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The advancement of technology has caused major ripples within the field of Journalism. Due to an ever-increasing number of avenues to share information online, almost anyone can claim that they are a journalist.
Before the rise of the Internet people were dependent on newspapers to receive their vital information. Only trained journalists were hired to write these stories. Today, many people look to the Internet as their primary method of staying current with the times. This new platform for journalism offers much more speed to spread your message. It also incorporates multimedia to complement the story. The revolution has caused many to wonder if it is time to change the values of journalism.
Before the rise of the Internet people were dependent on newspapers to receive their vital information. Only trained journalists were hired to write these stories. Today, many people look to the Internet as their primary method of staying current with the times. This new platform for journalism offers much more speed to spread your message. It also incorporates multimedia to complement the story. The revolution has caused many to wonder if it is time to change the values of journalism.
The results of a survey amongst journalists revealed that the majority of them believe that the Internet is "changing the fundamental values of journalism" in a negative fashion. Forty-five percent of the respondents claimed that online journalism is loosening standards and leading to less careful reporting. An emphasis on speed and being the first one to break a story has led to many mistakes and loss of credibility. Approximately 31 percent of respondents claim that the increased number of independent bloggers has resulted in a loss of clout among journalists. With so many different voices being directed at an individual, it is difficult to distinguish which voices deserve merit and which voices are uninformed.
Journalists receive special protection from the law, such as the right to not reveal your sources; this is called a shield law. What happens when an independent blogger is under attack and seeks the protection of the shield law? The question arises, "What determines if an individual is a journalist or a blogger?"
A recent case in Oregon shed some light on that question. Crystal L. Cox, a self-proclaimed independent blogger was sued for defamation by a financial company. The judge ruled in favor of the financial company which led many to misinterpret the ruling. The judge did not rule against Miss Cox because he felt that she was not a journalist, he found her guilty because she used false and defamatory material in her stories. The ruling leaves plenty of protection for bloggers under the shield law. A similar situation occurred in New Jersey, this time with the case being taken into Supreme Court.
A recent case in Oregon shed some light on that question. Crystal L. Cox, a self-proclaimed independent blogger was sued for defamation by a financial company. The judge ruled in favor of the financial company which led many to misinterpret the ruling. The judge did not rule against Miss Cox because he felt that she was not a journalist, he found her guilty because she used false and defamatory material in her stories. The ruling leaves plenty of protection for bloggers under the shield law. A similar situation occurred in New Jersey, this time with the case being taken into Supreme Court.
Miss Cox's case serves as an example to independent bloggers. Although you are protected to an extent under the shield law, it is important to learn your rights within it. Nowhere within the shield law does it state that journalists/bloggers are free to use fabricated information in order to defame something or someone. The difference between Miss Cox and a journalist is that a journalist likely would have known their limitations because of the education that they have received.
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