggers do not engage in journalism, but nevertheless there are a significant number who can be considered to "commit journalism" (Lasica 2002, para. 34-36). For the purpose of this essay I will be referring to those who write "journalistic blogs", defined by Domingo and Heinonen as bloggers who provide commentary and analysis on current issues for a large readership (2008). 1...