20 Dec 08 Blogging: the poison pen
While discussing internet trends, a work colleague said: “have you seen all these blogs; they can say just anything! It’s terrible!” I of course admitted that I too was a blogger, and that I too say just about anything. While there may be problems associated with a democratisation of media, the pros far outweigh the cons.
As the established media struggles to deal with the transition to online publication, an ever expanding army of bloggers relentlessly pumps out material that was once the exclusive domain of professional journalists. While some of the material may be erroneous, poorly researched, biased, or plagiarised the same indictment could be levelled at many professionals.
Professional journalists are no strangers to bias and have been often guilty of plagiarism or using dubious or misquoted sources. While professional journalists may have more highly developed writing skills than the average blogger, anyone who has watched the ABC TV’s Media Watch program would have chuckled at many examples of journalistic ineptitude and malpractice. Media Watch has highlighted many examples of items masquerading as news which are little more than blatant advertisements. Journalists are also bound by editorial policy and the interests of advertisers and shareholders.
Bloggers of course are influenced by no such constraints. Are the views of a professional journalist any more valid that those of anyone else? While a certain proportion of the blogosphere may include dubious material, there is undoubtedly a great deal that is worthwhile and interesting. Anyone with a connection can now easily publish their views to a mass audience; this would seem the ultimate expression of free speech.
The final responsibility comes down to the user. A vast increase in information also increases the need to use that information wisely, cross reference and read between the lines. In this respect, nothing has really changed; you can’t believe everything you read.
Tags: bias, blogging, blogs, democratisation of media, plagiarism, transition to online publication
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The pro far outweigh the cons.
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Isn’t this what counts.?
well, opinions are like………. whatever…….. we all have one and i personally am grateful i can voice mine online and to be honest – it doesn’t really atter to me if anyone reads it, agrees or disagrees. what matters is i can speak my mind on my blog – edited only by me
TripTheLady’s last blog post..my absence for almost the past month
That’s the point I’m trying to make. Opinions are important and being able to voice them online allows apportunities that are a relatively recent development. I’m interested in the opinions of others and hope others will be interested in mine. You’re right; it doesn’t matter if we agree or not; the exchange of views is the important part
Many medias here love to search news from blogs. If the blog contents is resounding enough, They’d rather publish them even the contents is not ture. Though they also note the contents as “it’s said”, But that’s still too bad!
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“a work colleague said: “have you seen all these blogs; they can say just anything! It’s terrible!””
This reminds me of a review of the uber-popular Twilight book series on the Blast Magazine site.
The reviewer did not care for the books and got a lot of flack from the die-hard Twilight fans, one of whom told her that until she had written a million-selling book, she had no right to complain about Stephanie Myers’ very purple prose. Her rebuttal of this opinion is here–and it’s hilarious!
How To Write A Best-Selling Novel
I like your blog. I will add it to my list of blogs that I stalk!
Lily’s last blog post..What Goes Around Comes Around
I started my blog because my husband convinced me to start one. I’m glad I did… I find it to be a creative and liberating outlet.
Of course, it’s all just my opinion and anyone is welcome to agree or disagree. That’s what’s so great about the internet… there are a million different ways to look at a million different topics.
How should blogs be treated by readers? Easy. In the words of Reagan: “Trust, but verify.”
In the 21st century… truer words were never spake.
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Dude… forgot to add this the first time around…..nice lookin blog…..Just AWESOME!!!
You make a good point about the impact of editorial policy. UK newspapers are rarely impartial, some even manipulate facts to fit the policy of their publications. I suppose bloggers do that too, but they don’t usually claim to be the last word in news coverage. And of course, some newspapers do this kind of thing http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28354988/from/RSS/
BTW, it’s weird to talk to you in more than 140 characters.
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Kate; thank you very much for a very relevant comment. The MSNBC article is an excellent and disturbing example; even supposedly ‘respectable’ publications will publish blatant untruths to further their own interests.
This kind of thing is also a very good reason for maintaining public broadcasters like the BBC and (here) the ABC. Commercial news is unlikely to release stories which present major advertisers in an unfavourable light. That said, even those venerable institutions have bowed to political pressure on occasion, despite it being against everything they stand for.
It is weird being allowed more than 140 characters; I could get used to it
I think that even we can publish whatever we want in a blog, we can be held responsible by our readers or peers by calling our attention or react to our post in anyway they want. If they also don’t like what they see, readers/peers can decide to stop reading our blogs anytime they like.