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January 12, 2005
Curious George
I spoke to George Jonas, National Post columnist and old family friend, about blogs a few days ago. I thought it would be nice to get a fresh perspective, and as it turns out, it was. George is proud to do his job the old-school way, and won't be changing his methods any time soon. I mentioned the familiar take I've heard from old-timers before - that bloggers are lazy journalists. Columnists used to wear out leather shoes getting material for stories, they say, whereas today's columnists are content sitting at their computers, communicating with self-selected blog readers instead. But Georgy didn't react the way I thought he would:
Clearly if you write reports and investigative pieces, you require a different type of research from people who write opinion pieces, while those who write criticisms require another type all together. Even fiction writing isn't off the top of your head - they reseach as extensively as anyone else. But the type of research you do depends on two things: what you're writing - whether it's reportage or opinion - and the nature of the particular piece as well as the nature of the writer.Some writers feel research involves talking to people, making going places essential to the process. And some feel that reading books and other materials is enough to formulate an opinion and is more suited to the piece than is going out. It's totally eclectic and depends on the piece.
The decision you make depends on the topic you're writing about. There is not a right or wrong method here. It depends on what works for the piece and what works for the writer.
So there you have it. George Jonas, master journalist, equates bloggers with journalists. The research they do is every bit as responsible and efficient as any other. But that's, of course, if they're doing it right. Anyone have an opposing view?
UPDATE: Dennis Duffy, a University of Toronto journalism prof, agrees with Jonas. "That's like saying an ear of corn would taste better if you grew it instead of going to the supermarket and buying it," he said. (some would say it would taste better, but Duffy meant it wouldn't necessarily) "I'd cut moralism out of there - neither way is right or wrong. A blogger can work just as ethically as can a writer for a national publication. Everyone just uses a different version and type of research. It's only lazy if you're not checking your sources."
Posted by Samantha Israel at January 12, 2005 10:35 PM
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