8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

1/7

Lohmiller 1

1

Maggie LohmillerProfessor Griffin

Communications, Media and SocietyMarch 1, 2011

Influences of Blogging on Journalism

The line between blogging and journalism is becoming blurred in the eyes of many. Both

output works of writing to a mass audience. Both rely on advertising revenue for financial

support. All of the more affluent blogs have editors and publishers just like journalistic

organizations. They both aim to develop followings based on the quality of their work,

relevance, and immediacy. Yet, the two activities are indeed dissimilar in many ways. A blogger

writes a personal or collaborative online portfolio of opinion based pieces on a variety of topics

that are reflective in nature. Journalists are required to uphold an ethical code and present the

unbiased truth to the best of their ability. It is only when the two occupations are confused that

the integrity of the practice of journalism is threatened.

Many people are turning to blogs as their primary news source. Readers often select

blogs that generally align with their own opinions. What these news sources lack are details that

support both sides of a story, and thus threaten the validity of news outlet. This is not to say that

blogs are not necessarily credible sources of information, but they do not focus their postings on

capitalizing on their follows specific opinion profiles.

Bloggers may have the same credentials or moral code to write solely based on factual

material. The key difference is that any reflective detail in a bloggers post changes the nature of

the piece. A journalistic article is to be unbiased and focused on factual details. Journalists are

held to heightened standards of responsibility to produce work that embodies balanced coverage

of news in which bloggers are not subjected.

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

2/7

Lohmiller 2

2

Blogging was first introduced to the world in early 1994 when links.net, the first online

journalism website, was created. However blogging did not gain public interest until 1999 when

it became a free service and has increased popularity ever since.

Blogs have captured the attention of readers throughout the world. There is a blog that

addresses every interest and ideology from politics to eastern religions to baking. It is not a

challenge for anyone to find a blog that engages their interests.

Bloggers originally used the online forum for personal journaling. As blogs became a

lucrative career, some blogs have become collaborative forums for groups of authors. This

maximizes the output of postings when more authors are able to contribute.

The use of blogs has evolved in several directions. Many people still use blogs as

personal journals, but others use it as a venue for other topics including reporting upon world

events, culture, economic trends, and general news topics. A blogger however does not simply

report upon these things, but also includes their personal thoughts. A blog entry may be just as

informative as a journalistic article that reports on the same topic, but when personal thoughts are

added to the piece it becomes characteristically different.

Bloggers have attempted the role of a journalist by reporting on news topics. Many

bloggers format their posts and their sites are modeled after established news sources. A

common practice amongst bloggers is disseminating news stories that were already investigated

by news organizations on their blog. However the stories are revised by the blogger to include

their personal thoughts.

A study on the trends of what people choose when searching on Google search engine,

blogs were more commonly selected over newspapers and magazines by a marginal percentage.

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

3/7

Lohmiller 3

3

If the trend continues along the same path, the number of blog selections should increase over

newspapers and magazines.

In 2003, Google built the technology to match advertisements with blog content. This

was the first step in capitalizing upon the growing popularity of blogging. Currently there are

numerous marketing firms that specialize in advertising on blog websites for clientele.

Some companies that advertise online have strayed away from the traditional online news

platforms to blogging sites for their advertising venues. Companies are able to find niche blogs

to reach their target markets.

Truth Laid Bear's Blogosphere Ecosystem is a website that ranks blogs according to the

number of links received per day. This ranking is suggested to be a measurement of the

popularity of the bloggers perspective. Advertising firms turn to websites such as this to monitor

readership trends.

One of the most popular blogs in America is PerezHilton.com. The blog was created by

Mario Lavandeira in 2004 which focuses on celebrity gossip and scandal. Lavandeira developed

the persona of Perez Hilton into a lucrative brand. According to Income Diary, Lavandeiras

company earns 450,000 per month, chiefly on advertising. Advertisers are eager to follow

blogging trends to reach the most consumers.

Journalists have found certain advantages to blogs. Many media outlets turn to social

media platforms for information and photographs that they can use for stories. Although blogs

are not necessarily reliable sources of information, they are useful in fundamental research. For

example, if a public figure posts content about their thoughts or activities then this gives a

foundation for additional research to be performed. Some journalists also use photographs and

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

4/7

Lohmiller 4

4

quotes directly from blogs and social networking sites for publication since they are in public

domain.

Many consumers are turning to opinion based blogs as their main news source.

Journalists strive to provide unbiased information, but generally bloggers do not have the same

standards of quality and ethics as journalists. A journalists skills and commitment to keeping the

public factually informed are often unmatched by the works that bloggers produce.

