Are Bloggers Journalists?

According to this article, This is the main difference to see between bloggers and journalists. Bloggers tend to write what they know, think and feel. Journalists are supposed to give facts, and unfortunately don’t always get them correct.
(http://chris.pirillo.com/are-bloggers-journalists-are-blogs-new-journalism/)



I think bloggers and journalist are different. Same with that article, bloggers tend to write what they know, think and feel, journalists are supposed to give facts. 


"If someone has a journalistic background, you don't have to teach them the ethics of the game or what 'off the record' means," he said. "And what is a rumor and what isn't. I don't hold it against anybody, that's the way it is."
"Every journalist should know how to blog," Sarno said. "The Internet, clogged as it is with digital detritus, is still far and away the world's best source of information. And being a good blogger means you can sift through it. That's another great thing about the blogopshere -- if you can succesfully tune in to the conversation other people are already having, you can benefit from the work that's already been done. Plus, stories develop so quickly now that if you're going to get a word in edgewise, you've got to figure out what hasn't been said yet."
(http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/02/distinction-between-bloggers-journalists-blurring-more-than-ever059.html)




The basic principle is this: There are at least two sides to any story, usually more. Real journalists present all sides of a story, using multiple sources for balance and doing original reporting wherever possible. A quick survey of blogs reveals that many bloggers reporting news generally offer one side of the story. This one-sided difference is partly responsible for the Web being polluted by gossip, rumor and innuendo posing as news.
(http://www.oddlytogether.com/post/485848767/the-difference-between-blogging-and-journalism)



This is a very valid point. Most bloggers are publish opinion rather than news, however the opinion columnists, pundits, etc both in newspapers and on radio/tv consider themselves journalists.
(http://donsingleton.blogspot.com/2005/04/are-bloggers-journalists.html)

1.  Journalists do work for hire for a company and they must abide by a set of regulations and ethics learned either in college or on the job.

Bloggers are their own company/brand and must adhere to new industry standards of disclosure. Every blogger is responsible for their own training, understanding and implementing of FTC (Federal Trade Commission)-imposed disclosures.

2.  Journalists report the facts.  Opinions are left to op-eds and critics.

Bloggers write about what we choose to discuss, with any opinion we desire to partake.  We can align to any specific cause, openly discuss our likes and dislikes and use our influence to promote our alliances.

3.  Journalists at most reputable news organizations are not allowed to receive any kind of compensation whether it be in the form of gifts, trips, tickets, discounts, or any other benefit from those they write about. Journalist don’t do endorsements. The only thing that would come close to one would be a political endorsement and that’s done on the Op-Ed page. Doing so compromises their integrity and creates a conflict of interest which makes it harder for the journalist to report objectively.

The majority of bloggers will accept gifts, swag, promotional items, trips, and event invitations as the perks, or even compensation, for their work.  Self-published bloggers do not receive payment for the content they create.  If we are to endorse a brand or service, and it doesn´t meet our editorial standards as something we would naturally write about, then payment for the exposure and promotion given the product is well received.  Bloggers also accept and expect products sent to them to be able to write honest reviews.

4.  Journalists are only journalists. They don´t get involved with the Sales and Advertising department. They don´t know what deals the Marketing and PR staff are working on.  Journalists don´t need to make sure their distribution numbers are rising.  They just get assigned a beat and they investigate and report.  In journalism, clear lines are delineated between the editorial and the sales/marketing departments so that no compromises exist. At least in theory.

Self-published bloggers are everything:  the writer, content creator, editor, publicist, marketing chief, distribution department, sales contact, etc, etc. Aside from being exhausting, it is a tough balancing act to maintain editorial integrity and focus, while trying to get compensated for your work when there are no clear lines drawn.

(http://www.latinabloggersconnect.com/2010/12/the-differences-between-bloggers-and-journalists-is-clear/)

From those articles I can conclude, bloggers and journalists are different. 

We can see the differences, 

The most notable difference is 

bloggers give their opinion in their blog, but journalists give a fact. T

hey both convey information to all.