dispatches from ann taylor loft: day 4

caught in the moment
munching on  //  steak, rice & kimchi
eargasm  //  the voices of children playing outside & the hum of the fan
mood  //  unsettled

Contemplating about last Thursday’s class discussion, I liked how Gillmor brought up this concept: “In some cases, these people [bloggers] are becoming professional journalists themselves & are finding ways to make a business of their avocation.” (it’s on page 137 if you’re interested)

Last Thursday, Kendra made a comment about how she is here at UW, paying for classes that will eventually give her the “title” of professional journalist.   Keeping this in mind, doesn’t Gillmor’s statement counter her’s?

But I suppose there is a difference between being a professional journalist & what people say are citizen journalists — a different major or in some cases just a college education.

Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to meet Tracy Record, the co-publisher & editor of the West Settle Blog.  Before resigning as the assistant news director at KCPQ-TC in December 2007, she was the executive producer of ABCNEWS.com & the first-ever executive producer of new media at KOMO-TV.  Aside from working for other various TV stations, newspapers, & radio stations, she is also the proud recipient of 3 Emmy Awards.  Record possesses so much “professional” experience - experience that most aspiring journalists would love to have on their resume — but all that experience went right through the window with the establishment of her blog.

She said that she writes still writes objectively, as any reporter is told to do, but beyond that, it is just casual writing.  Other bloggers or citizen journalists skip that whole educational & hands-on process & start a blog & are able to make a good sized profit on the advertisements.

Interestingly enough, I asked her what she thought about the life expectancy of “traditional” news media & she said that all the traditional media will soon cease to exist & everything will go online.

Questions

1) What makes a journalist “professional”?  Or what aspect of a blogger makes him or her professional?

2) Aside from the “increasing futility of the expression “off the record” in large groups or when dealing with non professional journalists who aren’t steeped in the nomenclature of what can be disclosed & what can’t”, what other issues arise with the increase of blogging?