Drewbot • The ruling on whether she was a journalist in the...

“ The ruling on whether she was a journalist in the eyes of the law turned out to be a MacGuffin, a detail that was very much beside the point. She didn’t so much report stories as use blogging, invective and search engine optimization to create an alternative reality. Journalists who initially came to her defense started to back away when they realized they weren’t really in the same business.
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David Carr, writing at NYTimes.com.

I vote we swap the term “citizen journalist” for simply “reporter.” Everyone can (and should) report. The word “journalist” should be reserved to imply rigorous verification, editorial abilities, and other diligence that isn’t employed when one posts a picture to Twitter.

Don’t think I look down on the idea of everyone reporting. It’s game changing and empowering. But I think the term “citizen journalist” over promises the capabilities of individuals and trivializes the work that goes into journalism.

The ability of everyone to report is so important we shouldn’t hide it behind a buzzword which can be taken down by what it over promises.

Source: The New York Times