A widely dispersed audience depends on weblogs for filtered and disseminated
information as it plays an important role positioned outside the mainstream of mass
media.
Professional bloggers are experts in evaluating the nature of information sources; it is
not reasonable to assume that all readers can do the same. Readers depend on the
bloggers to provide them with their knowledge share. Weblogs point to, comment on,
and spread information according to their own idiosyncratic perspective. Readers
accept all information provided to them via blogs – all information – including articles
from a source that is a little wacky or has a strong agenda etc, but not an unethical
nature of source.
If it is felt that a well-written article can stand on its own only with ethically clear and
relevant sources. Readers may cease to trust a blog where disguised or unclear source
of an article is discovered. Making the sources clear or providing the readers all the
facts is important because it enables the reader to avoid evaluating the facts differently.
So, weblog’s ethical standards are designed in way that delineates the responsibilities
of weblog professionals and provide a clear code of conduct to ensure the integrity of
the news.
Blogs And Associated Responsibilities
It is unrealistic to expect every weblogger to present an even-handed picture of the
world. It is also unrealistic to expect them to be forthcoming about their sources,
biases, and behavior. Any weblogger who expects to be accorded the privileges and
protections of a professional journalist will need to have associated responsibilities. It
is an individual's professionalism and meticulous observance of recognized ethical
standards that determines his or her status in the eyes of society and the law.
Following standards should always be kept in mind:
-Only fact that is believed to be true should be published
-When you reference, link to the sources if material exists online
-If any incorrect information is published, correct it publicly
-Each entry should be written in a way that could not be changed. Only additions
should be made possible, but no rewriting or deletion
-All interest conflict should be disclosed
-Always note questionable and biased sources
Weblogging gives you freedom of expression. At the same time, it has associated
responsibilities. It is an individual's professionalism and meticulous observance to
recognize these standards.
Though Weblogs started out as merely logs of interesting Web sites, they have evolved
into an exchange of communication and information. Professionals, today, are
channeling the impulse in such a way that it can actually make some small specific
difference in the world.
Professional bloggers are acutely aware of the potential for abuse that their system
inherits. They have realized that rights have associated responsibilities; in the end it is
an individual's professionalism and meticulous observance of recognized ethical
standards that determines status in the eyes of society and the law.
It is considered that the value of blogging for charity offers a more personal connection
for donors. Few bloggers have even initiated the practice by adding a donation button
to the blog, where people may probably contribute a buck or two. An example of such
site is blogathon.org. The list of charities is just as diverse as the bloggers themselves,
from the National Film Preservation Foundation to Heifer International, which donates
farm animals to hunger-stricken regions. More than a dozen bloggers are backing
cancer support group Gilda’s Club and several participants have already raised $6,000
toward a new ambulance for Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the
American Red Cross. Another example is Darwinmag.com, which recently had an
article on how the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies' Weblog of "open
discussion" provided an example to "companies that want to take their customers
seriously as world citizens and not just as potential revenue sources." The article points
to The Shell Report, whose tagline is "protecting the environment and managing
resources."
Weblog provide many advantages to its readers. It can provide additional information
to what corporate media can provide - it can expose the fallacy of an argument or
perhaps reveal an inaccurate detail.
Weblogs have been all the rage in online media, but 2003 will be the real breakout year
for blogs, as more journalists use them, and more celebrities use them. The weblog
network's potential influence is one of the main reasons that mainstream news
organizations have begun investigating the phenomenon. Mass media seeks, above all,
to gain a wide audience. Advertising revenues, the lifeblood of any professional
publication or broadcast, depend on the size of that publication's audience. Content,
from a business standpoint, is also a concern. Weblogs fits in all these requirements.
There is every indication that weblogs will gain even greater influence as their
numbers grow and awareness of the form becomes more widespread. Someday, news
organizations may be willing to point to weblogs or weblog entries as serious sources,
but only if weblogs have, as a whole, demonstrated integrity in their information
gathering and dissemination, and consistency in their online conduct.
The Essentials Of Blog Etiquettes
Comment sections on blogs are perhaps the most potential medium for
misunderstanding. With free expression and the option of anonymity it is unrealistic to
expect a weblogger to present an even-handed picture of the world, but it is very
reasonable to expect them to cooperate with their sources, biases, and behavior. This
section of the unit will assess certain rules or guideline necessary to check web ethics
of a blog.
The first principle deals with how to make an assertion. Make an assertion in good
faith; state facts only if you are sure about it with the following note – ‘to the best of
my knowledge’. Never post an article if there are reasons to believe that something is
far from factual basis, but there will be times when you will find yourself speculating.
Whenever you do that, admit it in your article and always note your reservations
Before you shoot a quick reply to an uncomplimentary remark or comment, make sure
that you understand what it actually meant. Improper placement of words and tone
variations sometimes make all the difference in the delivery of a sentence. It is
advisable to be respectful, and give others the benefit of the doubt.
