The role of traditional journalism and journalist is shifting. In this state of new technology, most journalists are worried about what should define their role in journalism. This is similar to the situation scribes found themselves in the 1400s. In Clay Shirky's book, Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, Shirky describes the disappearance of the scribe with the arrival of the printing press. If journalists were to compare themselves to scribes in the wake of blogs and online news journals, there would be reason to worry indeed.
On the disappearance of scribes, Shirky writes:
The responsibility of the journalist truly is not simple, which is why many journalists worry about who should be identified as a journalist. The integrity of blogging is often called into question, as many bloggers post items quickly, often eschewing research and lacking an editorial check that most reporters rely on to keep from mistakenly reporting a lie. If bloggers are regarded as journalists -- even without thoroughly checking their facts -- then the profession of journalism can be called into question.
Bloggers, however, should not be dismissed as factless journalists. While journalists try to be as transparent as possible when reporting (which is often best when reporting fact), bloggers have the ability to allow themselves to be human and react to things on a personal level; this is an important thing when trying to reach readers on a different level. Instead of a barrier such as a news desk keeping viewers from watching the news, blogs allow people to hear reactions from reporters and interact with the writer instead of simply being told the news.
So where does that leave journalists in this evolving media? At a crossroad, so to speak. While inclusion of bloggers as journalists may take away from the journalistic credo of always telling the truth (since not everyone with a blog can be expected to uphold this journalistic standard), it is still worth establishing the blogger as part of the definition of journalist. In fact, it adds a wonderful new dimension to journalism never before discussed. In the article "What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers," Steve Outing writes:
A journalist, at their most formal definition, was once defined as a person through which truthful, ethical and unbiased reporting is done. While this is important, I think the definition of a journalist should be someone who starts a dialogue on topics happening in the world and engages people in thinking and discussing events and news. While accuracy in reporting is always key, blogs should not be dismissed merely for inaccuracy (if any should occur); instead, they are important in their role to incite discussion and possible action.
A true journalist should inspire the people to look at what's happening in our world and get them talking about what we don't like in our news and (furthermore) to do something about it. Lofty ideals of what a journalist should do aside, this is what a true journalist does in its simplest form -- whether by blog, news article, documentary or radio show.
On the disappearance of scribes, Shirky writes:
"The entire basis on which the scribes earned their keep vanished not when reading and writing vanished but when reading and writing became ubiquitous. If everyone can do something, it is no longer rare enough to pay for, even if it is vital." (79)Journalism, however, is not as simplistic as just the ability to read and write. Journalism is the ability to report the truth in an unbiased and ethical manner. The form journalism takes is less noteworthy than what journalism does; whether news comes in the form of an online article, a newspaper or radio show, most often it is its truthfulness that most people look for. If journalism retains that, then it will remain a source people turn to find out what is happening with the world.
In the article "Good Decisions and Great Journalism: The Marriage of Ethics and Craft," Bob Steele defines what obligations a journalist has:
The primary obligation of journalists is to seek the truth and report it as factually, contextually and fairly as possible, and, given consumer and public interest, as quickly as possible. That responsibility is not simple.
The responsibility of the journalist truly is not simple, which is why many journalists worry about who should be identified as a journalist. The integrity of blogging is often called into question, as many bloggers post items quickly, often eschewing research and lacking an editorial check that most reporters rely on to keep from mistakenly reporting a lie. If bloggers are regarded as journalists -- even without thoroughly checking their facts -- then the profession of journalism can be called into question.
Bloggers, however, should not be dismissed as factless journalists. While journalists try to be as transparent as possible when reporting (which is often best when reporting fact), bloggers have the ability to allow themselves to be human and react to things on a personal level; this is an important thing when trying to reach readers on a different level. Instead of a barrier such as a news desk keeping viewers from watching the news, blogs allow people to hear reactions from reporters and interact with the writer instead of simply being told the news.
So where does that leave journalists in this evolving media? At a crossroad, so to speak. While inclusion of bloggers as journalists may take away from the journalistic credo of always telling the truth (since not everyone with a blog can be expected to uphold this journalistic standard), it is still worth establishing the blogger as part of the definition of journalist. In fact, it adds a wonderful new dimension to journalism never before discussed. In the article "What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers," Steve Outing writes:
The popularity of bloggers is leading to a new way of thinking about news. [Jeff] Jarvis said in an e-mail interview that the most profound thing he learned when he started blogging is this: News is a conversation, not just a lecture. The story doesn't end when it's published, but rather just gets started as the public begins to do its part -- discussing the story, adding to it, and correcting it.
A journalist, at their most formal definition, was once defined as a person through which truthful, ethical and unbiased reporting is done. While this is important, I think the definition of a journalist should be someone who starts a dialogue on topics happening in the world and engages people in thinking and discussing events and news. While accuracy in reporting is always key, blogs should not be dismissed merely for inaccuracy (if any should occur); instead, they are important in their role to incite discussion and possible action.
A true journalist should inspire the people to look at what's happening in our world and get them talking about what we don't like in our news and (furthermore) to do something about it. Lofty ideals of what a journalist should do aside, this is what a true journalist does in its simplest form -- whether by blog, news article, documentary or radio show.
By Ashley Ragovin
August 31, 2008 1:24 AM
I really like the stance you take on the subject; I agree with your point that journalism's aim should be to open a dialogue and create a way to share information with the audiences it reaches. I like the link to the Outing article; it's definitely relevent and worked nicely with your position.
One thing that would possibly strengthen your piece would be to incorporate some specific examples of work that is engaging, and work that is not an example of "journalism" as you define it. This could help narrow the focus of a topic so broad as the one we were given to discuss this week! Good job, though!
By Neila Jamee
August 31, 2008 10:26 AM
Like you, I think bloggers have a place in the journalistic arena. I do think, for the most part, they have the tendency to be inaccurate, only because the majority of blogs are filled with opinions that the average person could probably repudiate.
However, opinions are greatly needed in journalism because it gives readers another point-of-view; a different way of seeing an issue. This will connect us as an audience even more, allowing for a diverse exchange of thoughts.