Although many journalists are eager to separate themselves from the blogosphere, several

newspapers decided to capitalize on the trend of blogging as a financially fruitful side venture.

Newspapers such as the News Tribune in Tacoma, the Boston Globe, and the Providence Journal

are joined by countless other newspapers across the world by having their own blogs associated

with their online content. Most of the blogs are written by staff journalists. Some journalists have

been hired full-time to write and maintain the newspaper blog.

A blogs association with a newspaper has caused the standards and ethical code of these

blogs to be questioned. Blogs are able to be written by anyone, about anything, with no stringent

rules instituted. But when the reputation of a newspaper is attached, questions of credibility,

liability, and subject matter are vital topics of conversation throughout the industry. The goal of

newspapers is to achieve the same qualities that attract people to blogs, without jeopardizing

their reliability as a news source.

The worry of legal and ethical situations has caused many newspapers to call upon

lawyers to clarify the boundaries for bloggers. Legal advisors and ethics councilors have formed

committees to document stringent guidelines for writers since blogs are unchartered conventions

for newspaper staff.

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

5/7

Lohmiller 5

5

A prime example of potential legal implications can be learned from former blogger Ben

Domenech, who resigned from the Washington Post 72 hours after beginning his blog. As soon

as his blog launched, accusations of plagiarism in his journalistic work were uncovered. The

popularity of the blog heightened Domenechs fame to the point in which his wrongdoings were

uncovered. This case caused the Washington Post and other news outlets to be cautious in who

they select in representing their organization.Many journalists struggle to write blogs when appointed to that duty for a newspaper.

Journalists are trained to be subjective and straightforward. Blogging requires the author to freely

mix their opinions with the story line of a posting. This is an unnatural task for many reporters to

accomplish, but is a necessary skill set, as blogging is being incorporated in many reporters job

descriptions.

Another challenge for newspaper bloggers is their content must match the image the

paper wants to convey. Newspapers build their own brand around a certain ideology or political

affiliation. That brand must intrinsically reflect the opinions and subject matter discussed in the

blog.

The trend has not been isolated to newspapers, but many newsrooms have a blog that

coincide with their broadcasts. They may feature content that they report upon, but also include

postings on fresh material. It also gives a platform for newscasters to provide additional detail on

the stories that they may have not had time to present in the newsroom. This is also the venue in

which broadcasters can express their opinion.

One of the main distinctions about blogging is that it is solely an internet based activity.

However this practice is beginning to change. The Printed Blog is a subscription based magazine

that publishes articles from a team of bloggers. The definition of blogging is now being

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

6/7

Lohmiller 6

6

challenged since the medium in which they are published is now in a transition. This model

seems contradictory to the trend of journalism moving away from print; however the success of

the magazine is still being tested since it is a new business model.

If blogging is moving to print, then it can be easily linked with opinion based newscasts

found on cable news. Programs such as Nancy Grace, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and

The Rachel Maddow Show, are all shows that report on world events that are based in their own

opinions. If the medium in which blogging is no longer vital to its definition, it is easy to suggest

that these programs are televised bloggers. This revelation further blurs the line between

journalism and blogging.

The advent of blogging has inspired a trend of moving away toward balanced reporting.

This is contrary to the institution of fair, unbiased journalism. There is nothing inherently wrong

with blogging. The fear that many journalists share is that the public opinion is being formed on

a skewed platform.

Many journalists are apprehensive that bloggers may prove to be competition. Most news

outlets have made a move to include blogging in their business model. Although their jobs are

fundamentally dissimilar, the budget for bloggers is shown to increase in years to come.

The blending of balanced reporting and opinion driven reporting is evident in mainstream

media. It is no longer easily identifiable to the public if their news sources are representing all

sides of a story. Balanced media is navigating toward coloring news stories with popular

opinions.

8/6/2019 blogs[1](2)[1]

7/7

Lohmiller 7

7

Works Cited:

Hull, By Dana. "Blogging Between the Lines | American Journalism Review."American

Journalism Review. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. .

Thompson, Clive. "A Timeline of the History of Blogging -- New York Magazine."New York

Magazine. 12 Feb. 2006. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. .

Balwani, Samir. "The Difference Between Bloggers and Journalists | Social Media Today."

Social Media News, Strategy, Tools, and Techniques | Social Media Today. 14 Apr. 2010. Web.

07 Dec. 2010. .

Dunlop, Michael. "Top Earning Blogs Make Money Online Blogging."Make Money Online

Blogging - Your Guide To Online Income. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

.

"Blogosphere Ecosystem." The Truth Laid Bear. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

.