America's North Shore Journal

The learned among us have chosen the term “citizen journalist” to describe what I do, what Glenn Reynolds does, what Matt Drudge does.

I object!

Let me describe what I do.

I find stories on the Internet that inform me, interest me, or entertain me. I also comment on a variety of matters that concern me.

If other people read me work and find it informative, interesting or entertaining, they come back again to read more of what I publish. Some people engage is dialog by commenting on my posts.

I do exactly what the old media does, only better.

Wait, you say! Most of what you publish is written by someone else.

Yep, in my case most of what I publish is written by someone in the military. Take a look at the first section of your newspaper today. Any stories from Associated Press, Reuters or AFP? No one at your paper wrote those. The paper paid to obtain those stories from a business that provides content to old media.

When you see a story reported on Fox News or CNN or the Weather Channel, did they thank “our affiliate WXYZ”? They didn’t do the story, WXYZ did, and the network used it.

One of the many dirty little media secrets that Jayson Blair exposed was that many reporters were using locals, stringers, and reporting their work as done by the reporter. It’s been a matter of pride in my business, blogging, whatever you call it, that we give a hat tip or a link to a site where we find a story.

Our stories are sourced, many containing multiple links as references. Do you see that in your newspaper? You’ll find a host of anonymous sources but if you want to learn more or determine the validity of the story, lotsa luck.

Remember that only one news organization claims to be “fair and balanced” and they’re mocked for it by their competition. The notion that old media do not have self interest or interests in causes is utter nonsense. It’s the big lie that the media have foisted upon their consumers for the last forty years.

I’m not a very good reporter. I’m very timid about talking to people. That’s one reason why this thing I do doesn’t have podcasts or video like many of my colleagues do. The other reason, and I’m fighting a loosing battle here, is that podcasts and video are called radio and television. Aren’t we the new media?

There are good bloggers and poor bloggers. There are lots and lots of bloggers. You can probably find a blog about any given subject if you look. We fill a gap that the old media does not, perhaps cannot.

So… Why isn’t Dan Rather called a “citizen journalist”? Which part of the phrase doesn’t apply? Yeah, I get it. Neither, for most people. My point is why aren’t the members of old media “citizen journalists”?

If the journalism schools want to reform the profession, they can begin with an honest admission that media will always have a point of view, a loyalty, a perspective. You can only be “fair and balanced” if you just don’t care. It’s in people’s nature to care, and as long as old media are run by people, it will have a bias. Admit it, and you are on the road to recovery.

I call myself editor and publisher. I own America’s North Shore Journal and post all its contents. You can call me “sir”.