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There's a funny call and response in today's NY Times business section. First, there's an article asking if bloggers are journalists, prompted by a lawsuit from Apple asking certain blogs to disclose who gave up certain confidential Apple information. And then a few pages in (or clicks away, depending on how you like your newspaper), the NY Times reports that Fishbowl DC's Garrett Graff has finally gotten a White House press pass. So, the implicit answer would be "Yes, bloggers are journalists, but only when it's convenient," but Gothamist sure hopes that the judge on the case figures it out once and for all, along with "What is a blog?" and "How do you get rid of comment spam for good?", because bloggers are waiting with baited breath. And because Gothamist would like an NYPD-issued press pass.
Graff's road to the White House pressroom saga. DCist wonders if there's evidence of Jeff Gannon's side business.
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The case raises some interesting questions. Foremost, is whether a blogger is protected by state laws which permit journalists to withhold the names of their confidential sources. I recently attended a panel discussion at Emory on the press privilege. Catherine Manegold a former journalist and professor of journalism at Emory, and who is otherwise very much in favor of the right to withhold the names of confidential sources, did not really think it should extend to bloggers. So, if she's not in favor of it. . . The judge in this case appears to be leaning in favor of not treating a blog as a journalistic piece. A few thoughts:
http://rubytarbles.typepad.com/exceptionalist/current_affairs/index.html
http://rubytarbles.typepad.com/exceptionalist/webtech/index.html
I think the problem stems from the basic fact that bloggers tend to gear towards personal opinion and more often gossip than real journalists.
Real journalists are trained to put themselves second, and the story first. The facts rule. And if you ask any journalism profressor--or journalist--about being a columnist, they will all say the same thing. Being a columnist is what happens after years of doing other forms of journalism. In the blog world, everyone is basically a columnist or gossip.
And the main reason blogs get such strength is not the quality of the news, but from the speed at which a blogger can get news out. Especially "dishy" stuff. Yeah, gossip.
The ultimate solution is to realize that blogs are taking heat mainly becuase they tend to love gossip and the trendy rather than the facts. That's not easilly changed. And frankly it's annoying.
I think a legal divison would not help. But I also think that something has to happen. And ultimately real journlists embracing blogs and adding a layer of professionalism might balance the field.