Russell (et al.) compares elite media and institutions with bloggers and ponders the following question: “Do bloggers, with their editorial independence, collaborative structure and merit-based popularity more effectively inform the public?” (Reader, page 136). Do you agree? Use examples to illustrate your point of view.
Traditionally, the public was usually informed by traditional news media, which is symbolized by print media, TV and radio. However, with the increasing opportunities for amateur cultural production, blogs become a platform to provide anonymous offer contesting points of view and alternative opinions. In Russell’s article ‘Culture: Media Convergence and Networked Participation’ (2008), he argued that ‘traditional news media practices and digital communication tools are resulting in paradox and contradiction’ (2008, p66). Generally I do not think bloggers more effectively inform the public than traditional news media at the most of time since there are definitely exceptions for this in our society today.
The mass media was acted as a ‘watchdog’ traditionally since it kept politicians in check, each coverage need to consider government censorship and it limited the flow of information and opinions (Russell, 2008, p69). With the DIY media getting more and more popular among the public, this new type of media is celebrated by scholars such as Benkler, he suggests that the network, with its “variation and diversity of knowledge, time, availability, insight and experience as well as vast communication and information” (2006, p ix). As Russell claims, with the complexities of the networked environment, audience simply divided the media into two spheres: new and old media, and the circumstance is becoming that the two spheres are often trying to against each other (2008, p66). As a result, there is contradiction occur just as I mentioned in the beginning.
The reason that I don’t think bloggers can inform the public better because of the following reasons: first of all, many of blogs are lack of research and deep exploration. Russell has mentioned a case study in his article that during the France riots, people use sophisticated ways to tell the story in personal blogs (2008, p69). It will affected people’s judgment about the truth, since the Web can’t distinguish the real and fake news story, it is very easy to misleading the public of the facts. Secondly, many reporters’ blogs are “giving voice to the already-voiced” (Stewart, 2005). There are a lot traditional news media use the internet as a new distribution channel, and successful newspaper blogs acted as an extension of their op-ed pages, however, unsuccessful reporters’ blogs are same as what is has been published, since they are lack of heighten engagement to the readers, these blogs rarely make readers to leave comments, and there are even comments replied hostilely (Russell, 2008, p68).
Thirdly, people can blog only when it is accessible. It is result inequality of express people’s own opinion through the internet, therefore, even the internet let more people get a chance to express their ideas, there are still a number of people don’t have the chance to say.
Overall, I am not deny that blogs bring the public more information and sources, and it provides a platform to make all voices can be heard when it is accessible. However, there are still weaknesses of blogging to inform the public at this stage, limitation and regulation action of those spreading illegal and fake messages’ blogs need to be taken in the future in order to better inform the public.
Bibliography:
Adrienne Russell, Mizuko Ito, Todd Richmond and Marc Tuters, ‘Culture: Media Convergence and Networked Culture’, in Kazys Varenlis (ed.) Networked Publics Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008, pp. 43-76.
Benkler, The Wealth of Networks: How social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006)
Media Guerrilla, ‘Jon Stewart/Daily Show on Watching The Watchers,” Media Gorilla blog, http://www.mguerrilla.com/media_guerrilla/2005/05/jon_stewartdail.html.
Xi Chen (Tracy) 