To say bloggers are not journalists is to say oranges are not carrots. Bloggers are not journalists. That’s true. But can bloggers become journalists? Maybe. Can journalists be bloggers? Yes. In fact, it would be only proper and appropriate for journalists to blog their opinions as opposed to being ‘politically’ correct all the time.
So why call oranges carrots when they are what they are?
Well, it is true – bloggers have no training in journalism. That’s why they are bloggers. And for the same reason they are not journalists. No bloggers have ever claimed what they blog can qualify as ‘journalism’.
We all do what we love the most and give our best in whatever we are doing either reporting news or blogging.
Journalists do it as careers. Bloggers do it (mostly) for hobby and out of passion. Most journalists also do it with great passion – that’s true. The journalists get paid for doing their jobs while bloggers derive pleasure doing it. Journalists cover (report) stories even though some may not necessarily interest them. Bloggers may blog about issues that are only close to them and have a better understanding of it. Bloggers have no fixed deadlines.We see some good journalists are moving the world. We are pleased to have some of them amongst us. And then there are good bloggers launching world-changing movements. Haven’t we seen them?
So why do we need to call journalists bloggers and bloggers journalists? After all, they do what they do best or enjoy doing them, serious or silly. By the way this is not news but a blog entry.
Blogger’s Note: This is written in (jest to say) response to someone saying bloggers aren’t journalists – as if we all didn’t know this.
(The writer works with READ Bhutan and blogs at www.nawangpenstar.com)
