KonzeptioNerd

To Blog or Not To Blog

Bloggers 0 - Journalists n/a

I was at Mainz university a little while ago, to talk to a group of journalism students about the web 2.0 and the traditional information media.

I was prepared to talk about readers who have grown accustomed to managing their own media and information, to write back, to look for context and background beyond the pages of the initial information carrier. Readers who are almost always on, accessing information through more gadgets than you can wave a newspaper stick at. Media answer with different strategies, from assorted blogs via multimedia context information through personalizable information centers for registered users.

All the (aspiring) journalists wanted to talk about, however, was the perceived threat of blogging. Should journalists blog? Are bloggers journalists? And may journalists use blogs as sources?

My answers, in brief:

1. Should Journalists blog? - Well, that’s between the journalist and her employer, isn’t it? A journalist is someone who adhers to the professional standards of a specific occupation group. Bloggers, on the other hand, have a reputation of explicitly not sticking to such standards.This may be true for some strata of the “blogosphere”.But remember the recent scandal around Engadget’s insufficiently researched iPhone-story that caused the stock to plummet, as well as the ensuing discussion. This incident seems to indicate that many bloggers do indeed try to establish a reputation as professional and trustworthy information-providers and in doing so look towards journalistic practices for guidance.Still, if you are trying to build a reputation as someone who adhers to journalistic standards, a Weblog may not be your preferred means of self-promotion. On the other hand, if you are a specialist, consultant, scientist and plan to make your expertise more widely known, a blog might be a good start.
2. Are bloggers journalists? Only in so far as someone who matches the definition of journalist writes a blog, right?
3. May journalists use blogs as sources? Why not? Of course, they should apply the same diligence they apply to all other sources. I’d not recommend basing an investigative report solely on the quips of an anonymous blogger who’s not embedded in a network of reputation. But I wouldn’t recommending basing it on an overheard conversation between strangers, either.

And, while I’m at it:

4. Are weblogs the most important function of the internet journalists and information media are facing today? Probably not. What I find far more challenging (and interesting) is the mix & match approach to information, web-competent citizens are rapidly developing.

If you read German, check out the news aktuell-study 2.0 und dann? Journalismus im Wandel

Don’t blog

Coincidentally, the very day I was in Mainz, usability expert Jacob Nielsen caused a little commotion in the so-called blogosphere by suggesting experts refrain from blogging if they care about their reputation. Or rather, he recommends that experts Write Articles, Not Blog Postings. I totally agree. At least in so far as I agree with Nielsen’ implicit definition of the term blog posting: “quickly written, shallow postings” - “short” - “commodity-level content”.

This is certainly a valid description of some of the writing that goes on in weblogs. The question is, is this the only writing that is possible in weblogs. Are “short”, “shallow” and “commodity-level” the defining factors of weblogs as a genre?

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