What’s the difference between a blog and the news media? I went looking for an "official" definition of news media, and liked the CIA’s definition:
Representative of the News Media refers to any person actively gathering news for an entity that is organized and operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. The term "news" means information that is about current events or that would be of current interest to the public. Examples of news media entities include television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large, and publishers of periodicals (but only in those instances when they can qualify as disseminators of "news") who make their products available for purchase or subscription by the general public. These examples are not intended to be all-inclusive. Moreover, as traditional methods of news delivery evolve (e.g., electronic dissemination of newspapers through telecommunications services), such alternative media would be included in this category. In the case of "freelance" journalists, they may be regarded as working for a news organization if they can demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication through that organization, even though not actually employed by it. A publication contract would be the clearest proof, but agencies may also look to the past publication record of a requestor in making this determination: * * * * *
Based on their definition, bloggers who strive to provide current news and original content for readers fall under the definition of "alternative media." Not all organizations however, find us as deserving of respect. Consider the case of Paul Jackson of Housing Wire, a respected voice in the mortgage industry, who will not be able to cover the MBA’s Annual Expo. Paul said in a post yesterday:
I won’t be going, however, because HW isn’t apparently recognized as a formal media outlet by the MBA’s press team. Although I did my best to help them understand this blog’s role in the industry, Aleis Stokes over with the MBA’s press relations team brushed me off by saying that press registrations were only extended to “working press.” Apparently that’s not what I do here each and every day at Housing Wire, although I’d have to wonder if Ms. Stokes has ever once read the blog or considered the number of industry professionals that do.
For those of you who have become used to getting your daily news fix from your favorite blogs might consider this request from Housing Wire:
Read the rest of this entry »
