Reading Log

"Internet Smackdown: the Amateur vs the Professional" by Tony Long
June 21, 2007

Summary: Long writes an article in which he looks at a main issue which is brought up in debate by Andrew Keen: an amateur blogger is not the same as a professional journalist.

Response: Although Long agrees with what Andrew Keen has said in previous articles, his does so in a more tasteful manner. Instead of writing in what seems rash and demeaning, like Keen, he presents the issue like a true journalist. I agree that there is a distinction between being a journalist and an online blogger, and with this distinction should be the appropriate credentials. Journalists work hard to learn the craft of their trade and because of this are able to write what our society considers good articles. Even though bloggers may not have formal training, they do have opinions and should not be discredited merely by they're lack of academic qualifications. People may be trained to look at events in different ways and because of this may have a worthwhile opinion. Long sums up the idea quite nicely, "They're bloggers. No shame in that. Just don't confuse blogging with journalism."