When you link to referenced material, you actually allow the readers to judge the
accuracy and insightfulness of your statements. This will enable you to preserve
transparency and integrity.
Everyone argues differently. Some people do it forcefully and others are more
interested in dialoguing. People are rarely persuaded by heavy replies than the humble
ones. Humble replies are easily challenged.
If you find that you have linked to a story that was untrue, make a note of it and link to
a more accurate report. Ideally, these corrections appear in the most current version of
your weblog and as an added note to the original entry.
There is absolutely no need and no good excuse for speaking condescendingly to those
with whom you disagree. This rule also applies to those who see fit to broadcast their
discord with another individual in public. The comments section of a heavily trafficked
weblog is not the correct place to defame the person you hate.
Write each entry as if it could not be changed; add to, but do not rewrite or delete, any
entry. If you invest each entry with intent, you will ensure your personal and
professional integrity. Example: a weblogger complains about inaccuracies in an
online article; the writer corrects those inaccuracies and notes them; the weblogger's
entry is now meaningless? Is it? Deleting the entry will remove evidence to the whole
incident - but it did. Ideally, bloggers should note beneath the original entry that the
writer has made the corrections and the article is now, to the weblogger's knowledge,
accurate.
A serious article may be linked to a highly biased source. It is the blogger’s
responsibility to clearly note the nature of the site on which it was found. Well-written
articles can be found on sites that are maintained by highly biased organizations.
Readers need to know whether an article on a particular sensible topic comes from a
site that strongly favors/opposes that topic.
Last but not the least, when commenting on someone else's site, always remember that
you are a guest there. Be polite, and double-check your words so that nothing you say
could be misconstrued.
Blogs and Journalism
The world has seen the emergence of a new style of journalism, based on a 'raw feed'
directly from the source. And the common notion that surrounds the emergence of
serving ‘raw feed’ is that the journalists testing the new waters are bound to wreak
havoc on institutionalized media. Also a popular notion is that Weblogs changes the
nature of 'news' is in the migration of information from the personal to the public.
Unquestionable, a blog is a medium that gives maximum exposure to one’s creativity.
Just by hitting the 'post' button and any personal writing becomes published writing.
Weblogging is driving a powerful new form of amateur journalism. Today, millions of
Net users — young people especially — have taken up the role of columnist, reporter,
analyst and publisher while fashioning their own personal broadcasting networks.
For the inexperienced, a blog consists of a running commentary with pointers to other
sites. Some, like Librarian.net, Jim Romenesko's Media News or Steve Outing's EMedia
Tidbits, cover entire industries by providing quick bursts of news with links to
full stories.
Journalism and blogging together is becoming popular day by day, more than any other
form of blogging. Following reasons are considered to extensively contribute to its
increasing popularity:
Creative Freedom
Part of a blog's allure is its unmediated quality. For a journalist, there's no luxury like
the luxury of publishing unedited essay. The freedom in being able to present yourself
precisely as you want to is of enormous joy. It does not matter how sloppily,
irrationally or erratically the content is written. The idea is to publish what you think in
the way you think.
Instantaneity
To a few writers, even writing for a weekly magazine may seem like taking ages to
print. With a Weblog, you hit the send key and it is out.
Interactivity
It is a kick to receive feedback from people who have taken interest to read and
criticize your work. These are the people you have never heard of; who stumble on
your Weblog and become a part of your thinking process.
Lack Of Marketing Constraints
When blogging it is not necessarily to tailor a work piece for a certain readership or
demographic. People interested in a perspective finds its author – the blogger, instead
of the blogger finding a publication that reflects people’s interests.
Most of the time, the Weblogs tend to be less about actual reporting and more about
analysis and punditry and opinionated commentary. The 9/11 terrorist attacks fuelled
the public's appetite for information, analysis and news, if only to make sense of the
tragedy. Bloggers rose to prominence by feeding this desire.
Blogging has taken off in remarkable fashion; in a way, it has made good where
newsgroups have failed. It has kept the promise that the Internet would provide real
community to Web surfers. Tuning in to some of the newsgroups devoted to the terror
attacks; one may sometimes feel to be in the middle of a verbal war zone with so much
noise passing for informed discussion.
Weblogs run from single person operation to large teams and communities, to business
organizations spread throughout the world. They offer a great way for readers to find
constantly updated news and information. It also allows authors to connect to
thousands of readers in a personal way and add the honest, unedited voice of thousands
to increasingly commercializing Web.
The plethora of tools that helps managing the weblog capitalizes on the ease of
publishing posts to even greater extent.
These are probably the reasons why they have been widely adopted and maintained -
for several years in some cases.
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