It was great to see some of the people that I met at the first BloggerCon (Jim Moore — for whom my daughter worked when he still had his GeoPartners company –, David Weinberger — who, I notice, has kept me on his blogroll) still there in the middle of things at the Berkman. I think that last night’s Nightline program demonstrated just how difficult it is to capture — in such a short time — the vast potential of blogging for the individual and for the culture. The one point that did get through, however, is what a potent force it is to help an individual make a difference, especially when it comes to government, where individuals seem to have so little power.
I can’t seem to find, online, information about the former teacher/current blogger who was profiled on Nightline regarding her succesful effort to keep a bill from going forward in her state’s legislature. She and b!X are good examples of how one person can affect the workings of government.
Bloggers like those two have done a good job of proving their credibility as reporters/journalists as well as activists by doing the research, making sure both their reporting and linking are accurate.
While there’s still a lot of discussion going on about ethics and blogging, it seems pretty obvious to me that the cream rises to the top. Those blogger/journalists who infuse their personal ethics into their reporting will gain respect and readership. The others will fall by the wayside.
Bloggers as journalists are in the media spotlight these days because their writing can have broad and deep public influence. Bloggers as diarists, like me, are a mixed bag and we don’t have much influence. But we do have fun being on the fringes of this cultural and technological phenomenon.
If I lived closer, still had my young-years’ energy, I would be right there on Thursdays at the Berkman Center. Meanwhile, I watch from a distance and keep blogging.