A Degree or a Computer

Are bloggers journalists?

The advent of our internet has provided many opportunities for industries and enabled individuals, businesses and journalists to reach extended audiences. It has allowed the average Joe to share his beliefs and views on the world through online blogs, mass-emails, webcasts, websites etc. But are bloggers considered journalists?

Before the establishment of the World Wide Web I imagine answering the question of what is a journalist would have been quite simple. An article from CS Monitor states ‘‘Until the Internet, journalists were typically attached to an established organisation that could afford to own and run a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station, TV network, or cable news outlet’ (CSMonitor. 2005). They were associated with disseminating information – “News” – for the public to consume and maybe even learn from.

Now, with new technologies the question is more contestable. With the internet, the cost of delivering the news is minimal. The idea that a journalist is associated with disseminating information and news to the public is now questionable. Now almost anyone can set up a web log ("blog") or send a mass e-mail and present themselves as someone who surveys the public scene and presents “news”.

So are our regular bloggers journalists? Journalists that have merely purchased a computer and have started to type out their emotions, comment on the world, public policy and international issues.