Another blip on blogging

The buzz of blogs continues to gain the attention of media types, particularly those in the mainstream. Rarely does a week go by without another member of the establishment press jumping on the blogging bandwagon. If not onboard, then members of the mainstream media are finding new ways to dismiss or diminish this member of the new media.

This morning’s daily drop to my email mailbox brought me the latest salvo coming from the establishment press. MediaBistro.com’s Editor-in-chief Elizabeth Spiers weighs in on a column written yesterday by the NY Times’ Adam Cohen.

Spiers takes Cohen’s arguments apart and shows the false dichotomy that writers like Cohen often set up when discussing the blogosphere. Cohen goes to great lengths attempting to de-legitimize bloggers for their apparent lack of standards and ethics. Setting up a straw man with statements such as this one:

But more bloggers, and blog readers, are starting to ask whether at least the most prominent blogs with the highest traffic shouldn't hold themselves to the same high standards to which they hold other media.

As Spiers correctly asks the question, “who are these high-traffic bloggers who fail so miserably to meet journalistic standards?”

If Cohen has been paying any attention to the smell coming from his own profession, that of the “mainstream press”, they aren’t exactly awash in truth-telling and integrity themselves.

If you are interested in blogging and the debate that’s heating up regarding legitimacy of this forum as a communications tool, I’d recommend reading Spiers article. While not earth-shattering, it’s a decent take on the issue. It’s also another example of how out-of-touch mainstream writers like Cohen continue to be.

I'll also put in a plug for mediabistro.com, as a helpful website for anyone involved in the writing profession. I've found the site helpful, from its informative columns, how-to's on pitching stories and other pieces to magazines, newspapers, as well as offering help on writing proposals and pitching literary agents.