One of the major stories in blogging this week was the US House of Representatives passing legislation that, according to a CNet article, “would shield journalists–and some bloggers–from being forced to reveal confidential sources in federal cases.” While the actual definition of which bloggers actually receive this protection changed significantly from the version that was proposed, the bill is still a significant development in the short history of blogging. And actually, several of the questions I was asked while participating in the Goodmind study centered around this issue as well. So, in light of this important development, I thought it would be a great topic for this week’s Reader Discussion session.
Do you consider yourself a journalist? Do you think bloggers should be afforded the same rights and protection under the law as journalists receive? If you had to make a distinction, how would you determine which bloggers do or do not qualify as journalists? Congress limited the protection to:
“a person who regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public for a substantial portion of the person’s livelihood or for substantial financial gain and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such covered person.”
Do you feel that’s a reasonable limitation or is it too restrictive or even too broad?
Please share your opinions in the comments below. One commentator will be selected at random and will win a phrase of their choice free for one month. Make sure it’s a useful comment though, I’m going to be very strict on which comments do and do not qualify for the drawing
EDIT: A couple more details on the drawing. Only phrases that are not currently sold are available. Also, each post will count as it’s own separate entry but don’t draw out into three comments what you could say in one. Oh, and no talking to yourself 
Author: Ben
Updated: May, 2012
Find more on the top Theme Clubs and WordPress Themes with NTHEMES.
Updated: May, 2012
Updated: May, 2012
Recommended
If you are interested in learning more about Financial Planning including topics such as How To Budget Money, Debt Consolidation, and other financial related topics, be sure to check out our friends at LearnFinancialPlanning.com
Ugly or Pretty…
WordPress Plugins
Plugins give your WordPress powered site the added features and functionality you need to separate yourself from the pack. Learn more about the best WordPress Plugins.
Well I figure the first comment posted will probably not be a winner (who ever picks the first of anything
….. ) but I did like the topic.
If you look at the history of journalism you will see that it has changed dramatically from the 1890′s+ into the great depression to what we consider journalists of today.
Originally these “journalists” were everything from newspapers to a person handing out pamphlets to passer-byes, and they were considered journalists of their day. It slowly consolidated into a few larger companies as it happens in a free market, and that is really what is going on in blogging today.
Bloggers were once the random techno rambling on anything for any reason. Today it has developed into a more refined community where you have everything from uneducated junk to very professional, well written articles that have sources.
It isn’t the notion of whether bloggers are journalist, it is a redefining of what a journalist is perhaps. Just because there isn’t a big building with XYZ News behind it doesn’t mean they are not a journalist any more.
All you have to do is look at the official dictionary definition and that might help.
–noun
1. a person who practices the occupation or profession of journalism.
2. a person who keeps a journal, diary, or other record of daily events.
I am sure a court could care less about the actually dictionary definition but you could make an argument in a case for #2, and it wouldn’t be hard to qualify for a blogger.
If you look at #2, we are all journalists, just as soon as we put a notion down in writing. That doesn’t mean anyone has to like what you say, or think it “looks good” or is even professional, it doesn’t matter. Being crude and unprofessional may make you a certain type of journalist, but a journalist none the less. Scott
Wow, Scott that was a very insightful response. I actually responded that I don’t view myself so much as a journalist as a writer or maybe an editorialist. I don’t really “break” stories or even have sources most of the time. However, I do think blogging CAN be a form of journalism and the bloggers that do cover breaking news or participate in investigative journalism etc should certainly be afforded all the rights “traditional” journalists enjoy.
Oh, as for the drawing, it’s going to be random so you have as good a chance as anyone.
I have never and would never consider myself a journalist nor am i interested in being treated a one in any sense. Having said that i noticed a jump in traffic over the last few days and found that my Japan related posts have been picked up by http://www.newsonjapan.com/ both in the Education section … getting a good 150 unique referals from it each day this week.
I too do not consider myself as a journalist. That is too great a responsibility. But I do hold myself to at least research on my topics, so that things I write are at least somewhat accurate with my insight.
What does this part mean? …
“and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such covered person”
I think some bloggers could be thought of as journalists, it really depends on the nature of the blog. Let’s say you are employed as a professional blogger to report on all the latest industry news for a high profile blog. I would consider that person a journalist. Lots of examples of these in the SEO world for example.
However, individual people who write personal blogs who just happen to also mention some industry news – no, I dont think those people are journalists.
I guess it boils down to how the blog is presented. Some blogs are positioned as news blogs – subscribe to this feed to get the latest news on the industry. Others are informational, entertaining, personal etc.
Hmm, I’m personally surprised by that last bit that makes it so only writers with some sort of superior can be considered a journalist. So you can’t be a solo journalist? That doesn’t seem right to me.
Of course, I, like the other commenters here, don’t think of myself as a journalist. I write a lot of garbage, and that’s also generally what I enjoy reading as well. In fact, I really don’t know why I even read this blog as I have no intention of ever attempting to make money with a blog. Hmm.
Oh, and I hope I win the random drawing. Just in case I do, I choose my linked phrase to be “banana hammock”. Think you could try to work that phrase in every other post or so?
It really all depends on the type of writing/reporting being done on the blog. What I don’t like is when mainstream media pick up a story on a blog and report it as fact, before bothering to check to see if it’s valid. ESPN comes to mind as someone who has done this, but I can’t remember the exact story.
I think so-called “journalists” should have much stricter guidelines as to what they can report. Or maybe that’s just the old way, and the new way is that everyone is a journalist. If this is the case, then we definitely are seeing an increase in discussion, but a loss of strict/accurate reporting that’s based on facts.
Regardless, I do think most bloggers (the ones that aren’t affiliated with a major news organization) should be allowed to write what they want, without being subjected to as strict requirements for fact and source-checking as journalists for mainstream media. But if it’s clear they are purposely twisting the facts and harming an individual’s reputation, then they should be responsible for that.
I agree that it goes back to what others have said about the nature of the writing and purpose of the blog.
Caroline beat me to it. It really depends on the type of blog your run. If you’re just blogging about what your cat ate for lunch I wouldn’t consider you a journalist. If you’re blogging about things that are happening I would. Sites like Engadget, and TechCrunch I would consider to be journalists.
I wouldn’t in a million years consider myself a journalist though.
Also
“a person who regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public for a substantial portion of the person’s livelihood or for substantial financial gain and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such covered person.”
USE A PERIOD!!!! lol
Caroline and Duck, I believe, “and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such covered person” means that the protections in the law extend to the people supervising the journalist, not that such supervision is required to be considered a journalist.
But I’m not a lawyer, I just play one on the Internet.
I think Scott hit the nail on its head. I earn my living as a journalist/editor, but most bloggers I know aren’t (technically). The quality of their posts however can compete with those written by professionals. Redefining the meaning of the word ‘journalist’ is long overdue.
2 Pingbacks
pingback: Contests are Great, Right? Get a Favicon Free for One Month | Scott Fillmer - [...] one without even knowing it until I visited the other blog. One was on Blogging Experiment, Reader Discussion: Are Bloggers Journalists?, and another one, Get 1 week of free advertising on AdesBlog.com, which I guess I won the one free [...]
pingback: chipseo | Contests are Great, Right? Get a Favicon Free for One Month | Practical eCommerce Marketing Solutions - [...] one without even knowing it until I visited the other blog. One was on Blogging Experiment, Reader Discussion: Are Bloggers Journalists?, and another one, Get 1 week of free advertising on AdesBlog.com, which I guess I won the one free [...]