Headlines, Hyperlinks, and the Hot Debate: Are Bloggers Journalists?

We’ve all heard it before: Don’t judge a book by its cover.  But do we?  Of course.

In the same way, we all judge news stories by their headlines.  And why shouldn’t we?  The purpose of the headline is, after all, to draw readers in, to encourage them to take the time to read the full text story.

A great headline can combat a “scanner,” drawing him or her in to begin a story.  If the heading and headers are strong as well, the scanner might even read an entire story, which is what journalists hope for.

The job of a headline may seem almost too simple - it is, first and foremost, the title of an article.  It seeks to inform, not to entertain.  It doesn’t need to be cute and catchy; it needs to be striking and interesting.  It also needs to properly summarize the article it precedes.

Additionally, headlines also serve the important job of helping readers to figure out what not read – a job of huge importance within the wealth of information available online and in newspapers and magazines.  Headlines help readers to determine what to invest their time in.

Another hugely important aspect of articles is hyperlinking.  I confess, hyperlinking is not an aspect of online journalism that I had ever thought twice about.  But in thinking about it now, it is a huge opportunity for writers to inform our readers.  Even more so, it is an opportunity to gain reader credibility, by establishing with the click of a mouse, a chance for readers to make even more sense of what an article is trying to tell them.  

However, I am still curious as to when exactly it is appropriate to use hyperlinking as a resource?  Is it acceptable to use in the middle of an article?

Vastly different from simply online journalism or print news sources websites, lies the “blogosphere,” which provides another opportunity for readers to be educated, persuaded, and informed.  Blogs are at their very core, another form of journalism.  They offer perspective.  They are a trend that is catching on more and more as time progresses because at the very heart of blogs is opportunity – anyone can blog. 

However, the content and information varies enormously from blog to blog.  Some are simply personal blogs – think Julie Powell’s blog in the Meryl Streep and Amy Adams movie Julie and Julia.  Other blogs, like the editorials for The New York Times and The Washington Post are based out of classic, reputable print news sources.

In my heart of hearts though, I question whether or not bloggers are true journalists.  As someone who hopes to become a print journalist, I have a distinctly particular view of bloggers.  Bloggers are writers, I certainly agree, but are they journalists?  I have to say no.  The job of a journalist, in my opinion, is an ethical, moral obligation to an audience – to inform them.  To produce the facts.  To conduct interviews.  To present the truth in an unbiased way.  Journalists are required to adhere to a code of ethics – bloggers can write whatever they want.  I see the two as inherently unequal.

I pose the above question for discussion – do you think bloggers are journalists as well?  Why or why not?