Based
on Pew Research’s 9 Principles of
Journalism, I decided to match up their principles (which you can read here) to what can be
described as Blogging’s counter-principle. Listed below you’ll find their
principles, followed by that of blogging’s, then followed by what I call the
Middle Ground, where both somewhat co-exist. Note that some of what is written
here is said in jest, but you know what they say about truth…
1.)
Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.
Blogging is about your
opinion and no one in their right mind should give a hoot what you think! Your
truth is often… your truth!
The Middle Ground: Sometimes
journalists have to get schooled by bloggers about what is fact, although I
won’t mention names, it tends to happen when someone (working for a respected
professional outlet) comes to town and gets all the facts wrong or muddled up
and then a blogger has to step in to counter with the truth!
2.)
Journalism’s first loyalty is to citizens.
Blogging’s first loyalty
is to your ego.
The Middle Ground: Some of
today’s highly respected news outlets pander to a certain opinion or parties,
e.g. FOX News seeming loyalty to
Republicans, NTA to the government of
the day, e.t.c
3.)
Journalism’s essence is a discipline of
verification.
Blogging needs no
verification; it’s a jungle out there. Remember the saying, “monkeys with
keyboards”.
The Middle Ground: Sometimes,
journalists do rush to print stories without proper verification. TV news
corporations have fallen victim to this many a times in a bid to be “first”
with the news. Perhaps nowhere is this more common than on American news TV.
4.) Journalism’s practitioners must
maintain an independence from those they cover.
Some bloggers run for cover
when they meet some of the people they talk about, like if I saw Drake and his
entourage, I might walk the other way! Matter of fact, if I saw him alone, I
might walk the other way!
The Middle Ground: This rule does
not apply to the advert departments of most Nigerian newspapers, who in more
ways than one are dependent on the advert money of a large number of
personalities that they do cover, whom happen to be state/government officials
and their lackeys wishing governor/president so-and-so happy birthday or
something to that tune. Now, this in by no way means they pander to the
opinions of these individuals or take bribes from them, but the fact is ad
departments in Nigeria know where a large chunk of their money comes from; a
large sum of that ad money comes from government sources.
5.)
Journalism must serves as an independent monitor
of power, something like INEC, but that actually works.
Blogging is like a
classroom without a monitor, where some have power to an extent like Linda
Ikeji or Omojuwa, etc. Everybody else needs to find a “normal” job just to keep
some form of power running in their house.
The Middle Ground: Does this
apply to Rupert Murdoch?!
6.)
Journalism must provide a forum for public
criticism and compromise.
Blogging is all
criticism (like how I hate your album) and NO compromise.
The Middle Ground: Here’s another
place where blogging takes a provided advantage from journalism, if one
newspaper refuses to publish your opinion, go to another… or start a blog.
7.)
Journalism must strive to make the significant
interesting and relevant.
Blogging has succeeded
doing that… with 140 characters and it’s interesting. People go to war over tweets
now.
The Middle Ground: Let’s face it,
as far as Nigerian newspapers go, they really only remain “interesting” and
relevant because at best only 10% of the population are online and know better
than to buy a Nigerian newspaper full of congratulatory messages to Governor
What’s His Face and bland stories.
8.)
Journalism must keep the news comprehensive and
proportional.
Blogging: Ever heard of
Twitter… where they keep the news proportional to a 140 characters?
The Middle Ground: I have no
clue!
9.)
Journalism: Its practitioners must be allowed to
exercise their personal conscience.
Blogging: Isn’t that
what blogging is for? Graffiti for writers, remember?!
The Middle Ground: Hey, we agree
here, except while journalism requires a personal sense of ethics and
responsibility, blogging doesn’t require much of a moral compass.
And
there you have it folks!
