Skip to main content

Bloggers are not journalists

To say bloggers are not journalists is to say oranges are not carrots. Bloggers are not journalists. That’s true. But can bloggers become journalists? Maybe. Can journalists be bloggers? Yes. In fact, it would be only proper and appropriate for journalists to blog their opinions as opposed to being 'politically' correct all the time.
So why call oranges carrots when they are what they are?

 Well, it is true – bloggers have no training in journalism. That’s why they are bloggers. And for the same reason they are  not journalists. No bloggers have ever claimed what they blog can qualify as ‘journalism’. 
We all do what we love the most and give our best in whatever we are doing either reporting news or blogging. 

Journalists do it as careers. Bloggers do it (mostly) for hobby and out of passion. Most journalists also do it with great passion - that's true. The journalists get paid for doing their jobs while bloggers derive pleasure doing it. Journalists cover (report) stories even though some may not necessarily interest them. Bloggers may blog about issues that are only close to them and have a better understanding of it. Bloggers have no fixed deadlines.

We see some good journalists are moving the world. We are pleased to have some of them amongst us. And then there are good bloggers launching world-changing movements. Haven’t we seen them? 

 So why do we need to call journalists bloggers and bloggers journalists? After all, they do what they do best or enjoy doing them, serious or silly. By the way this is not news but a blog entry. 

Blogger's Note: This is written in (jest to say) response to someone saying bloggers aren't journalists - as if we all didn't know this. 
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 29, 2017 at 5:35 PM

    Bloggers are the watchdogs of mainstream media

    ReplyDelete
  2. sancha raiNovember 29, 2017 at 5:40 PM

    We rise above hell. Let them say what they feel is correct. We do not have gain nor do we loose any penny. Anyway, good analogy aue, Ngawang P...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lobsang Nima December 11, 2017 at 5:07 PM

    I dread the one whoever said it so but for a blogger like me, it's sheer passion and a deep sense for the love of writing. Bloggers can be journalists and journalists can also be bloggers. What's in it? If bloggers can't be journalists, the give us a news and we will report it better than whoever said this and let journalists put passion and personalize their writings like we do. There you will see, milk is milk and water, after all in all water...

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownMay 21, 2018 at 10:14 AM

    Well said sir. Agreed.
    Followe on www.viewsofbhutaneseforester.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownMay 21, 2018 at 10:16 AM

    Well said sir. Agreed.
    Followe on www.viewsofbhutaneseforester.com

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

So what do you think?

Popular Posts

When they are ready

The Ministry of Education discovered 890 'underage' children admitted in schools across the country in 2019. Thus, the ministry in May 2019 issued a notification revoking the admission for these children.  Majority were in urban centres.  Desperate, parents and the affected schools requested the government to intervene. They also requested the government to consider lowering the enrolment age to five years.  Currently, in Bhutan a child can legally go to school only when s(he) is six years old.  And that policy was strictly followed a few years ago to the extent that some schools refused to admit children even if they were short of a few weeks. So, parents, mostly in urban areas, resorted to faking their children's ages. Many parents were guilty of adding years onto their children's actual ages. However, most parents, we are told, managed to correct their 'mistakes' later.  Faking a child's age was rampant...
2 comments
Read more...

The Vanishing Currency of a Bhutanese Village

Growing up in rural Bhutan, the richest people in the village often had very little cash. They were known as chukpo , 'the ones with cattle'. And no one asked how much money a person had in the bank. No one or only a countable few had bank accounts, anyway. Wealth was measured in fields, cattle, grains, and the ability to carry a family through the seasons. Cash existed, but it played only a small role. Most exchanges happened through barter. Rice for chillies, soya beans for Sichuan peppers, cheese for eggs. I still remember that a ball of homemade cheese was worth two fresh eggs. Nobody needed a calculator because people simply knew. The most remarkable part of the system was the exchange of labour. During sowing and planting seasons, families needed extra hands, yet labour was rarely paid in cash. If I spent three days helping on your farm, you spent three days helping on mine in return. No contract was needed to be signed. No money changed hands. Wealthier households so...
2 comments
Read more...

Community of Bhutanese Bloggers Conceived

And finally it happened. I must say that it was by far the most attended Bloggers Meet. In the past we had bloggers agree to attend and cancel at the very last minute. But on June 24, 2015 – almost 100% of bloggers, who confirmed came. I would like to thank everyone for keeping his/her words, especially those who had to come all the way from Wangdue or Paro. Thank you! 35 Bhutanese bloggers met in Thimphu. We were honored to have the presence of senior bloggers like Aue Yeshi Dorji and Dasho Sangay Khandu. The meeting assumed more significance because of their presence. Equally, we were happy to have many young bloggers in whom we see so much enthusiasm and potential. On top of many things that transpired during the Meet, one of the most significant outcomes was the unanimous decision reached to form a formal group of bloggers, a platform aimed at encouraging and inspiring more bloggers around the country. The members decided that we will call it Community of Bhutanese Blogger...
16 comments
Read more...