See, I get around to things, I just don't get around to them in a timely fashion. What can I say?
I read an interesting article today about "Blogger Journalism". Where is the line drawn between "blogging" and journalism? It's so easy to associate the term "journalism" with "professional", "mass media", and "journalism degree". However, with all due respect to those journalists who are out in the field and getting their stuff published, there are the "little guys" who have nothing but opinions and a laptop. Who says a journalism degree is a ticket to be heard? I first started this blog as a sort of space and paper-saver from my usual journal-writing, but I now like to see this as my personal outlet to 'journalize' since I've decided not to pursue journalism through conventional means.
There's alot more people out there with 'real' opinions though: politics, legal issues and stuff going on in the world. I love that there's free speech on the internet for this kind of stuff, but there is that condemning fear that it will soon be regulated, though. So we might as well use this freedom for as long as we can...
Of course, this subject tends to lead into the area of "freedom of speech" and honestly, I really hate talking about it. This topic has no defined lines, and you know me: I need my boundaries. So I'm not going to get into that philosophical debate that continues to plague our media. Instead, I'm going to start adding some links of my fellow blogging readers on my linking template (re: the right side of your screen). I admit, I don't always have the time to read each and everyone of these links. I'd like to think of this as my little 'shoutout' and appreciation to anyone who has the time to have an opinoin or to anyone who has come on here to read me rant about stuff that is either irrelevant, boring, complex or insignificant. Now, I don't track who comes to my blog (who, besides Iljya, has the time and energy to do so?) so, if you need some traffic, lemme know and I just might link you. That is, on the condition that your blog/website is not one of the following:
a.) a celeb gossip site. No one cares (or should care) about who stole a baby from Africa, who gained 3 lbs and, above all, Lindsay Lohan.
b.) a blog that first had good intentions of being updated frequently but ended up dwindling and died permanently. i.e. the last entry is dated from 2005. If you can't commit, don't 'Submit'.
I also welcome anything having to do with real fashion (updated, of course) because, well it is a huge interest of mine, as well as journalism (hence, this blog) or anything else that sparks my fancy. That said, if you don't want to be linked, speak now.
So, once again, although this blog was first created for me personally, I appreciate those who come back to read. It's nice to know some people are somewhat interested as to what I've been up to, what I have to write and who I [want to] fuck.
2 comments:
I think you're sort of off the mark. Journalism involves delivering fact in straightforward writing. "Ears, eyeballs and a notepad" are minimum requirements for journalism; opinions, sadly, are a dime a dozen. Writers who can report even the most dramatic or affecting events without a trace of personal bias are much rarer, require training, and are therefore highly prized.
That's not to say that contemporary "journalism" is always the work of good journalists. Many who claim to be show bias in what they omit or emphasize, features of a story of which a smart reader is always conscious. But a journalist, unlike the typical blogger, seeks to put some portion of the truth foremost, rather than posit his or her own view.
I think it's almost impossible to have straightfoward writing. There's no piece of writing you will find that does not have a trace of bias/opinion in it. What is Truth? Even as I write right now: who am I or you to say what to say is 'straightforward' writing?
But I agree, a really really really really talented writer can write with as little bias as possible. Or make it seem that way. Hahahaha...
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