Blogger, journalist, writer, or just opinionated

Lots of chatter on the Blogosphere this weekend about Fred Wilson’s articles–A VC: Journabloggers Should Do Their Work Too -A VC: Some More Thoughts On Pro Bloggers–and contrary to my usual form of quoting all these folks I’m going to list the people I’ve read:

• Bloggers need to try even harder – - mathewingram.com/work
• A Golden Opportunity for Bloggers | WinExtra
• Fred Wilson – Hypocritical, Wrong and Conflicted

The crux, I think, is this new medium.  Regardless of whether one person is “following the rules” or not people are contributing to the whole.  This is good, but I’ve been talking with my friend who is a former journalist and has taught writing/journalism at UVic, and she really doesn’t like blogging.  She just cringes at the use (and abuse) of the language.  She also wouldn’t really agree that I’m a journalist.  I consider myself a new media journalist, which I figured let me bend the rules and maybe not be as objective as traditional journalists.  I think I’m wrong on this count.  I’m pretty sure you want to get my opinion on something, but I also think you want to hear both sides of a story.  This is something that I’m going to work harder at doing in the future.  Even if I don’t agree with the other side, I will present it.  Heck I am a former academic so I should be able to do that!

Future, which path will we choose?
Blogging as a serious (or semi-serious) way to cover and report the news is just getting its feet.  Sure the last US Presidential election gave blogging a huge boost, but it’s only been recently that saying “I write for XYZ blog, I’d like press credentials…” wouldn’t get you laughed out of a conference.

I don’t know where we’re headed, we new media journalists.  I know that we do have to improve on what we’re doing.  I know that we have to work at the craft of writing, research, and reporting.

I also know it’s going to be a fun ride if you’re willing to jump on the train though.