The rise of blogging has allowed almost anyone who has Internet access and a computer or smart phone to become a published author, whose unadulterated thoughts and opinions are available for the Internet-world to view. However, blogging has begun to make an increasingly pronounced presence in mainstream journalism as print-based publications require some writers to maintain a daily or weekly blog. In addition, “community journalism,” which was created in response to the cutbacks, layoffs, closures, or consolidations of major print-based companies, has risen in prominence. Many community journalism organizations are committed to reporting hyper-local issues, while mostly working on a Web-based level, where reporters file their stories into a blog format.
Thus, as blogging becomes an increasing platform for journalists to conduct their reporting and more blog-based writers begin to call themselves journalists, I believe a fundamental question has to be raised: To what degree are bloggers considered journalists and should they receive the same amount of protection as journalists?
Current CNET blogger Josh Wolf (above) holds the record for the longest jail sentence served by a journalist for contempt of court. Photo by James Martin (CNET News.com).
One particular case that has received a lot of attention over the past few years was the case of Joshua Wolf, an independent activist and video blogger, who was jailed in 2006 after refusing a court order to handover videotape footage that he had taken at an anti-G8 protest rally in San Francisco — a police officer was injured and his cruiser was burned during the protest and there was reason to believe that Wolf’s footage may have documented the event. Wolf maintained in court that he was trying to uphold his journalistic privilege to protect his sources; however, the court disagreed and sentenced him to 226 days in prison — the longest sentence given to any American journalist who was attempting to protect his or her sources.
In a journalism class last year, my classmates and I watched a video that documented his plight, and the subsequent discussion yielded mixed feelings about the matter. Some students lauded Wolf for upholding his journalistic values in protecting his source’s identity, while others believed that he should not be entitled to claim a journalistic privilege since his occupation as a journalist could be considered to be questionable.
In terms of defining what a journalist is, many of the definitions that are offered by seemingly legitimate sources are rather ambiguous. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary currently defines a journalist as being, “a person engaged in journalism; especially: a writer or editor to a news medium” or “a writer who aims at a mass audience.” Here, what constitutes a “news medium” isn’t specifically defined in this context, and it seems that “community journalism” is still considered to be such a relatively new concept since there is no current definition for it in a dictionary.
In an article on the Poynter Institute website titled, “The Ethics of Civic Journalism: Independence as the Guide,” Bob Steele notes that many proponents of community journalism argue that community journalism is essential, because it not only highlights localized issues that need attention but also provides a greater voice to the community that it intrinsically serves. However, opponents argue that community journalism crosses the line of objectivity — a key trait that is emphasized in any introductory journalism course — and is something that good newsrooms have already been doing for some time.
So, when it really comes down to it, the answer isn’t always clear-cut. In many cases, many journalists often have varying opinions on the matter. However, as community journalism beings to evolve, I believe that many of the grey area will be solved, but until then, much of community journalism’s significance and function is up for debate.
darinmoriki 