In my opinion, a blogger is not a journalist. When journalist write something, they must first make sure the content they write is true and supported by fact. They are considered as professional. They should have their own reputation. That's why reader as us can 'trust' a journalist more. They must bear the responsible when they write something.
On the other hand, a blogger can write on anything, the sources of their content can be reliable or not reliable. So, it is depends on the reader to judge. They can write their thought or feeling on something. If a blogger have to divulge the source of the content they written, then many people wouldn't be able to blog. By the way, it's hard to control since everyone can be a blogger. It is true that blogger can simply write irresponsible content, but it's up to the reader to judge, since they should know that a blogger is NOT a journalist, the content might not be true.
This is a primary difference between a blogger and a journalist. We know we can 'trust' a journalist more than a blogger. Of course, now some journalist can be quite bias due to political reason. It's just like we can trust a school teacher more than someone that stand in the middle of the street and claim to teach us mathematic. May be the school teacher can be wrong too. But at least, we as a audience, have some benchmark to refer. Blogging is just like people talking loud in kopitiam. Everyone will share their opinion, but the truth is questionable.
Though a blogger can write 'freely', they should know that they must bear the legal responsible when they defame someone or some organization. As very recent example, a blogger name Amizudin Ahmat is found liable (on 19th July 2011) for defamation by Kuala Lumpur High Court. Because in an previous article, Amizudin Ahmat implied that Rais Yatim (Malaysian Communications and Culture Minister) raped his Indonesian maid. The court ordered the blogger to pay RM400, 000 in total for defamation.
So, although internet is a "free" place to express our though and feeling, we must have a ruler set in our heart of what we have written. Sometimes, we must bear the legal responsible too!
i agree with your statement. As a blogger, we must know where is the limit of blogging a topic, either through elaborating an issue or give personal critic to an individual. This is because we might not know when will viewer be totally supportive towards your blog and believed what your had blogged.
ReplyDeleteagree with you also. many people talking or voicing out the opinion in a blog freely, there is so many things in a blog that we cannot check if its true or not.
ReplyDeletebut a journalist writes their opinions based on research or experience or survey. Its more reliable.