Bloggers, the new journalist?

While the debate over whether the Internet as a whole should be judged as a credible source of news and information has ebbed as more users have flocked to news sites sponsored by traditional media, the question remains of how much faith users should place in certain online components such as weblogs. (Wag the Blog, 2004) Since this is a blog I figured no better topic to talk about than the effect cyberspace has on the media. People who blog are generally not trained journalist and are expressing their opinion or gossip on a weblog. Since most newspapers need two trusted sources in order to consider a story fact worthy, why are weblogs becoming a trusted source of news? Much like radio talk hosts, blogs are considered a way of getting around “the filter” and push news straight to the public. Blogs are a way to access information directly from the source without any form of censorship. Though bloggers are not protected by law as a news source, they are quickly becoming some of the best amateur journalists out there by taking on stories otherwise looked over by the national media.

An example of blogs taking on a news story that had limited national coverage and not letting go until it received the national attention it deserved was Trent Lott. Trent Lott, a United States Senator from Mississippi, made racist comments at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. ABCNews.com apparently ran a brief news story on it and then the bloggers, like Joshua Marshall, picked up the story and made national media listen. Paul Krugman said this in his New York Times article on it, "Joshua Marshall, whose talkingpointsmemo.com is must reading for the politically curious, (is) more than anyone else, responsible for making Trent Lott's offensive remarks the issue they deserve to be." (wired.com, 2002)

In conclusion it’s hard to know if the news you are receiving from a blogger is trust worthy. More news agencies use blogging as a method of reporting news in a timely fashion. CNN has Anderson Cooper’s updating his blog daily sometimes even hourly. It is widely agreed that blogging is becoming acceptable source of news and should be considered journalism. Bloggers even proved Dan Rather, an iconic journalist for decades, was lying when he rushed the memos questioning President Bush's National Guard service. (Seattletimes.com. 2004) So next time you see something on the news, maybe fact check it on a blog.

Reference:
Thomas J. Johnson and Barbara K. Kaye. (2004) WAG THE BLOG: HOW RELIANCE ON TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET INFLUENCE CREDIBILITY PERCEPTIONS Of WEBLOGS AMONG BLOG USERS. 622. Google Scholar July 31, 2009.

Noah Shachtman (2002) Blogs Make the Headlines. Retrieved on August 1^st, 2009. Website: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/12/56978

Peter Wallsten. 2004 "Buckhead," who said CBS memos were forged, is a GOP-linked attorney. Retrieved August 3, 2009.Website: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002039080_buckhead18.html