Media Credentials for bloggers

In other news, I'm liveblogging this thread for Donkey Dave's Democratic Dance PArty.

 

I remember when that aired at 5 pm on USA. That was my favorite show!!!!

 

From your mouth to rancid douchebag's Jay Horwitz's ears.

 

I'm calling d_b, sort of. I'm too lazy to search the thread to find it, but there was a lot on this subject when Eric McErlain of Off Wing Opinion (offwing.com) and nbcsports.com was working with the Capitals PR person on proposed blogger credentialing language.

http://www.ericmcerlain.com/offwingopinion/archives/007078.php#007078 -- here he notes the Thrashers on Friday night are having a blogger night.

I believe McErlain also was the one who proved Eklund, who inexplicably has some sort of pull in the hockey world, is a big-ass fraud.

I can understand why hockey in particular is friendly to bloggers. Hockey has an extremely active, passionate blogging community. With papers such as the LA Times cutting back on hockey coverage, bloggers can step in to fill the void. They probably will have to.

 

Eric McErlain is a stand-up guy who has a lot of respect in the hockey community and it's great to see that he's doing so well both with his own project and working for NBC Sports. I'd rather read him than a print reporter or columnist who doesn't know what he/she is talking about *cough*Al Strachan*cough*.

 

This might go against some things this web site might envision that I believe in but here we go.

Bloggers unless they can prove they have some real life media relations work, should NOT be allowed in team dressing rooms, political events (other then as ordinary people) or in press conferences. The news media has a certain standard and adding bloggers from random web sites will only dumb down the news and propagate lies and myths.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

Blogger: A self-proclaimed journalist with no supervision, no standards, no formal training and no accountability. Therefore, no access.

It's that simple. Space is crowded enough at major events; the last thing real journalists need is to have access physically hindered by glorified fans who suddenly claim legitimacy by nothing more than the grace of the free Internet.

 

To further that, Tap, this is from dictionary.com:

blog

noun
1. a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies; "postings on a blog are usually in chronological order" [syn: web log]

verb
1. read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal

Sure doesn't sound like a legitimate news-gathering agency.

 

If teams or politicians want to give a web sites one on one interviews that is their choice but for regular new gathering events I would say no way. Bloggers could be a nut case with an axe to grind or some wacko who just wants to disrupt the news. You have to retain control over the new gathering situation and if you allowed random bloggers access you are asking for problems and only instigating every fan who wants his opinions heard.

 

If you don't think there are blogs out there which break news, then you are an idiot. Get your head out of the sand and climb down from that ivory tower while you're at it.

Grouping in all bloggers in one category is like saying someone who works for the New York Times and the National Enquirer are on equal footing.

 

I am not saying all blogging is bad or that some Blog sites don't break news because some do. What I am saying is that access to regular new gathering events should be closely monitored and the Blog site should be registered with the team and the author of the blog should have some real life experience in media relations. That experience can be from working for a news outlet, attending a school for broadcasting/journalism or at very least has some college education.