Are Bloggers Journalists

As more people get their news from online sources, and as the line between a "legitimate" news website and a news blog continues to blur, more people are now asking the important question: "Are bloggers journalists?"

What is Blogging

Bloggers vs. Journalists

The debate regarding whether bloggers who report local, national and global news are legitimate journalists has been raging at least for the past three or four years. When the first bloggers entered the news arena with opinion pieces and attempts at reporting breaking news stories, they were essentially scoffed at and looked down upon by professional news reporters who worked for larger news corporations or conglomerates. However, as the years produced even more skilled blogger journalists, many bloggers started breaking news stories before the mainstream news reporters even realized what was happening. Today, blogging journalists continue gaining credibility while the public starts observing corporate funded mainstream media with a somewhat more critical eye. These days, when people ask are bloggers journalists, the answer isn't quite so cut and dry.

When Bloggers Break The News

Ever since blogs gained traction as important sources of news for many people, bloggers have increased the stakes by jumping on top of major news stories long before mainstream reporters were even aware there was a story to be had. These significant events in blogging history continuously built a certain level of credibility and respect for professional bloggers. The following events are a few examples of the sort of breaking stories bloggers have published over the last few years.

• In 2004, the blog USAviation first announced that John Kerry's running mate as John Edwards. Bloggers received news from an airport worker that the John Kerry's plane bore the words "Kerry-Edwards 2004." The announcement on a private blog was one of the first major embarrassments to major news networks.

• In 2005, mortgage broker Alex Stenback broke the story that there was a 2005 mortgage fraud investigation being conducted by the FBI.

• In 2006, an unknown blogger named Bill Kerr uncovered the identity of the mystery page that got Florida Republican Mark Foley into so much trouble, and forced him to resign. While the unveiling of the congressional page's identity triggered a firestorm of debate regarding the ethics of releasing the name, the fact that a blogger was able to investigate the identity long before mainstream journalists could revealed a great deal about the capabilities of bloggers.

• In 2007, a British blogger named Iain Dale revealed that the editor of the News of the World was about to become the director of communications for the United Kingdom's Conservative Party. The fact that the editor, Andy Coulson, was also a well-known and respected journalist in the UK made this news story massive, and it was yet another that was first published by a blogger.

What Mainstream Journalists do Better than Bloggers

When reporters go to journalism school, they learn a number of skills and journalistic procedures that adds significantly to the professionalism and abilities of a mainstream journalist. Journalism school can not turn a terrible investigator into a great one. In fact, much of the skills required of a good investigator involves a great deal of insight and instinct that is difficult to teach, and often comes naturally for many people. However, with that said, journalist school does offer an extensive understanding of how a story should be reported appropriately, fairly, and in an unbiased manner. Because of this, more mainstream journalists have the following skills than bloggers do.

• Knowledge and understanding of key investigative questions to answer (who, what, when, where, why and how)
• The Journalistic Code of Ethics as outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists
• A greater ability to remove bias and opinion from a news story
• A greater understanding of the writing, editing and revision process

What Bloggers do Better than Mainstream Journalists

On the other hand, what history has shown is that for many bloggers, those skills come naturally. These elite bloggers have a natural investigative ability, and a reporters' passion, that allows them to outperform even many of the best "professional" mainstream reporters. It should be noted, however, that many modern bloggers actually have a background in journalism, so they've received much of the standard training that mainstream journalists have received. The only difference in that case is that the blogger journalist decided not to work for a corporation, but instead works independent and free of authority or censorship. Because of these blogger characteristics, more bloggers have the following attributes than mainstream journalists do.

• No higher authority to answer to, therefore less likelihood of censorship
• Less tendency to view the investigation as a "job," and more as a passion, which typically leads to much better results
• Since many bloggers started out in a non-journalistic field, they often enjoy a greater knowledgebase to draw from
• Bloggers can observe, collect information, and respond to news events far more quickly than mainstream reporters who can get bogged down by the editorial process

Answering The Question: Are Bloggers Journalists?

In the end, the question regarding whether bloggers are really journalists is irrelevant. In its earliest days, journalism was filled with individuals who were passionate about the public right to information and truth. Reporting on politicians or company executives was rarely influenced by corporate interests. In addition, the world of journalism has changed so drastically that the scope and the effect of blogging on modern news can no longer be ignored. While lack of credentials may lead to a great deal of shabby journalism and poorly written stories, the free speech and passionate investigative culture of the blogosphere should also assure the public that if mainstream media ever fails to report the truth to the public, then professional blogger journalists will be there to make sure that the story is heard.

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