What Separates a Blogger from a Journalist?

Bloggers as Local News Sources

By Chris Crum · April 22, 2009 · 74 Comments

The New York Times is running an article looking at "hyperlocal" web sites as replacements to traditional newspapers. The catalyst for the concept is obviously the fact that some newspapers have been dying off, at least in print form.

The piece looks at web startups EveryBlock, Outside.in, Placebologger, and Patch, which "collect links to articles and blogs and often supplement them with data from local governments and other sources." It is an interesting look into some possibilities for local news options beyond the local paper.

Some bloggers take exception to a couple of things implied in the article however. Matt McGee, who has a blog dedicated strictly to local blogging, pulls the following excerpt from the NYT piece:

One hurdle is the need for reliable, quality content. The information on many of these sites can still appear woefully incomplete. Crime reports on EveryBlock, for example, are short on details of what happened. Links to professionally written news articles on Outside.in are mixed with trivial and sometimes irrelevant blog posts.

That raises the question of what these hyperlocal sites will do if newspapers, a main source of credible information, go out of business. “They rely on pulling data from other sources, so they really can’t function if news organizations disappear,” said Steve Outing, who writes about online media for Editor & Publisher Online.

Matt McGee "Inherent in those two paragraphs is this idea that there’s some kind of separation between so-called ‘professionally written news’ and what local news blogs are doing," says McGee. "This Just In: Professionally written news articles are also sometimes trivial and irrelevant. This isn’t just a blogging thing. But that’s an attitude that continues to thrive in some traditional media circles."

Matt makes a great point. It’s not a new point. It’s often made in the whole blogger/journalist debate, but he phrases it well.

So I ask you, what separates a blogger from a journalist? I’ve seen plenty of credible and non-credible bloggers, as well as credible and non-credible "journalists." Where is the line? Your thoughts? Comment.

Update: Steve Outing, who the NYT quoted in this story has commented on this article below saying that his opinions were misrepresented by the Times. Kind of ironic, given the subject of discussion.Join the discussion.

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There are 74 Comments. Add Yours.

Guest
April 15, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Reply

The difference is the search for fact-based truth. Journalists owe their audience the truth, no matter how they feel about the topic. Bloggers seem to have a more flexible approach to fact-based truth.
- Kazi Mahmood
  April 18, 2009 at 10:05 pm
  Reply
  
  A blogger from Pakistan said to me, commenting on my news analysis piece on his country: Very well putted!
  
  I would say you said it all here with your succinct comment.
Yusuf
April 15, 2009 at 4:43 pm
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I am a good blogger (http://hindivani.blogspot.com ) and journalist too. There is no control on blogging and suppose if I have some personal opnion against Mr Barack Obama, I can write it with confort at my blog. But I file this for my newspaper I have to take responsibilty and accountability of that story. I think this is major fact which reflects that blogger will never take the place of a journalist.
Print journalism will never die. In India every year newspaper readers are increasing.
- Harris
  April 17, 2009 at 12:58 am
  Reply
  
  I am a blogger-turning journalist. I think there less than an inch distance between a blogger and journalist.
  
  the difference is that my writing as a journalist will relate facts with much of concern for bringing factual truth to people. while as a blogger, i put a lot of my personal opinion in it.
  - Kazi Mahmood
    April 18, 2009 at 10:02 pm
    Reply
    
    I have seen many crappy journalists but I have also seen very few great bloggers who can be called ‘journalists’. The reason for bloggers to fail – according to my standards – to be called journalists is simply because they do not write the stuff like a journalist, professionally trained, would do.
    
    I am based in Malaysia and the biggest websites are still the newspapers despite the fact that some blogs and online news agencies (like mine) are thriving. The most popular blog on the Malaysian websphere is Malaysia Today and it still lack the journalistic flavor, the professionalism in writing and in exposing the subject matter. Most of the Editor’s stories are blog entries and opinion pieces. Repetition in the stories are common on blogs and we do not see that even with the worst and crappy journalists in Malaysia for example.
    
    When we compare blogs written by some professional journalists in Malaysia to that of ordinary bloggers, we can see the article formation, the story line and the suppression of the sins made by bloggers in such blogspots.
    
    I think these separates the bloggers from the true journalists and it will take a long time for bloggers to learn to write like journalists in order to beat the newspapers (printed or online). It is a question of formation and perhaps, we should offer article writing and other journalistic courses for bloggers so that they can catch up with the profesional writers!
    
