Forum Home | Login

Sally jacobs

Join Date 04/2004

Blogging: the new journalism?

by Jody Raynsford

Before i joined JU I was totally ignorant to blogging and just what it meant and what you actually did with it. Since coming to JU, in a short period I've learnt an awful lot about it. Through reading other peoples blogs, and seeing responses to mine, and if I'm honest it's got me slightly intrigued. I did a search today to see what other blog sites I could find and compare them to JU, and see if they all follow a similar pattern, or of their are huge differences. Now maybe I'm just completely loyal I don't know, but none of the ones I came across were even close to JU, biased maybe? Me? Never! Hehe! I did find a rather interesting article though, which you can find here Link that had me completely intrigued. Blogging the new jounalism? At first i wasn't to sure about this but after reading the article, one or two things made quite a bit of sense.

"They are opinionated, ranting, often incoherent and frequently biased with little regard for accuracy or balance. They are also compellingly addictive and threatening to emerge as a new brand of journalism."

Hehe, sound familiar to any of you folks? I thought I would keep my blog as a form of diary, which it is, I thought I would record day to day events in my life, and it would be away of venting things, and obviously would be something I enjoyed because I love writing so much. Over time though I've seen it as a way of voicing my opinion on things, commenting on things I've seen, sharing my thoughts on things, and not just keeping it as a running commentary on my life. I've tried not to have it to serious, as I have wanted to keep it light hearted and fun, which really is what the whole point of blogging is. Sometimes though you can't help but get passionate on certain issues, you feel so strongly that emotion does take over and you do just let things spill out onto the keybaord that you might not normally, but this website has given you the opportunity to do that. To tackle serious issues that you want to talk about, you want to debate about. It's all about learning, learning from others and learning from your own ability and that's what makes it so special.

"Perhaps one attraction of blogging lies in its unmediated and dynamic quality. Without an agenda, editorial stance or pedantic sub-editor standing between the writer and reader, blogging can provide reportage in a raw and exciting form."

If I'm honest I don't really have alot of respect for jounalists anymore, there seems to be other motives to the things they publish, as with most things in the world, it's turning into being just about money, it's what makes the world go round, huh? These journalists I'm sure have a passion about what they write about, they don't get paid to great, and they get to share opinions with the world, but it's censored, it's written for a reason, and it can't always be counted as the truth. Not that I'm saying blogs can be, but more on that later. When you read someones blog, they are writing it from the heart, they are writing it because in a certain way it has touched them, now their are exceptions to every rule, we know this, but the majority are writing with no other motives than to share their opinions with everyone else, and maybe even educate a few people in the process.

"If they're not sticking to standards, it'll be noticed by readers and other webloggers, who will take the author to task for the impropriety. The community acts as the editors."

This is my favourite bit 'the community acts as the editors' so true! We encourage each other, we question each other, we push each other that extra mile, and that in my opinion is what makes it so different. You don't just write something and have no feedback. You are encouraged to voice your opinion, and tell people why you think such things, but you can also be questioned on it, you can get into debates about things. If your facts aren't right people have the power to tell you. It's not even about making people look stupid, it's just about good intelligent debate, and as long as people don't forget it is good fun, blogging could go a long way!

blogging

Locked Post

Advanced Search

Watch this post

Do not email me updates for this post Email me updates for this post

Successfully updated karma reason!

"I've tried not to have it to serious, as I have wanted to keep it light hearted and fun, which really is what the whole point of blogging is."

I think one of the points in the article is that Blogging is different things to different people. For some it is a journal-type experience. For others an op-ed experience. Some people do it just to vent, some to try to influence others, some just to have a good time. That is one of the wonders of Blogging; it can be so many different things and so can appeal to so many different people.

"If I'm honest I don't really have alot of respect for jounalists anymore, there seems to be other motives to the things they publish, as with most things in the world, it's turning into being just about money, it's what makes the world go round, huh?"

I have little respect for journalists these days as well. With their 24-hour cable channels and the demand to get the most sensational stories they have seriously sacrificed journalistic integrity. There are so many examples of biased, fictional, and lazy reporting that I have a hard time even listening to these people anymore. Recent studies show that (in America) journalists are out of touch with the populace. Is it any wonder that the populace would look to it's own for editioral?

Successfully updated karma reason!

I don't think in many cases the community makes good editors. In a recent discussion, I posted over and over statistics that refuted the claims of the poster, and their supporters actually came back with statements like: "why should we believe you?", even though I cited everything and posted links to the government statistics, etc. They just ignored proof to the contrary and continued posting false information.

