"I've tried not to have it to serious, as I have wanted to keep it light hearted and fun, which really is what the whole point of blogging is."

I think one of the points in the article is that Blogging is different things to different people. For some it is a journal-type experience. For others an op-ed experience. Some people do it just to vent, some to try to influence others, some just to have a good time. That is one of the wonders of Blogging; it can be so many different things and so can appeal to so many different people.

"If I'm honest I don't really have alot of respect for jounalists anymore, there seems to be other motives to the things they publish, as with most things in the world, it's turning into being just about money, it's what makes the world go round, huh?"

I have little respect for journalists these days as well. With their 24-hour cable channels and the demand to get the most sensational stories they have seriously sacrificed journalistic integrity. There are so many examples of biased, fictional, and lazy reporting that I have a hard time even listening to these people anymore. Recent studies show that (in America) journalists are out of touch with the populace. Is it any wonder that the populace would look to it's own for editioral?

I don't think in many cases the community makes good editors. In a recent discussion, I posted over and over statistics that refuted the claims of the poster, and their supporters actually came back with statements like: "why should we believe you?", even though I cited everything and posted links to the government statistics, etc. They just ignored proof to the contrary and continued posting false information.

One person went so far as to say that they didn't care if their arguement was totally correct, it was more important to "stir the pot" and make people think about it. We've seen this more and more as election time approaches, and the allegations have been made that on the internet it is more important for propaganda to be believed than it is to be true.

In Blog communitites it is getting out of hand, imho. So much so that I am beginning to think perhaps when a total lie is revealed it should be authoritatvely removed if the poster refuses to do so themselves. I wouldn't like the idea of a site I pay for used for that kind of propaganda.

I think in some cases you get a lot of objectivity, but in others it is gonna be mob rules... especially in cases where the propaganda is more important than the truth. To some people the ends justify any means.

I don't think in many cases the community makes good editors.

Generally not, but I don't have a problem with that because I tend to apply critical thinking to everything I hear, regardless of the source. I try to go to a variety of news services, and while I am down on journalism in general there are some specifics that I return to. I try to listen to different viewpoints, both from professional journalists, pundits, and Bloggers. I take all of this data and then form my own views on the subjects. Many people do not do that and so you get situations like:

One person went so far as to say that they didn't care if their arguement was totally correct, it was more important to "stir the pot" and make people think about it.

The world has become a much smaller place, but at the same a much larger place. It is smaller in the sense that people around the globe are connected like never before. The Internet has much to do with that, but also the explosion of television and radio news services. At the same time, the world has become much larger to many of the people in it. They now have access to information about the rest of the world at a staggering rate. They have more to think about, and they see how their actions can affect people they will probably never meet.

Wow I really didn't know how this article would be recieved, but thanks for the comments!

With their 24-hour cable channels and the demand to get the most sensational stories they have seriously sacrificed journalistic integrity. There are so many examples of biased, fictional, and lazy reporting that I have a hard time even listening to these people anymore.

I totally agree with this, it's just about money now, which does make you mis-trust them and wonder just how much integrity they actually have. I suppose that's the same with everything though, you can only trust others so much!

I don't think in many cases the community makes good editors. In a recent discussion, I posted over and over statistics that refuted the claims of the poster, and their supporters actually came back with statements like: "why should we believe you?"

You're going to get people like that everywhere you go, i just think that this is a more personal level, and the majority of people you come across they will offer an opinion and view point that gives you good feedback, as I said their are exceptions to every rule.

In Blog communitites it is getting out of hand, imho. So much so that I am beginning to think perhaps when a total lie is revealed it should be authoritatvely removed if the poster refuses to do so themselves.

I agree with this, when it is an obvious lie, it should be removed.

I guess what I am saying though is that people hold "journalism" to a higher standard. If blogging is to be considered the new journalism, then it has to exceed the kind of "ends justify the means' attitude it often has now.

A good example:

Punk the prez?

"Moby suggests that it's possible to seed doubt among Bush's far-right supporters on the Web. "You target his natural constituencies," says the Grammy-nominated techno-wizard. "For example, you can go on all the pro-life chat rooms and say you're an outraged right-wing voter and that you know that George Bush drove an x-girlfriend to an abortion clinic and paid for her to get an abortion."

I think that if we promote the idea that blogging is journalism we are inviting a lot of people to be mislead. It will become the go-to way to spead lies in the guess of journalism.

I think that if we promote the idea that blogging is journalism we are inviting a lot of people to be mislead. It will become the go-to way to spead lies in the guess of journalism.

Don't journalists mislead us anyway? Granted that on the net rumours are alot easier to started and spread, but journalists are guilty of this just as much. i actually agree with you, that it would take blogging up to a standard that it isn't ready for, having said that jounalism isn't that far out of reach, they aren't especially recognised much for their honesty and integrity are they.

Yes, but "real" journalism has standards and is liable for what it prints/broadcasts. Journalists face civil and even criminal repurcussions if they go too far.

Bloggers, on the other hand, have no oversight and are basically untraceable if they want to be.

