Currently, the blogging industry is one of the most popular and successful. It is still hard to count how many people in the world are considered to be bloggers. With the rapid development of information technology and social networks, blogging has turned from a simple hobby into a real career. Many people wonder whether bloggers can be considered journalists or whether this is a different type of work. On the one hand, a blogger can be viewed as a journalist since many of them use similar methods and techniques. On the other hand, journalism is a centuries-old profession that people study in higher educational institutions. Thus, it is not possible to give a clear answer to this question at the moment.
In order to correctly answer the question, it is necessary to find out in what area bloggers intersect with journalists. Lifestyle journalism provides entertainment, relaxation, advice, services, and etcetera. This type of journalistic practice has long been used in glossy magazines devoted to fashion, beauty, and traveling. However, with the arrival of bloggers, lifestyle journalists have had to learn to share. Thus, bloggers have chosen this field of journalism, using social networks: Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, and etcetera. There is no denying the fact that it is lifestyle bloggers who have brought many new practices and techniques into the world of journalism (Maares & Hanusch, 2020). They adopt more personal styles, invest in a certain authenticity, and create a personality out of the journalist. This way, in the field of lifestyle, bloggers and journalists are quite similar, adopting each other’s experiences, methods, and techniques.
On the other hand, not all bloggers can still be considered real journalists. For example, on YouTube, there are many channels dedicated to the investigation of crimes or mysticism. However, most often, such channels are amateur, while investigative journalism is a whole science. This type of journalism has been studied in colleges and universities for many years. Moreover, the investigation involves more than just collecting data and information. For this reason, investigative bloggers cannot be considered journalists, as they do not have sufficient knowledge and authority to conduct such practices. Thus, it is possible to conclude that not all bloggers can be considered journalists. In the entertainment sphere, in the likeness of a lifestyle, bloggers are more often perceived as competitors of journalism. However, in the field of serious research and investigation, they occupy only an amateur niche.
Reference
Maares, P., & Hanusch, F. (2020). Exploring the boundaries of journalism: Instagram micro-bloggers in the twilight zone of lifestyle journalism. Journalism, 21(2), 262-278. Web.