One person went so far as to say that they didn't care if their arguement was totally correct, it was more important to "stir the pot" and make people think about it. We've seen this more and more as election time approaches, and the allegations have been made that on the internet it is more important for propaganda to be believed than it is to be true.

In Blog communitites it is getting out of hand, imho. So much so that I am beginning to think perhaps when a total lie is revealed it should be authoritatvely removed if the poster refuses to do so themselves. I wouldn't like the idea of a site I pay for used for that kind of propaganda.

I think in some cases you get a lot of objectivity, but in others it is gonna be mob rules... especially in cases where the propaganda is more important than the truth. To some people the ends justify any means.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I don't think in many cases the community makes good editors.

Generally not, but I don't have a problem with that because I tend to apply critical thinking to everything I hear, regardless of the source. I try to go to a variety of news services, and while I am down on journalism in general there are some specifics that I return to. I try to listen to different viewpoints, both from professional journalists, pundits, and Bloggers. I take all of this data and then form my own views on the subjects. Many people do not do that and so you get situations like:

One person went so far as to say that they didn't care if their arguement was totally correct, it was more important to "stir the pot" and make people think about it.

The world has become a much smaller place, but at the same a much larger place. It is smaller in the sense that people around the globe are connected like never before. The Internet has much to do with that, but also the explosion of television and radio news services. At the same time, the world has become much larger to many of the people in it. They now have access to information about the rest of the world at a staggering rate. They have more to think about, and they see how their actions can affect people they will probably never meet.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Wow I really didn't know how this article would be recieved, but thanks for the comments!

With their 24-hour cable channels and the demand to get the most sensational stories they have seriously sacrificed journalistic integrity. There are so many examples of biased, fictional, and lazy reporting that I have a hard time even listening to these people anymore.

I totally agree with this, it's just about money now, which does make you mis-trust them and wonder just how much integrity they actually have. I suppose that's the same with everything though, you can only trust others so much!

You're going to get people like that everywhere you go, i just think that this is a more personal level, and the majority of people you come across they will offer an opinion and view point that gives you good feedback, as I said their are exceptions to every rule.

In Blog communitites it is getting out of hand, imho. So much so that I am beginning to think perhaps when a total lie is revealed it should be authoritatvely removed if the poster refuses to do so themselves.

I agree with this, when it is an obvious lie, it should be removed.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I guess what I am saying though is that people hold "journalism" to a higher standard. If blogging is to be considered the new journalism, then it has to exceed the kind of "ends justify the means' attitude it often has now.

A good example:

Punk the prez?

"Moby suggests that it's possible to seed doubt among Bush's far-right supporters on the Web. "You target his natural constituencies," says the Grammy-nominated techno-wizard. "For example, you can go on all the pro-life chat rooms and say you're an outraged right-wing voter and that you know that George Bush drove an x-girlfriend to an abortion clinic and paid for her to get an abortion."

I think that if we promote the idea that blogging is journalism we are inviting a lot of people to be mislead. It will become the go-to way to spead lies in the guess of journalism.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I think that if we promote the idea that blogging is journalism we are inviting a lot of people to be mislead. It will become the go-to way to spead lies in the guess of journalism.

Don't journalists mislead us anyway? Granted that on the net rumours are alot easier to started and spread, but journalists are guilty of this just as much. i actually agree with you, that it would take blogging up to a standard that it isn't ready for, having said that jounalism isn't that far out of reach, they aren't especially recognised much for their honesty and integrity are they.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Yes, but "real" journalism has standards and is liable for what it prints/broadcasts. Journalists face civil and even criminal repurcussions if they go too far.

Bloggers, on the other hand, have no oversight and are basically untraceable if they want to be.

In addition, hosts are often held liable for the material users offer. If someone is maligned, they could easily see it as an issue of JU hosting and distributing defamatory material. Sure, it might be hairy to prove in court, but it still puts JU in court defending itself.

I think it is almost best to let blogs be glorified homepages with a messageboard. At least you get a more innate "let the buyer beware" vibe.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Yes, but "real" journalism has standards and is liable for what it prints/broadcasts. Journalists face civil and even criminal repurcussions if they go too far.

Realistically how often are they able to prove these criminal acts, it's very difficult na dthe reason people are turning to blog sites for this information is because of these restrictions faced by jounalism they don't always get the full story, but bloggers aren't that restricted, and that I think is part of the attraction.

In addition, hosts are often held liable for the material users offer. If someone is maligned, they could easily see it as an issue of JU hosting and distributing defamatory material. Sure, it might be hairy to prove in court, but it still puts JU in court defending itself.