    I have been a journalist for the past 30 years myself and my website is not a blog like people in Malaysia calls it since it is an online News and Analysis website!
  - Chic Gal
    April 19, 2009 at 8:55 am
    Reply
    
    I totally agree with Harris’ comment. I am also a blogger turned journalist and the big different for me is how I present the material. My articles are much more fact related now. Blogging is all about personal opinion.
Diamonds
April 15, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Reply

Journalist = Facts (not really since half of the news you see are ads)
Blogger = Opinions
- Zulfikar
  April 19, 2009 at 9:39 am
  Reply
  
  In my my opinion there is only one fundamental difference and that is; A journalist reports the facts as they where else a blogger talks about it from their point of view.
  
  journalist = fact based
  blogger = opinion based
  - Oppenheim
    April 20, 2009 at 10:44 am
    Reply
    
    Although I started my blog as a creative showcase, I became involved in conflict and commentary, and through that I’ve found myself drawn more deeply into related areas of study that lead to unique compilations of informations as well as encounters, finally, with primary sources. I have no advertiser funding and very few readers, but some of the referrals are interesting. Not too many writers put in their two cents about, say, the Pashtun, polio, and the Taliban in Pakistan.
    
    As regards funding, I’m independent–a true citizen journalist–but while I may cover a local or regional event, I’m in no position to afford regular away-from-the-computer day and overnight travel. Producing that would seem to require institutional or organizational wherewithal or, alternatively, something like a grant-funded focus, reducing my posting frequency but perhaps far improving the quality of information making its way on to my blog.
Guest
April 19, 2009 at 10:50 am
Reply

Accountability
Guest
April 19, 2009 at 10:51 am
Reply

Accountability
Guest
April 19, 2009 at 10:52 am
Reply

Accountability
- Guest
  April 20, 2009 at 12:14 pm
  Reply
  
  Ah, if only it were true.
laling
April 19, 2009 at 12:43 pm
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1.What separates a Blogger from a Journalist? A degree and an institution to write for? I do it for free? I don’t think we are all that different. Would you seek the truth from someone who gets paid or from someone who does it because they care and felt a story was important? I will say not all bloggers are good enough to be journalists and I don’t think all bloggers are trying to be journalists. The bloggers that are good enough will stand apart from the rest and step up to this challenge.

2. Like webpronews.com I have right to put comment here bad or good and next commentator will decide and I don’t think so opportunity to commenting article in newspaper where I don’t agree at all especially where the source come in? Blogger have a digg.com or link popularity and great feeling when your opinion was digging and blogging by others bloggers in bloggers atmosphere.. Awesome yah!! we not alone.
- Chris Horrie
  April 19, 2009 at 3:49 pm
  Reply
  
  The BBC was going to do hyperlocal news in the UK, but it was ruled out by regulators on monopoly grounds. So it is complicated.
Terri Holley
April 20, 2009 at 12:02 am
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I actually have a degree in journalism that has been absolutely of no use to me. For two years I have been begging newspaper and television reporters for their help in airing a crime. I have been turned away from every news outlet I have contacted. I have been at the mercy of journalists and reporters throughout this ordeal. Newspapers and television journalist and reporters pick and choose the stories that get reported and are notorious for excluding stories which they feel make them liable in any manner for reporting the story.

I desperately needed help in getting this story out to the general public, in an attempt to get these individuals prosecuted. I was repeatedly told that the story could not go public via any media outlet prior to legal documents being filed in a court of law. I begged and pleaded and those out cries for help always landed on deaf ears. Threats against my life were made repeatedly, and requests for police protection were refused repeatedly.

I created my site in Feb. of 2009. Since posting the story and all of the overwhelming evidence to my site, things have begun to look up. My site has been viewed several times by ATF, FBI, US Department of Justice, State of Arizona and Lake Havasu City local and Government officials. An investigation is finally underway after two years for Arson, Terrorist and Criminal Threats, Possession, Possession with Intent To Distribute, and on and on. If I had to rely on the medias help, I would still be at a stand still.
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April 20, 2009 at 3:19 am
Reply

Great article Chris! I personally love to blog. I don’t consider myself to be a journalist. I do however consider myself to be a “Blog Ghost Writer” for small and large businesses. It is a lot of FUN! It is even MORE FUN when I see that I am getting my clients placed HIGHER in Search Engines all from my blogging!=)

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Nick Pelling
April 20, 2009 at 3:47 am
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I think the key difference is that print journalists are accountable before publication (i.e. they have to be able to demonstrate a sound research methodology), whereas bloggers are accountable after posting (i.e. they have to be able to fight their corner against hostile commenters).