In addition, hosts are often held liable for the material users offer. If someone is maligned, they could easily see it as an issue of JU hosting and distributing defamatory material. Sure, it might be hairy to prove in court, but it still puts JU in court defending itself.

I think it is almost best to let blogs be glorified homepages with a messageboard. At least you get a more innate "let the buyer beware" vibe.

Yes, but "real" journalism has standards and is liable for what it prints/broadcasts. Journalists face civil and even criminal repurcussions if they go too far.

Realistically how often are they able to prove these criminal acts, it's very difficult na dthe reason people are turning to blog sites for this information is because of these restrictions faced by jounalism they don't always get the full story, but bloggers aren't that restricted, and that I think is part of the attraction.

In addition, hosts are often held liable for the material users offer. If someone is maligned, they could easily see it as an issue of JU hosting and distributing defamatory material. Sure, it might be hairy to prove in court, but it still puts JU in court defending itself.

I agree that is not a good thing, but isn't that why the admins watch over the site and keep a check of such things, and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it.

I think it is almost best to let blogs be glorified homepages with a messageboard. At least you get a more innate "let the buyer beware" vibe.

Even though I'm arguing the point I totally agree, blogs should be enjoyed for what they are, I think we should be aware that not everyone views them like that though.

Your aticle/post begs the question "Why did i start a Blog?"

I started lenbert.joeuser.com for a number of reasons.

I use to write VOLUMES in highschool and college, both prose and poetry I stopped writing about 20 years ago.

Lately I have had an itch to get back into writting, not only from a journalistic standpoint, but also issues and ideas that I feel a need to get off my chest.

A Blog offers me the incentive to write something coherent, and my work is also viewed and potentially commented on. Apparently, based on the comments, my work isn't up-to-par. But all is good. I'm not upset if no one comments on my work. I'm just happy to be writing again.

LLS

Thanks for the comment Lenbert!

A Blog offers me the incentive to write something coherent, and my work is also viewed and potentially commented on. Apparently, based on the comments, my work isn't up-to-par. But all is good. I'm not upset if no one comments on my work. I'm just happy to be writing again.

I'm glad you see it like that, though comments definatly add to an article, it isn't what it's all about . I'm glad you're getting something out of it, it's good to know it's just getting out there!

Journalism as a practice has been degraded somewhat of late. What am I saying? It started in the gutter and has remained in that very same fetid gutter of its origins. If anything Journalistic standards have improved over time. I think it is almost painfully important to question journalistic institutions that are owned by the beneficiaries and operators of the capitlist/free market economies, the world system that is ideologically dominant and not always correct or righteous. But, equally important, is to realise that many newpapers, television/radio stations, magazines, etc were and are owned by political parties and governments. I would rather thave agenda setters than agenda enforcers handling the news media, but...

Ok. This comment is going to be way too long. It might have to be posted independently.

Sally. This was a great article and you can't believe how happy i was to see it featured. Well done.

Marco XX

notsohighlyevolved: but in the end, it is still a news outlet, functioning in the open, with a face, a mailing address, and accountability for its excesses. Blogging has none of these things, because it doesn't CLAIM to be journalism, and yet desperately wants to be.

The biggest difference between blogging and scum, err, I mean journalism is that with blogging you get samples of the views and opinions of a wide cross section of people. Journalism has lost a great deal of credibility by putting political and/or social editorial spins on articles, misquoting people (this has happened to me twice by newspaper reporters) and basically misrepresenting the facts of an issue.

While bloggers may do the same things at times, we get to see a lot of differing opinions and views instead of just the editorial viewpoint of the particular "news" outlet and thus may actually wind up with a better idea of where the truth may lie.

Of course, like any other informational source, a person should do a little personal research and verify the facts of any article they read before forming or altering an opinion on the topic. This is the responsiility of any thinking person.

Beyond that, blogging exposes one to a huge census of opinions and cultural/social viewpoints and allows one to experience an exposure to a world cuture that would otherwise be unavailable. Seems to me that's REAL journalism in it's rawest form.

I did a search today to see what other blog sites I could find and compare them to JU, and see if they all follow a similar pattern, or of their are huge differences. Now maybe I'm just completely loyal I don't know, but none of the ones I came across were even close to JU, biased maybe?

sal, i was new to blogging until ju, and i agree with you that it's a great site. several of my friends have recently moved their blogs here and been pleasantly surprised by how feature-rich the site is.

like anything, blogging has issues good and bad, but on the whole i'd say it's a positive experience, as do you

i really enjoyed this article and your views on this.


"mumsy mig" XX

difference between blogging and scum, err, I mean journalism

You know, we journalists are people too. Some might say people who get so far behind on their child support they have to hide out in the woods with the mountain folk qualify as scum. When you make bigoted remarks you heap abuse not just on the miscreants but also on a lot of innocent, good people who are trying their best.

Fie on't. (That's Shakespearean for F-U.)

I'm not only going to stop commenting on other people's blogs. I think I'll stop reading them. Sheesh.