Online Journalism Review takes a look at a blog that has a very particular beat: Disney theme parks. They ask the man in charge how bloggers fit into the larger field of journalism. Some of the more interesting bits of the Q&A:
Question:Compare and contrast what you do in covering Disney with what’s happening at local newspapers and TV?
Answer:I like to sit down with a newspaper and learn something. I don’t learn anything from most of the reporting that’s going on nowadays. They tell you something that’s happened, but they don’t give you analysis or insight.Question: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start their own “MiceAge”-style site, covering some other topic?
Answer: Two words: Be honest. Have a viewpoint and be honest. People respond to opinion. They might not like what you have to say, but they will respond to it.
Question: Some traditional journalists might find that statement a bit contradictory.
Answer: Well, I’m not a newspaper. I think that in a balanced world, you’d have both, just like a newspaper has a columnist. If I’m telling you something and giving you my opinion on it then I expect you to be smart enough to know what the facts are and what my opinion is about the facts.