Access for Indie Journalists

A strange thing has happened with bloggers. Because bloggers have been dismissed as being non-journalists, they have been shut out of events. The distinction that bloggers are in fact journalists was recently seen in a court case that gave journalists' rights to a blogger, even though the debate started years ago.

But if bloggers have a hard time getting into major press events, what can they do? I.F. Stone was noted as saying that he preferred to read the press transcripts after the fact because then he could better analyze and understand what was being said. So bloggers have that advantage, but how big of an advantage is that really? I don't think it's too big.

If bloggers aren't defined as "the press," then they can get into non-press events. Mayhill Fowler, a fresh face in the blogging world in 2008, exposed two of the biggest presidential campaign blunders by getting close to campaigners in non-press settings.

First, Fowler unleashed a stinging quote from Barack Obama into the world. She managed to get into the Obama non-press dinner and was openly recording it along with other people. When you aren't a recognizable face in the journalism crowd, I guess you can get in anywhere.

The left-wing blogger then posted a rant from Bill Clinton on Huffington Post. These two instances lit up the blogging world and helped boost the conversation around journalism and bloggers.

So bloggers might give up major press event action but they can get into places where nobody has ever heard their name before. This is a great way for bloggers to break major stories and get their names out there, but once they become known they won't be able to keep doing the same trick over and over. At best you can get away with it twice but after that you won't be getting into any non-press events.

This is why journalism needs a constant flow of independent writers and reporters, to get into places and events that normal and well-known journalists can't.