I agree that is not a good thing, but isn't that why the admins watch over the site and keep a check of such things, and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it.

I think it is almost best to let blogs be glorified homepages with a messageboard. At least you get a more innate "let the buyer beware" vibe.

Even though I'm arguing the point I totally agree, blogs should be enjoyed for what they are, I think we should be aware that not everyone views them like that though.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Your aticle/post begs the question "Why did i start a Blog?"

I started lenbert.joeuser.com for a number of reasons.

I use to write VOLUMES in highschool and college, both prose and poetry I stopped writing about 20 years ago.

Lately I have had an itch to get back into writting, not only from a journalistic standpoint, but also issues and ideas that I feel a need to get off my chest.

A Blog offers me the incentive to write something coherent, and my work is also viewed and potentially commented on. Apparently, based on the comments, my work isn't up-to-par. But all is good. I'm not upset if no one comments on my work. I'm just happy to be writing again.

LLS

Successfully updated karma reason!

Thanks for the comment Lenbert!

A Blog offers me the incentive to write something coherent, and my work is also viewed and potentially commented on. Apparently, based on the comments, my work isn't up-to-par. But all is good. I'm not upset if no one comments on my work. I'm just happy to be writing again.

I'm glad you see it like that, though comments definatly add to an article, it isn't what it's all about . I'm glad you're getting something out of it, it's good to know it's just getting out there!

Successfully updated karma reason!

Journalism as a practice has been degraded somewhat of late. What am I saying? It started in the gutter and has remained in that very same fetid gutter of its origins. If anything Journalistic standards have improved over time. I think it is almost painfully important to question journalistic institutions that are owned by the beneficiaries and operators of the capitlist/free market economies, the world system that is ideologically dominant and not always correct or righteous. But, equally important, is to realise that many newpapers, television/radio stations, magazines, etc were and are owned by political parties and governments. I would rather thave agenda setters than agenda enforcers handling the news media, but...

Ok. This comment is going to be way too long. It might have to be posted independently.

Sally. This was a great article and you can't believe how happy i was to see it featured. Well done.

Marco XX

Successfully updated karma reason!

notsohighlyevolved: but in the end, it is still a news outlet, functioning in the open, with a face, a mailing address, and accountability for its excesses. Blogging has none of these things, because it doesn't CLAIM to be journalism, and yet desperately wants to be.

Successfully updated karma reason!

The biggest difference between blogging and scum, err, I mean journalism is that with blogging you get samples of the views and opinions of a wide cross section of people. Journalism has lost a great deal of credibility by putting political and/or social editorial spins on articles, misquoting people (this has happened to me twice by newspaper reporters) and basically misrepresenting the facts of an issue.

While bloggers may do the same things at times, we get to see a lot of differing opinions and views instead of just the editorial viewpoint of the particular "news" outlet and thus may actually wind up with a better idea of where the truth may lie.

Of course, like any other informational source, a person should do a little personal research and verify the facts of any article they read before forming or altering an opinion on the topic. This is the responsiility of any thinking person.

Beyond that, blogging exposes one to a huge census of opinions and cultural/social viewpoints and allows one to experience an exposure to a world cuture that would otherwise be unavailable. Seems to me that's REAL journalism in it's rawest form.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I did a search today to see what other blog sites I could find and compare them to JU, and see if they all follow a similar pattern, or of their are huge differences. Now maybe I'm just completely loyal I don't know, but none of the ones I came across were even close to JU, biased maybe?

sal, i was new to blogging until ju, and i agree with you that it's a great site. several of my friends have recently moved their blogs here and been pleasantly surprised by how feature-rich the site is.

like anything, blogging has issues good and bad, but on the whole i'd say it's a positive experience, as do you

i really enjoyed this article and your views on this.

"mumsy mig" XX

Successfully updated karma reason!

difference between blogging and scum, err, I mean journalism

You know, we journalists are people too. Some might say people who get so far behind on their child support they have to hide out in the woods with the mountain folk qualify as scum. When you make bigoted remarks you heap abuse not just on the miscreants but also on a lot of innocent, good people who are trying their best.

Fie on't. (That's Shakespearean for F-U.)

I'm not only going to stop commenting on other people's blogs. I think I'll stop reading them. Sheesh.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Fie on't. (That's Shakespearean for F-U.)

BTW, that was directed solely at Mason.

