Many of you have probably never worried about it, and rightfully so, but there are many journalist-scholar types who spend lots and lots of blog space repeatedly asking the question, “Are Blogs Journalism.” I’m not going to bother linking all the boresville names, and ironically one day I might even enjoy meeting some of these deep thinkers. I can see the headline now, BM shunned at Amsterdam Blogger Conference… and then in slightly smaller print: Scholars claim the bicycleman snubbed them back in ’04. Ah well… yet another reason why writing a blog where everyone can know your identity, is dangerous.
Why am I so bitchy towards them? Cause the question bores the shit out of me. Are Bloggers Journalists? Bla bla bla — YES! My simple answer: If they want to be journalists they can be, when they want to be. And then tomorrow then can get back to talking about poo or how it feels to grow older.
I’m pretend scholar, so let me compose myself for a moment, and provide some evidence to back up my gripes. Allow me to present blog reporters at their finest:
Exhibit A: Ms. Thingk, direct from Amsterdam, covering the Hash Olympics which took place over the weekend. While she did not “partoke” in the events, she did cover it down the to wire, which in this case involved a bunch of students passed out on mattresses.
Exhibit B: Blogger, and celebrated Author Tony Pierce, reviews Bob Dylan on 60 minutes, and compiles his own list of superb questions for Mr. Zimmerman. Ed Bradley, sometimes a journalist himself, is outmatched by the busblog.
Like I said… ladies and cowpokes of the jury, when we bloggers want to be journalists.. we are journalists. Doesn’t really matter if the old learned white men recognize us as such.
And finally today, just in case you were wondering – as I was – what to do while in the United States over the holidays… look no further, Winter of Discontent has compiled the perfect list.(note.. you only have until January 20th to do these things)
Today’s Sounds: Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour of Bewilderbeast