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Weblogs and Journalism: In-depth report

The fall issue of Nieman Reports, the magazine of the Neiman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, includes a fantastic special section on "Weblogs and Journalism" in which 18 journalists talk about the complex issues surrounding blogging and journalism. Among the questions raised are: How do Weblogs and journalism influence each other? Is what's happening on Weblogs changing how journalists do their jobs and, if so, in what ways? And can news organizations embrace Weblogs and maintain the standards of the craft?

Here are some highlights from the 40-page section: Paul Andrews, a Seattle Times technology columnist and Weblogger, contends that blogs, acting as catalysts, "are transforming the ways in which journalism is practiced today [by nudging] print media to richer and more balanced sourcing outside the traditional halls of government and corporations."

J. D. Lasica, a blogger and senior editor of the Online Journalism Review, says that the relationship between journalists and bloggers is symbiotic, with blogging communities built upon "grassroots reporting, annotative reporting, commentary and fact-checking, which the mainstream media feed upon, developing them as a pool of tips, sources and story ideas." Thus, he says, blogging is beneficial to news organizations.

Indeed, Sheila Lennon, a blogger and producer at The Providence Journal's Web site, says bloggers expand the news media's agenda "by finding and flagging ideas and events until traditional media covers them in more depth." She describes how her paper's Weblog gave readers a way to share information about Rhode Island's deadly nightclub fire in February and how that "reporting" helped to shape the paper's news coverage.

Weblogger Rebecca Blood, author of "The Weblog Handbook," says she doesn't expect that bloggers will adhere to the journalistic standards of fairness and accuracy but regards transparency "as the touchstone for ethical blogging."

Former investigative reporter Paul Grabowicz, who teaches journalism students about Weblogs at the University of California at Berkeley, believes blogging can help journalism "to regain the public trust" by inviting readers to participate instead of seeming impervious to correction. "... this don't-bother-calling-me attitude -- all too common in journalism -- is a message that has been taken to heart by the public."

Dan Gillmor, technology columnist and blogger for the San Jose Mercury News, says his blogging conversations with readers provide ideas and information for his reporting. While he is enthusiastic about this "participatory journalism," he recognizes that "Some of this journalism from the edges will make all of us distinctly uncomfortable and raise new questions of trust and veracity."

Glenn Reynolds, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, publishes two Weblogs and thinks that blogging -- with its ability to gather information quickly and from everywhere in the world -- will have a salutary effect on news coverage. As analysis and punditry replace more expensive news gathering operations, Reynolds says that Big Media would "be well advised to beef up their foreign bureaus and start reporting more actual news."

Keven Ann Willey, editorial page editor at The Dallas Morning News, writes about the paper's new Weblog, which lets readers find out more about the thinking that individual editorial board members bring to the process of forming the newspaper's point of view. "It's a delicate thing, blogging our opinions in ways we hope will help clarify and enhance -- not confuse and degrade -- what we do and why we do it," she says.

Former Houston Chronicle reporter Steve Olafson writes about the lessons he learned after being fired for creating a personal Weblog and writing commentary on it using a pseudonym. "With some ground rules and a bit of thought, the right sort of blogs could make the daily newspaper become at least of passing interest to a younger generation that right now doesn't seem to care much for newspapers. The ground rules would prohibit outright political partisanship, undue profanity, and whatever else might keep an editor awake at night.... Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the reporter on the cop beat or at city hall or the state house could give readers another side of the news via a Weblog, a place where they can speak to readers in a bit more casual way."

Jane E. Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota, writes about the protection Webloggers have (or don't have) under the First Amendment. But, as she points out, "... once somebody's published material goes outside our borders -- which is inevitable in cyberspace -- all bets are off."

Also see a look at Brian Toolan's article in the magazine: "Hartford Courant editor: 'Blog away.'"

You can read the full articles in this PDF file or order a copy of the magazine from the Neiman Foundation for $5.

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