James Watkins Author Speaker Threat to society

Are bloggers journalists?

blogger n. author of a "web log" or online diary, an increasingly popular source of online publication, especially regarding political information, opinion publication and alternative news coverage.

journalist n. person who practices journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues and people.

So, is a "blogger" a "journalist"? That question is key to the proposed "Free Flow of Information Act of 2005" that shields journalists from having to reveal their sources of information to the courts. U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), the bill's co-sponsor, told the Inter American Press Association that bloggers would "probably not" be considered journalists.

According to the first draft of the bill, the "covered person" includes "any entity that disseminates information by print, broadcast, cable, satellite, mechanical, photographic, electronic, or other means and that publishes a newspaper, book, magazine, or other periodical in print or electronic form."

Hmmm? Sounds like anyone with a Web site will be protected as a "journalist." (According to a study by Perseus, there are 4 million blogs worldwide. Technorati, which tracks blogs, claims 10,000 new blogs go online every day.)

May I suggest three criteria for "journalists"?

Credibility

Of course, many recent examples makes one question if so-called "journalists" are in fact credible.

Jayson Blair, former reporter for the New York Times, resigned after admitting to lifting quotes, making up scenes, and faking interviews in 36 of 73 articles. Then there's the CBS Evening News "memo-gate" scandal where anchorman Dan Rather resigned following the revelation that evidence of President Bush's dubious National Guard service was faked. Unverified reports of murder and rape inside the Super Dome during Hurricane Katrina, were later revealed to be untrue. And more recently Judith Miller, another reporter for the New York Times who spent jail time for not revealing who leaked the identity of a CIA operative Valerie Plame, is having her own credibility problems.

Then there are the millions of Internet sites with the "truth" about crop circles, Big Foot, UFO sightings, urban legends, and conspiracy theories that the U.S. government brought down the World Trade Center on 9/11.

As you learn the very first day in high school journalism class, "Verify. Verify. Verify. If you mother says she loves you, check it out." (And with genetic engineering, make sure it's your mother!)

Judging by the thousands of urban legends circulating in cyber space, credibility is as rare as Loch Ness monster sightings.

Accountability

The New York Times took a beating from an independent commission that charged Jayson Blair was subject to little accountability to his editors. Judith Miller recently admitted she had little accountability to her editors as well.

And who are the 4 million blogs accountable to? Virtually no one!

Responsibility

In May, Newsweek reported that military prison officials flushed a copy of the Koran to mentally break detainees in Cuba. The story triggered several days of rioting in Afghanistan and other countries resulting in at least 15 deaths. Editor Mark Whitaker admitted the story was based on the report of a "senior U.S. government official" who was "not sure" the story was true.

Recently, unverified reports of terrorist plots traumatized New York City subways, and just this past week, another false report closed down tunnels leading in and out of Baltimore.

It's illegal to yell "fire" in a public building (unless, of course, there is a fire), joke about bombs in an airport, or maliciously publish false information about anyone. So, here's a thought. Perhaps Newsweek staff should be charged with manslaughter for the 15 deaths resulting from their irresponsible reporting. The "informant" whose false terrorist subway plot report should be charged for the overtime costs of New York City Police officers?

That would put the fear of truth in the hearts of reporters.

I'm not sure the "Free Flow of Information Act of 2005" is a good idea. (Some fear it could lead to the government determining who and who isn't a "journalist.") Virtually all laws have been enacted because of a lack of credibility, accountability, and/or responsibility of individuals and organizations. Thus it's imperative that journalists of all kinds exercise self-restraint in their reporting, blogging, or whatever it is I do here each week.

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Are bloggers journalists?

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