Comments on: Dismantling the bloggers vs journalists debate http://theonlinecitizen.com/2006/12/dismantling-the-bloggers-vs-journalists-debate/ a community of Singaporeans Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:25:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: abc http://theonlinecitizen.com/2006/12/dismantling-the-bloggers-vs-journalists-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104841 abc Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:06:29 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.wordpress.com/2006/12/12/dismantling-the-bloggers-vs-journalists-debate/#comment-104841 1) Some of the real benefits of professionalism are a good editor's pen and proper grammar. This piece would benefit from both. 2) The argument if I follow correctly - and it's not that easy to do so - is that baldly speaking we should leave reporting of hard facts to reporters, and let bloggers commentate. There isn't really a problem with that. Everyone has their own opinion and should be free to express it. But the best opinions are based on knowledge and long experience, which is what makes them worth listening to, or reading. There are bloggers who have that. But most do not. I suggest that the opinion on an issue of a journalist who has had long experience in reporting on it and so is aware of all its history and nuances is more worth a reader's time. If all you have to work on are newspaper reports and the limited experience of your own life, then why should your opinion count? By all means express it, but you shouldn't expect others to pay much attention. Professionalism is one way to get heard above the crowd. 1) Some of the real benefits of professionalism are a good editor’s pen and proper grammar. This piece would benefit from both.

2) The argument if I follow correctly – and it’s not that easy to do so – is that baldly speaking we should leave reporting of hard facts to reporters, and let bloggers commentate.

There isn’t really a problem with that. Everyone has their own opinion and should be free to express it.

But the best opinions are based on knowledge and long experience, which is what makes them worth listening to, or reading.

There are bloggers who have that. But most do not. I suggest that the opinion on an issue of a journalist who has had long experience in reporting on it and so is aware of all its history and nuances is more worth a reader’s time.

If all you have to work on are newspaper reports and the limited experience of your own life, then why should your opinion count?

By all means express it, but you shouldn’t expect others to pay much attention. Professionalism is one way to get heard above the crowd.

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