bloggers vs. journalists
I’ve come across a lot of blog posts that talk about bloggers and how to fit them into the writer’s spectrum. The posts vary but usually include a question like this: “Do bloggers think of themselves as journalists?”
I can’t speak for all bloggers. I can only speak for myself. But when I come across these blog posts, my response is always the same: No, I do not consider myself a journalist. Anymore than I think that journalists are bloggers. Even if they do have a blog, via a newspaper website.
Writing blogs is wholly different from journalism on a lot of levels. Bloggers don’t have to answer to a Style Guide (That isn’t always a plus). Bloggers also don’t have deadlines (except self-imposed ones). That is a plus.
Bloggers often write only when the spirit moves them, which can be good or bad. Some bloggers (like yours truly), will skip a few days if they don’t have anything to say, then post several times on the same day. Other bloggers throw up a shiny website, write a few posts and try to create a lot of blog hype... and then just disappear.
I’ve been reading other regional blogs lately and linked into something that looked like it was a Cincinnati blog, but wasn’t. I don’t even think it’s based out of Cincinnati. The “blog” is just a jumbled mess of RSS feeds and looks like it’s still under construction, though I gather it’s been around for several months now. It looks really junky.
Unfortunately, there are way too many of these “link farm” blogs online. They’re set up solely to earn money. Once Google finds them out, they refuse to index them with other blogs and websites in search engine results. But in the meantime, they turn a lot of people off of blogs, both personally and professionally. Boo.
Journalists who blog for newspapers' websites have to follow some guidelines. They have to meet certain blog posting goals. And journalists are often given topics to blog about, or told to write blogs in general that support their columns or articles in the newspaper. That’s a good SEO tactic, but it doesn’t necessarily provide interesting and original blog content.
A lot of people still don’t understand what I mean when I talk about “my blog.” Blogs are still a relatively new concept. I know that seems strange if you been in the blogosphere for any length of time. But a basic principle of marketing is that the creators get sick of one concept, tag line or logo long, long, long before it sinks into the public consciousness.
Everyone knows what a newspaper is. So journalists are sometimes a step ahead of bloggers, as people who search newspaper websites will stumble across blogs while searching for articles online. That helps their blogs gain popularity. On the other hand, a lot of people refuse to read newspaper website blogs. This isn't because they're lacking in information. I think it’s because readers want the Wild West vibe they know they'll get from an independent blog.
When you don’t have to answer to anyone (when you don’t have to answer to anyone except for friends and family), that gives you license to say whatever the $#%^ you want about anyone and everyone on your blog. Though I feel like most regional Cincinnati bloggers are fairly responsible with their choice of content (with me as a glaring exception, ha), there’s still some attitude in their posts that you just won’t see on a newspaper blog.
Personal bloggers get paid through click-through ads or by selling ad space on their blog. Journalists are salaried. In the long run, this can work out better for bloggers. In the interim, you’ve got to have some faith.
I like the freedom that the blogosphere gives me. I stopped focusing on trying to find other outlets for my style of writing some time ago. And I couldn’t be happier.
I’m proud to call myself a blogger. I kept my blogspot address for this long because I don’t want to be confused with anything else.
Not that there’s much chance of that happening.
I can’t speak for all bloggers. I can only speak for myself. But when I come across these blog posts, my response is always the same: No, I do not consider myself a journalist. Anymore than I think that journalists are bloggers. Even if they do have a blog, via a newspaper website.
Writing blogs is wholly different from journalism on a lot of levels. Bloggers don’t have to answer to a Style Guide (That isn’t always a plus). Bloggers also don’t have deadlines (except self-imposed ones). That is a plus.
Bloggers often write only when the spirit moves them, which can be good or bad. Some bloggers (like yours truly), will skip a few days if they don’t have anything to say, then post several times on the same day. Other bloggers throw up a shiny website, write a few posts and try to create a lot of blog hype... and then just disappear.
I’ve been reading other regional blogs lately and linked into something that looked like it was a Cincinnati blog, but wasn’t. I don’t even think it’s based out of Cincinnati. The “blog” is just a jumbled mess of RSS feeds and looks like it’s still under construction, though I gather it’s been around for several months now. It looks really junky.
Unfortunately, there are way too many of these “link farm” blogs online. They’re set up solely to earn money. Once Google finds them out, they refuse to index them with other blogs and websites in search engine results. But in the meantime, they turn a lot of people off of blogs, both personally and professionally. Boo.
Journalists who blog for newspapers' websites have to follow some guidelines. They have to meet certain blog posting goals. And journalists are often given topics to blog about, or told to write blogs in general that support their columns or articles in the newspaper. That’s a good SEO tactic, but it doesn’t necessarily provide interesting and original blog content.
A lot of people still don’t understand what I mean when I talk about “my blog.” Blogs are still a relatively new concept. I know that seems strange if you been in the blogosphere for any length of time. But a basic principle of marketing is that the creators get sick of one concept, tag line or logo long, long, long before it sinks into the public consciousness.
Everyone knows what a newspaper is. So journalists are sometimes a step ahead of bloggers, as people who search newspaper websites will stumble across blogs while searching for articles online. That helps their blogs gain popularity. On the other hand, a lot of people refuse to read newspaper website blogs. This isn't because they're lacking in information. I think it’s because readers want the Wild West vibe they know they'll get from an independent blog.
When you don’t have to answer to anyone (when you don’t have to answer to anyone except for friends and family), that gives you license to say whatever the $#%^ you want about anyone and everyone on your blog. Though I feel like most regional Cincinnati bloggers are fairly responsible with their choice of content (with me as a glaring exception, ha), there’s still some attitude in their posts that you just won’t see on a newspaper blog.
Personal bloggers get paid through click-through ads or by selling ad space on their blog. Journalists are salaried. In the long run, this can work out better for bloggers. In the interim, you’ve got to have some faith.
I like the freedom that the blogosphere gives me. I stopped focusing on trying to find other outlets for my style of writing some time ago. And I couldn’t be happier.
I’m proud to call myself a blogger. I kept my blogspot address for this long because I don’t want to be confused with anything else.
Not that there’s much chance of that happening.
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