As newspapers die, blogs multiply. So the question arises, can blogs and bloggers replace professional journalists and newspapers?
The answer is no. Blogs can't replace papers or news websites. But bloggers can supplement the work of reporters. And that's where citizen journalism comes in.
But let's first deal with why blogs can't replace newspapers.
Content
The problem with having blogs replace newspapers is that most bloggers don't produce news stories on their own. Instead they comment on news stories already out there - stories produced by journalists, found on professional news websites. Indeed, much of what you find on many blogs is links to traditional news websites.
So if newspapers and news websites start to disappear, what will bloggers have to write about? The information, the content, won't be there.
Opinion vs. Reporting
Another problem is that most blogs are an expression of the blogger's opinions. But expressing one's opinion is very different from doing objective news reporting.
And while opinions are fine, the public hunger for objective, factual information won't be sated by blogs that do little more than editorialize.
Expertise
Many reporters, especially those at the largest news organizations, have followed their beats for years. So whether it's a Washington bureau chief writing about White House politics, or a longtime sports columnist covering the latest draft picks, chances are they can write with authority because they know the subject.
Now, some bloggers are experts on their chosen topic as well. But many more are amateur observers who follow developments from afar. Can they write with the same kind of knowledge and expertise as a reporter whose job it is to cover that topic? Probably not.
How Can Bloggers Supplement the Work of Reporters?
As newspapers downsize into leaner operations using fewer reporters, they are increasingly using bloggers to supplement the content provided on their websites.
For instance, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer recently closed down its printing press and became a web-only news organization. But in the transition the newsroom staff was cut dramatically, leaving the P-I with far fewer reporters.
So the P-I website uses reader blogs to supplement its coverage of the Seattle area. The blogs are produced by local residents who know their chosen topic well. One example is Sue Frause, who blogs about Whidbey Island for the P-I.
Frause is a blogger and a citizen journalist. It's at the intersection of citizen journalism and blogging where bloggers can contribute to the news-gathering operations of the beleaguered mainstream news outlets.
