Every journalist a blogger?
Wednesday
May 23, 2007
The suggestion that every newspaper journalist should have a blog, made by Scott Karp at Publishing 2.0, is appealing (via Matthew Ingram). My concern is that some very good journalists make lousy bloggers and having their own blog would have no advantage for them.
Look at some of the blogs that have appeared on media sites and you will find blogs that benefit neither the employer nor the writer. Editors are starting to understand this and are becoming more selective in who they choose to blog as part of the day job.
It is like saying every journalist should write headlines. Yes, they should be able to do it but some just do not have the ability to do it well or regularly.
We ask all our journalism students to blog. Some demonstrate ability and skill to future employers while others would be best kept private. It may be that we have not guided them sufficiently.
Despite this I feel those with the motivation and ability should blog and those who do not should work hard to acquire it.
Karp puts forward a list of reasons why journalists should blog:
* Creating an independent publishing platform — blogging software makes this easy
* Creating a platform for journalism that isn’t dependent on a corporate entity’s financial fortunes
* Embracing the power and accepting the responsibility of being a publisher
* Learning how to use the technologies that are transforming media
* Putting your career on a growth track by not defining yourself as a print journalist
* Creating an online resume that shows you can do new media
* Becoming a node on the new media network — journalism will be networked
The obvious objection is a conflict with the interests of the employers. Yet the BBC has demonstrated with its guidelines for employees with personal blogs and website that the two can co-exsist well. Richard Sambrook and Robin Hammon whose blogs both relate to their work, are good examples of how the guidelines can work.
If a journalist blogs about their digging their allotment or their collection of model soldiers there is no conflict. They just need to make sure they can blog well — adequately, at least — and have the time to do it.
Karp also has some useful tips on getting started. Good blogging.
Comments
Linda
May 24th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
The main reason I blog and have been able to boost a freelance journalism career through a blog on a specialist subject, has been through the interaction and trust sparked by growing a community of readers, who trust me to tell their story - either on the blog or in the MSM.
But this is an audience who isn’t interested in my reputation as a journalist, rather what I’m writing about and how it can hopefully help or entertain them. I have also now set up a blog on journalism/writing and this will help in the promotion of a book out in the autumn.
As someone who is based in the Midlands, the networking aspect of having a blog has also played a key part in boosting my career - developing a specialism and revealing more of myself as a person to editors and possible interviewees and taking part in a conversation with key industry figures.
I’ve used previously published articles as subject matter to be adapted on my blog(s) and blog posts as the basis of pitches to editors - both approaches, I feel incredibly lucky to say, have paid off.
All best
Linda