Associated Blogosphere?

In contrast to Ed Wassermans article I mentioned yesterday, here is one from Jason Lee Miller at webpronews that suggests a more symbiotic relationship between bloggers and journalists based on his reflection of the recent E3 computer games conference.

Veteran journalists can be snooty, indifferent, or ignorant of the blogosphere and what is happening to the world of journalism. Bloggers acknowledge, too, that they’re not exactly journalists – bloggers don’t have to follow the rules. Some journalism idealists may extend (with only a hint of condescension) the ominous title of “tabloid,” and the accuracy that comes with it.

But outside the debate, the world and the blogosphere continue to spin. Journalists, who insist they’ve earned their titles and begrudgingly admit that blogs are fantastic first sources of information, continue to polish and publish the official version.

I like the idea of polishing and publishing the ‘official version’. For that you could say, easier to read, well constructed, less geeky, of interest to joe public, anything that takes it out of the specialist and in to the general. I’ve said before that one of the issues that journalists are missing with respect to blogs and citizen journos is that it isn’t either or.

To criticize a blogger for being opinionated, poor at spelling, atrocious at grammar, incomplete in descriptions, or propagators of rumors, is to validate and praise the professional journalist for being the opposite, when in truth the two need each other for exactly those reasons.

And where is all this leading?

One also has to wonder how long it takes before shared hotel rooms and laptops evolve into an Associated Blogosphere, and the world will have to sit up and take serious notice.

Now that would be interesting.