No surprise here. Another attack on the blogsphere, more specific. Another attack on those from the "journelistic" sphere against those who actually report the news.
Jason Salzman of the Rocky Mountain news wants to point out that blogers are not journelist. Well duh, in most cases. The blogsphere is a way for the general public to get their opinions heard. Or for people to FIND AND DISCUSS TOPICS that they are interested in. Hence so many blogs on such a wide variety of blogs.
Not all blogs jump on politics. Many deal with hobbies. Just go to Blogspot.com and look at the variety of blogs.
Jason Salzman would like all blogers to expose themselves and state their political views, their party affiliation, and personal information.
Salzman says in his op/ed:
"Most bloggers, like most people who write on paper, aren't journalists. So their work shouldn't be held to the same journalistic standards that Denver's daily newspapers should meet - standards such as basic fairness, accountability, independence and others, as articulated, for example, by the Society of Professional Journalists.
But whether bloggers think they are practicing journalism or not, their blogs should inform people about the information they're getting.
Who's behind the blog? What's the purpose? Does the blogger have a political bias? Is the blogger trying to practice journalism? If so, what are his or her standards?"
He makes several good points here but breaks his own moral standard. First thatmost journelist are not journelist. Next The Society of Professional Journelist is by far not a standard in reporting. The fact they do not state their own political bias and left leaning slant on things is just one observation. When they claim to show ethics and values but fail to follow through with reporting and chastiseing those on the left side of the isle.
The questions posed are good ones. Who is behind the blog, their leanings, are they trying to be a journelist or not.
Valid points. Questions that are always thrown out to and about certain blogs. Whos you ask. Well those who are actually reporting the news. Many Milbloggers are questioned. Micheal Yan for one. A man who has shown he is able to get and report the truth from the front lines in Iraq.Yet he is often discredited by the MSm because he shows what is really happening and not what a political ideology wants reported. Michelle Malkin, a woman who definately is right leaning but reports the facts and then a submation of her thoughts. This done on her blog. Yet she is an excellent journelist because she does her research. She is discredited as being Racist and biased. Why, because she digs to the bottom of the story and holds people accountable for their actions. Captians Quarters, was another very good journelistic blog. Breaking several key stories on the Canadian Government. There are others. These are the blogs that Salzman wants to bring into doubt. Why?
Answer is simple he is not a journelist. He is an opinion writer for the left. He never states his leanings, but any one who reads his column can see where he sits and tries to disguise his bias.
Many so called journelist and news outlets are mad that the blogsphere is getting more readership then they are. Newspaper circulation is way down and falling. The new media is now the internet. A fact reported by the MSM themselves.
The left is mad at FOX news because they offer better coverage then the left controled MSM, and on cable to boot. No longer is the public masses being propagandised by only one side of a story. People are smarter and seeking the other side of the story in order to make an educated decision and opinion on topics.
Jason Salman informs us he did some research. "In a random sample, I found that four of 10 left-leaning blogs in Colorado and seven of 10 conservative ones posted no information about who they are and what they're doing."
Well if you look at these blogs he looked into. Something he never follows up on. No where is there mention of any of these socalled blogs he looked at. What were the blogs Jason? The majority of the left blogs come across as journelistic endevors. While those on the right are more of opinion and discussion blogs. Just do a google of Colorado blogs and check them out for yourself. I have.
Why do they not print their personal information. Simple. The left is more violent then the right. Look at the eco terrorist. Those who would kill scientits who do research. The animal right nutjobs who firebomb families. The list goes on and on. Believe it or not I have even recieved some intersting e-mails. Why, because i am not in favor of an open boarder and I SUPORT THE MILITARY.
So where does this blog fall into the mix. Well if you have read this blog from the beginning you would know. I do not claim to be a journelist. This is my OPINION. Topics here are of interest to me and I comment on them. If there is any sense of journelistic credentials here it would be compared to an op/ed piece.
Most blogs and postings are, somewhere noted as to where information comes from. I link or give the address to where I found this information. Then I expound upon the topic from my point of view. As do many blogs. It is done so that others may see where the blog is getting this information.
Salzman goes on to show his openess on the public opinion to news stories. Refereing to a conversation he had with Tina Griego.
"Rocky Mountain News columnist Tina Griego, who's been the object of many an ugly comment online, has never posted a comment under her articles on the Rocky Web site, she told me. In fact, she's stopped reading them.
She told me her comment section was dominated week after week by the same people, who were mostly negative and "mostly bullies."
But the e-mails she gets from readers are "95 percent positive," and she responds to most of them, she said.
I told her that journalists, including news reporters, should try to respond to online comments under their articles.
I think this would elevate the debate there, add credibility to the forums and bring in more people, especially the shy and thoughtful variety.
Griego told me she could see my point."
Well Tina is not a journelist. She writes editorials in the Rocky. All of which show her racial bias. Then she complains that she gets hateful bulling e-mail from the readers. Gee thats tooooo bad. She is an editorialist. One that writes from a specific point of view. Not one who reports the news.
Reporting the news. This seems to be the basis of Jason Salzmans artical. Yet he to writes an op/ed piece. Not news. This is part of the problem with the media. They do not seem to undfderstand that reporting the news is not the same as an op/ed piece. However those socalled journelist want us to believe that their opinion is the news.
Blogs are a great resource for information. That is if you understand where the blog comes from. Sure there are many out there that try to pass themselves off as reporting the news. The Daily Kos for one. However for example. A great one that gives you an inside look into the radio and broadcast industry is The Radio Equalizer. Writen by an insider of the industry.
So here if Jason Salzman ever quotes this blog, here is another disclaimer. THIS BLOG IS MY OPINION AND MY VIEWS ON TOPICS.
If Salzman does not like it, tooooo bad. America is about different opinions coming together in order to achieve a common goal that is fair and balanced for all.