Blog bashing gettin' on my nerves

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People in the main stream media keep taking pot shots at bloggers. Their main argument seems to be that we're a bunch of bumpkins who don't know how to be real journalists like them. I've been content to let these folk complain away about bloggers. It's their newspaper/magazine/news network, they can say whatever they want.

Then I read Empire Strikes Back which starts out, "Now that the election is over, major news networks can turn their attention to real foes, like bloggers." It is followed by a quote from a former CBS reporter dumping on bloggers because we're not "real" journalists to which I responded,

Bloggers aren't trying to be journalists. We're bloggers. If what we do doesn't look like old style journalism where's the beef? When I blog I don't hold myself to any journalistic standards (which seem to be heading down hill these days). I hold myself to my own personal standards of integrity that require me to call them as I see them. They require me to never knowingly spread information that is false, they require me to admit when I'm wrong, and they require me to be up front about the bias that influences the way I see the world so that you know exactly where I'm coming from. If old style journalism and main stream media don't like that then too bad for them.

Keep complaining about the bloggers, it's like chum in the water.

A couple of other commenters also made some good points in defense of bloggers.
Karen said:
I have never looked to the blogs for unbiased news, I specifically look to blogs for opinions that help me to more clearly shape mine. I love getting the information that they take the time to uncover from other sites that I just don't have the time to go to day in and day out. The bottom line is that the MSM is faced with the fact that what they feared was true all along, actually is. That those of us not in their 'elitist clique' are actually smart, well let's say brilliant and for a few flat out genius. Ya' gotta feel sorry for them. Their fantasy bubble has burst and there's no hope of getting another one!

And Christopher Taylor said:
I get more news and better information on just about any subject off blogs than I could ever get from watching any TV news. I get news from India, China, Russia, Ireland, South Africa - all over the world, and it's compiled and commented on by thousands of people across the globe. You know, multiculturalism, diversity.

The empire may have struck back but in the end the rebels won.

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