Successfully updated karma reason!

smartaz, the comment was meant in a humorous vein, hence the "err..." Sorry my humor is not to your taste.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Ok. This comment is going to be way too long. It might have to be posted independently

Marco! I was just getting into that comment...I look forward to reading the article! hehe!

Sally. This was a great article and you can't believe how happy i was to see it featured. Well done.

Thanks Marco, as always you're to kind!

It has to be logical, keep emotion out of it or get hammered.

I may make logical arguments (well in my opinion!) but I can't help but have emotion in it, isn't that the biggest difference between blogging and jounalism?

Mason thank you so much for that comment! Why is it you always manage to say things better than I ever could!

While bloggers may do the same things at times, we get to see a lot of differing opinions and views instead of just the editorial viewpoint of the particular "news" outlet and thus may actually wind up with a better idea of where the truth may lie.

This is the point, we don't just get what the editor wants to see, we get an honest viewpoint from one person, and we can choose to use that as we wish, to believe it or not.

Beyond that, blogging exposes one to a huge census of opinions and cultural/social viewpoints and allows one to experience an exposure to a world cuture that would otherwise be unavailable. Seems to me that's REAL journalism in it's rawest form.

Yay! That just about sums it up.....

Mumsy Mig! hehe! Thanks for the comment, and I really appreciate all the support you've given me! It's people like you who make this site and I completely adore you and a few others here, and that's what really makes this site

I'm not only going to stop commenting on other people's blogs. I think I'll stop reading them. Sheesh.

...Smartaz I always appreciate your comments, as I know many other people do, I really hope you don't stop commenting because it always adds something to the article.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I think Smartaz accidentally showed the difference between the majority of blogger (on this site) and journalists. Most of the folks here desperately crave feedback even if it is critical while journalists have become very used to ignoring criticism of their work by anyone other than their peers. Check out Noam Chomsky's blog if you really want to see how paranoid these folks are about hearing how the public feels about their stuff. He only started "allowing" coment after a large hue and cry was set up over the lack thereof. Even now it is a restricted audience.

Of course they are perfectly within thier rights to feel this way and I mean no disrespect to Smartaz by pointing this attitudinal difference. (I have read his reasoning behind disallowing commentary and can see some very salient points) but I bring it up simply to highlight the difference between conventional journalists and bloggers.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Thanks for the comment greywar, it's appreciated. Isn't critism what improves things such as writing? It may not be what you always want to here, but surely some of the feedback can be invaluable to your own writing. I'm talking from a jounalistic perspective perspective there, because they are wriiting on a much more serious level. However people turning the comments off here, though personally I enjoy the feedback, and I feel it adds to my articles, I can see why people turn this option off. Each to their own I guess!

Successfully updated karma reason!

Yesterday I read a really great article here on JoeUser. I left a short comment "great post and great article", partly because the author has previously complained about not getting enough feedback, but mostly because it was a really great article.

A few hours later the same poster suggested in reply to one of my posts that Canadians should be pissed on. Nice.

That's why I don't leave nice comments on people's blogs.

Successfully updated karma reason!

David I suppose this is the risk we take, though I don't think we should let other peoples behaviour change our own. We should still leave them nice comments, and words of encouragement, otherwise aren't we just as bad as them? i know I appreciate all the comments I get.

Successfully updated karma reason!

New Journalism? Scary...I just read Mig's post on bloggers being arrested, so I'm a little nervous about it now, authorities always make me nervous whether i've done anything wrong or not..

Good article Sal, it deserves all the kudos..in fact -you do. top ten and everything. woo! Well done!! I'm humbled..I really am. See? YOu really are a wonderful writer and its great to see people appreciating your work.

All my congrats..
catch up soon sweedie.
love Dyl xx

Successfully updated karma reason!

Good article Sal, it deserves all the kudos..in fact -you do. top ten and everything. woo! Well done!! I'm humbled..I really am. See? YOu really are a wonderful writer and its great to see people appreciating your work.

Thanks sweety! I just left a long ass message on your blog. YOU humbled! Hehe, I'm the one who should be humbled having a fabulous writer like you saying that!

Successfully updated karma reason!

One person went so far as to say that they didn't care if their arguement was totally correct, it was more important to "stir the pot" and make people think about it. We've seen this more and more as election time approaches, and the allegations have been made that on the internet it is more important for propaganda to be believed than it is to be true.

reminds me of the old (Greek, I think it was?) standard used by philosophers of the eloquence of the argument being more important than its substance.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.

There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting and posting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!

View all recent posts

Mark all posts as read Delete cookies created by the forum Return to Top

Stardock Forums v Server Load Time: Page Render Time: