Wednesday 1 August 2012

Week Four: Alternative Journalism and Blogging

It's no surprise to me that alternative forms of journalism and blogging have emerged, due to the apparent oliogopoly of mainstream media. Not to mention the social networking sphere and the desire to share information, regardless of fact or fiction.

Singer (2007, p.118) makes the distinction between journalists and bloggers. Singer acknowledges that blogs can range from individual diaries to political campaigns and more corporate uses.

Bloggers tend to have more of a bias approach, in my experience. I'm not acknowledging that journalists can as well, but bloggers have more freedom in that respect. Bloggers have the potential for a broader audience, can review products and events, and can be more relaxed about the process.

I'm trying to imagine my personal blog being more corporate and I shudder. Having blogged on and off for the past couple of years, I've developed a personal style that I find relates more to my audience (which is mainly people who want to keep up with me). I've never really thought of myself as journalistic; I've only presented my world view and opinions for others to read. Sometimes I tend to review books or music, and sometimes I simply rant about day-to-day happenings.

I'm well aware of Singer's idea that bloggers and journalists seek the truth in different ways (2007, p.121), and what I present is, effectively, my truth.

Source: Click.
Another parallel for you this week is Jude Law's character in Contagion. Without spoiling anything; the role:  his reputation as a journalist and a blogger with an audience of millions is very well played to the film's audience. It also brings forth the awareness of people having an agenda - even in the middle of a crisis - and just how powerful the opinion of one man can be.

Source: Here.
The suit that Jude Law wore in Contagion became an
iconic symbol in the film's promotion and marketing tools.
Sources:
Singer, JB 2007, ‘Bloggers and other “participatory journalists”’, in C Friend & JB Singer (eds), Online journalism ethics: traditions and transitions, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, N.Y., pp. 115–50.

3 comments:

  1. Well written.
    I agree that the emergence of blogging and user generated content has come as no surprise, and frankly i'm very glad it exists. I love the use of blogging for offering a different opinion to the mainstream media, not to mention sticking it to their oligopolistic ways. Not having to adhere to most of the restrictions or obligations that 'legitimate' journalists do also allows bloggers more freedom in their writing. But i find with this increase in freedom also comes an increase in bias.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Micheele,
    I could not agree more with your statement than bloggers are more biased that juornalist, to a degree they are also more transoarent as they do not represent the views of an organization. As I read the article of Jane Singer, you cited, what i found myself critical of was the somehow diminish view that this oppenness of a bloggers biases is contrary to the principles of true journalist. Many examples come to mind of journalist biases in an Australian context as well of international examples, one of them is shock jock Alan Jones and is pay per comments controversy or the fact that News Limited campaign against the Labor goverment. Is interesting to note that in either of this cases there is not enough outrage about their biases. I would like to point out that transparency in revealing TRUTH in any case is subject to those who control the public discourse and grand narrative. Remember Julian Assange, he also revealed his truth and look what at what happens when you reveal the truth.
    Cheers
    Cisco

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bloggers and Journalism and the relationship between them is very interesting to me, and I love that you have written about it. I agree with your assessment of bloggers and their bias. Unlike journalists, bloggers don’t have to answer to anyone else. There are no codes of ethics to answer to, which sometimes it is good, as they don’t have to push a certain agenda. Blogs have really created a democracy across the internet, as in everyone has the same chance to express their opinions. But blogs have been used for good, as I have mentioned they don’t need to answer to anyone so they are able to post information that would have been shot down in the mainstream media, Wikileaks comes straight to mind.
    However, journalist now seem to be having a new found bias. They are competing with blogs and the other Web2.0 tools so the way that they try and stay relevant is by pushing a certain agenda.
    Awesome blog. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete