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Tuesday, November 24, 2009Media credentials for bloggers?Question: Should the Utah Legislature issue some kind of credential to citizen reporters? If so, what privileges should a citizen media credential imply? What responsibilities would it imply? What would differentiate a "citizen journalist" from a random dude with a blog? Is the distinction important? What policies should we have in place? Utah has a thoughtful, fairly cohesive New Media community. Let's flesh out a proposal that 1) makes sense to Utah's citizen journalists and 2) is palatable to Utah lawmakers. Or not. It's possible that any added freedom of movement would fail to mitigate the bureaucratic hassle of credentialing. Is anyone interested in the discussion? Leave your thoughts here. Or Email me.
posted by Ric Cantrell at 5:14 PM | Link
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15 Comments:
As a blogger, of course I am in favor of this. I've been bugging you about it since I started my blog. I also understand that it wouldn't be cool to have anyone who ever made a single post be able to get press credentials, so how about some level of consistency. I think the bloghive looks for 3 months worth of posting....or "titles" that go with the blogger role....or "references" from traditional journalists that you're legit....
What do you think?
I think it's a good thing to an extent. Bloggers are really good at fact-checking each other, but we don't have the same general code of ethics that traditional journalists are bound by. Some of us are better than others at trying to get the story right, but we generally are more like opinion columnists than reporters. At the least, some kind of official recognition would help with access and maybe help us get a better view of what's going on.
I've not been blogging very long so my view may carry less weight.
I think that if one is to be credentialed that the process should be reasonably rigorous. It would be handy if on a blog you would have some type of image you could attach to a post that would mark it as intended to live up to your credentials. That way you could just run one blog with a mix of content, some credentialed and other posts more opinionated (like many of mine).
I think it's a horrible idea :)
@HollyOTHill: Yes, your inquiries (and NCSL's) are among the chief reasons this is on my mind. So help me out with this question: what additional access, help, or privilege does a citizen journalist need at the Capitol that you don't already have?
I agree that if a credential provides something unavailable to others, we need some qualifying criteria. What should it be? Street cred? # of followers/fans/unique visitors per day?
@Jesse: You're right – but we do credential opinion columnists when they ask for it.
@Rick: I'm a fan of Glasnost. Pretty sure we want to avoid a future where government decides which blogs get their seal of approval. For our purposes, "credentials" would be a ID badge you wear around your neck so staff such as our sergeant-at-arms would recognize you as legit and able to go places other people are not – like the Senate President's Office for a press conference.
P.S. Mongolia? Awesome.
@Anon: Why? Details!
Ric,
I think it's an excellent idea. I've been told countless times by average people that they understand what's going on up at the Capitol much better when they read something I've written, rather than mainstream media. The mainstream media takes a much different approach. I think that we bloggers have a different view - we aren't there just to tell about the sensationalist headline. Rather, we talk about who said what, and often what the experience was like. Of course, mainstream media gets a lot more coverage, and they will continue to tell a lot more stories than we do, but overall, I think it's bringing average people one step closer to what is happening up there on the mysterious Capitol Hill than they'd be otherwise.
I'm torn on this one. I like the idea of bloggers being able to go where reporters are, but where, exactly, are they currently left out?
Also, if you expand the qualifications for the credential, doesn't that render the credential meaningless?
And Misty, I see your point, but you have to admit that your view represents only one side of the aisle generally...
Why would we need a credential, except to boost our egos?
I'm not there anymore, so I'm not sure my opinion counts ....
But the one question I do have is: "What credentialing requirements are in place for 'traditional' journalists?"
Ric,
Speaking as someone who was credentialed for the RNC Convention I would say absolutely yes. I think bloggers bring a perspective that many traditional media reps don't...and I know from experience (I live blogged several debates from the MN House floor back when I lived in MN) that there are people who want to know the kind of sausage making details that the media just does not have the column inches to provide.
However you should do some screening. I would suggest you talk to the guys at the Utah Amicus, JM Bell and JasonThe from The Side Track about what questions the DCN asked (I think they went to the DNC convention last year) and I can dig up the screening questions that the RNC asked (I think I have them saved somewhere). It would not hut to at a minimum ask things like "how long have you been blogging?", "what is your URL?" (seriously they asked that), "what kind of traffic do you get?" - things like that.
LL
Ric, I think a press pass does a couple of things - gets me down on the floor and in the back halls more easily than now, when I have to have an escort/personal invitation.
It also gives me more credibility as someone legislators want to talk to and not blow off (although by now, I hope they realize dissing hollyonthehill wouldn't actually be a very smart move on their part - ha!)
Oh, and most of all, good seats with plugs in the galleries.....
#phyllis, I think that it's OK that Misty gives her view from the left. I give my view from the right. Beauty of blogging....
And btw - I like the blogger pressers you did last year. Convince the House to do them too.
I am also pretty sure this year will see quite a bit more tweeting. Maybe you can do a "Twitter presser" as well, with the whole thing done in 140 characters or less. :)
I think it's a wonderful idea. I found the following about the Democratic Convention last year:
http://demconvention.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/dncc-announces-blogging-credential-process/
"To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant’s blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change."
I think the time and # of posts is a good requirement. The rest of the DNCC requirements were to help in the selection process, so it wouldn't apply here. Also, maybe coming up with a statement of Ethics regarding what we could and couldn't do (I'd imagine there is a standard for real reporters to uphold or risk losing their credential).
Also, because it has been raised in the comments, I don't know of any blog that is fair and balanced, or even claims to be.
I think it is an awesome idea. I've been inactive for a while and might not qualify -- very cool.
Helpful information posted in these comments. Just curious - do you issue media credentials for mainstream media? At this point, we do not, (Hawaii legislature).
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