One part of the article I found particularly interesting was that the San Francisco Chronicle has hired a blogging and interactive editor. If your newspaper is going to invest in the blogging phenomena I think it is a great idea to have someone specifically devoted to its upkeep. When a blog is affiliated with an established newspaper it is important that blogs, light- hearted and opinionated as they may be, are on pace with the standards of the particular paper.
The idea of newspaper staff participating in blogs makes me nervous to a certain extent. Especially if the blog topic had to do with the writer's story. Say for example that a newspaper staff was an active participant in a political blog. If that staffer goes on to write an article about candidates for the upcoming election he is undermining his work. Though his story may be objective the public can easily look on the blog and see his personal opinion. I can see this causing a problem if questions are raised about a writer's objectivity and credentials.
You are less likely to run into problems if a journalist just loves blogging about their pet turtle, for example. Chances are, they aren't going to be writing a story about a turtle and risking their objectivity in that instance. But where do you draw the line?
I think the idea of The Dallas Morning News' editorial board blog was an inventive one. Since the public knows, or should know, that the editorial page is opinion, I think there would be less risk in the editors blogging about personal insight and how the page was comprised.
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I am also leery about journalists blogging and also agree with journalists commenting on their own stories. I think this situation could easily get out of hand if a journalists is attacking other bloggers to defend his own story. I don't want to say journalists should stay out of blogging but I do feel it would be best to let the public comment. At this point, I feel the best way for journalists to contribute to a blog on their newspapers Web site is to direct the conversation of the blog like a teacher would direct a discussion in a classroom. This helps the blog flow and head in the right direction without getting off-track.
"I feel the best way for journalists to contribute to a blog on their newspapers Web site is to direct the conversation of the blog like a teacher would direct a discussion in a classroom. This helps the blog flow and head in the right direction without getting off-track."
That seems to be how the bloggers at the Star Tribune handle their blogs.
You make some great points, Nia. I can see how blogging and opinionating about a news story you write about is a sticky situation. That can basically cancel out what you write about if you're not careful. I think blogs, however, are great for when space doesn't allow for you to be more in depth and analyze what you write about, just as long as it's carefully done.
Now that it's one year later, Nia, do you see the importance of blogging in the social media landscape of PR professionals? Its impact on journalism?
It's bigger than we even knew, IMHO.
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