We Want Media

As more and more well-known, established journalists start their own blogs, it seems as though the career path also goes in the other direction. According to an article in Newsday, blogging is merely a stepping stone to a more traditional media outlet--for many journalists. Gawker editor Jessica Coen has become something of a C (or D?) list celebrity, sometimes becoming part of the gossip her site covers. Rocketboom anchorwoman Amanda Congdon made an appearance on the CBS drama “CSI.” Even young journalists are encouraged to blog to get the attention of potential employers. That’s how Coen landed her job, isn’t it?

Many journalists still feel that seeing their work in print--not on a screen--is proof that they’ve really made it. This presents an interesting paradox: We want our work in a print publication where readership is limited, rather on the internet where readership is unlimited. Isn’t it every vain journalist’s dream to be more widely read? For some reason, the internet is not as “legit” as traditional mediums, like television or print. After all, no one says, “I want to be a blogger.” Instead, we dream of writing for The New York Times or Vogue. Even CourtTV, the owner of The Smoking Gun, is constantly trying to spin off TV shows from the website.

For now, the blogosphere is mostly uncharted and readers remain skeptical. We need the assurance that what we're reading is both relevant and accurate. With this being contrary to the internet's current reputation, us young journalists have our work cut out for us.