ARE BLOGGERS JOURNALISTS?

Of course the tyrants of Trimet don't consider Lane Jensen a journalist, even though he has   broken more than one story on the subject of Trimet. Lane Jensen is like me, a relentless critic of Trimet policies, procedures, and executive class. Trimet doesn't recognize anybody that doesn't believe in the Cult of Trimet as a 'journalist'. In my personal case I offer the most comprehensive coverage of Trimet available on the internet. You find on my blog stories from the mainstream media, other Trimet bloggers, and my very own take on issues affecting Trimet. My blog is also the only place on line that carries the policy makers of Trimet, the Trimet board of directors. For Trimet to say I am not a 'journalist' is an absurd hypocrisy. I am critical of their operations mainly because every other 'media' just constantly spits back whatever Trimet prints. The article below discusses the issues of "news" vs bloggers.

The great thing about newspapers is that, love us or hate us, we’re the voice of the people. We represent the community, their views, their aspirations and their hopes. We champion North Queensland’s wins and we commiserate during our losses… Bloggers, on the other hand, represent nothing. They whinge, carp and whine about our role in society, and yet they contribute nothing to it, other than satisfying their juvenile egos.

Editorial writers as the voice of the people? Are you quite sure, Mr. Editor? Well, compared to bloggers…. yeah, we’re sure!

And to go with this preferred or idealized self, a demonized other, the pajama-wearing, basement-dwelling blogger. Andrew Marr is the former political editor of the BBC. He says:

A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother’s basements and ranting. They are very angry people. OK – the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk. But the so-called citizen journalism is the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night. It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism.

Did you catch that word, replace? For this subject, that’s like a blinking red light. Or better yet: an icon on your desktop. Click on the icon, and all the contents of bloggers vs. journalists are displayed. This is a moral hierarchy, which bloggers disrupt. They jump right to voice, which appears to mock all the years of voicelessness that mainstream journalists had suffered through. The Twisted Psychology of Bloggers vs. Journalists: My Talk at South By Southwest » Pressthink