Blogging and Journalism ☀
Bloggers can be journalists any time they practice journalism by actually trying to find out the truth about a story. A journalist can be a blogger by installing some blogging software and beginning to post. These words should be labels for activities, not badges of tribal fealty.
A 100% true assertion.
However, having a journalist “badge of tribal fealty” enables one access to public officials and records, while scribes with the “blogger” label induces those same authority figures to cast aside requests for information that the public has a right to know.
And indeed, a government (or industry) leader would certainly not possibly possess enough time to grant availability to all aspiring journalists.
But as traditional media outlets continue to shrink away, and are supplanted by “new media” citizen outfits, it’s going to be a clash with ramifications for democracy, freedom and open government.
Governments must inject more transparency into their activities and records, but this task may be an inherent anathema to those holding power.