These form two very different (but complementary) ways to fight your way towards some kind of truth (or influence).

Of course, the implications of this are (a) that a journalist who does not research properly is not really a journalist, and (b) that a blogger who does not allow comments is not really a blogger.

And I think we’ve seen enough of both of these.
Nicole Girl
April 20, 2009 at 9:15 am
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I totally agree with Zulfikar that Blogger are indeed write things on that they think about, their thoughts or opinion which is indeed a total biased compared to a journalist, because Journalist indeed make stories or report a news based on the facts that they have gathered with proves or supporting documents and indeed unbiased.
Web design kent
April 20, 2009 at 10:56 am
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It’s been said before, but it’s down to accountability. As a journalist your putting your career on the line and putting your newspaper at risk. If your editor publishes your false or plagiarised story they could end up in court are at least have to print a public retraction.

The blogging community isn’t under such public scrutiny and therefore uncensored, so they have more freedom.

I’m not in favour of changing it, as I love blogging, but if I we’re a journalist I’d be doing everything possible to differentiate and protect my exclusives.

This is a very, very important discussion and I think could well end up in the courts with far reaching consequences.
- Guest
  April 20, 2009 at 12:11 pm
  Reply
  
  It’s ironic to say that accountability is the difference, I’ve seen many journalists who print unsubstantiated inuendo and accusations and get a full pass on it. Accountability is neccessary, yes, but I don’t think we have much of it in today’s journalistic world.
Anna Storer
April 22, 2009 at 11:30 pm
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Bit of a two edged sword. But I think that the two forms of writing and reporting can and should compliment each other. Blogging is much more freelance while journalisim is more of a commitment to write for which ever news mogual is willing to pay you for your work. Both sides of the coin do have guidelines,rules,terms and legal requirements. All in all – It’s whatever ‘Tickles Your Fancy’.
Mel Menzies
April 23, 2009 at 4:28 am
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I like to think, as an established author, that my blog is both informative and governed by integrity. My aim, like that of a journalist, is to educate my readers by providing them with facts and advice which will help them to make rational judgements about their own lives, and the direction they choose to take, as well as about society in general.

But that said, I have to admit that much of my research nowadays is online rather than from published books and journals which have been scrutinised and vetted by a team of editors. This has to be the biggest failing of the internet, and the main difference between a blogger and a journalist. We are not accountable to anyone; they are.

I have long thought that the internet, powerful and wonderful though it is, may yet prove to be the next Tower of Babel. It makes gods of us all in that it enables us to be omniscient, omipresent, expert and independent. How long before our ‘expertise’ is shown to be diluted by misinformation, and the whole thing clatters down around our ears?
Jackie
May 13, 2009 at 5:26 pm
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I am not a blogger who could never ever be classified as a journalist as my grammar is poor and my posts are probably amateurish but about 20% of bloggers are unlike me they are absolutely brilliant!!

I have read newspapers since I was 5 years old due to my Father being a newspaper man but they never thrilled me as much blogs do.
Blogs cover all my favourite subjects from politics to veganism and everyday I cannot wait to check in and see if they have been updated.

It can only do well, it improves the wrotten word by all and might even get more people to move from blogs to writing short stories or even a novels.
Guest
May 17, 2009 at 10:46 am
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The basic difference between the two is blogging is more informal and more of general subjects.
Lydia
May 30, 2009 at 4:21 am
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I edit and write for a historical type niche blog and I find that the popularity of bloggers is on the rise primarily because of the interactive nature of blogs. Any newspaper worth its salt has to have a blogger on staff and keep up their “connectedness” with their readers. Blogs tend to have this intimacy edge over newspapers lending them more flexibility. This is perhaps the biggest difference in our world today between bloggers and journalists.
Jon Sidener
January 18, 2010 at 5:25 pm
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I think it’s interesting that Steve Outing picked Apple bloggers as an example. I was a print journalist whose sprawling beat covered Apple. There’s no doubt that many of the Apple bloggers knew more about the company and its products than I did, as described by Mr. Outing. There are bloggers doing journalism who break news about the company, pull no punches and risk getting sued.
On the other hand, there are far more “fan boy” blogs with no interest in objectivity, accuracy or fairness. On these sites, rumor is printed as fact often attributed to “my source at Apple.” How is the reader going to know the well-informed niche-topic blogger from the biased, ill-informed writers?