Blogging

As subtle as it may be, this simple fun typing activity- blogging has changed the entire face of journalism, media, and the publishing industry.
Michael Skube, a journalist for The Los Angeles Times, strongly regards blogging as a form of destruction for journalism and newspapers. In his article, “Blogs: All the noise that fits,” Skube portrays blogging to be a hobby that bloggers occupy themselves with in order to give over their own opinions and takes on different issues which should not to be mistaken for the factual information journalists would provide. Bloggers have the ability to write and post whatever they want to say and don’t need to worry about any rules, while journalist and editors need to go through an entire checking process by the newspapers. Michael Skube feels so strongly on his point because he doesn’t think that bloogers are putting enough effort into making sure what they’re writing is the correct information, rather just stating their own independent opinions.
Even before the internet was created, Christopher Lasch, a journalist and historian, expressed his view on public affairs, saying that there is a vast amount of facts and information being supplied but, what the audience now needs is to hear different opinions. So on the contrary to Skube, Lasch originally agreed with the blogging idea.
Andrew Sullivan’s report called “The Blogging Revolution,” takes a totally different twist. He supports the bloggers side, and believes that it’s a more personal piece from the writer’s point of view. Anyways, he says, readers know that writers and editors for newspapers are just simply the same as these bloggers sitting behind their computer screens. Ten years ago, if you wanted to get your idea out, there was a whole process of getting and editor, then a publisher, make it into a book, etc…Although, now with the blogging revolution, anyone can easily do this entire process from within their own very homes.
Both Michael Skube and Andrew Sullian agree on the fact that blogging has greatly affected the journalism and media field, but their positions are totally contradictory. Andrew Sullivan enjoys the fact that he could write and posts blogs without having to pass through the newspapers, so he can feel free to add his own opinions into the articles, whereas Michael Skube supports the principle that articles need to be written by fact, not personal outlook. They both agree on the concept that readers clearly understand the bloggers emotions about the topics being discussed. Sullivan and Skube also agree on the fact that blogging has become more popular as the internet has become a more focal societal interest.
I personally agree with Andrew Sullivan because I feel that readers are interested in not only hearing the facts but also knowing what others have to say about them.