We Want Media

I happen to photograph a lot of restaurants and food products often, and I'm asked who I'm shooting for. The wrong response: "For myself." "For my blog!" "For fun." The correct response: Outstretch a hand for a firm-but-not-too-firm handshake and a cocky, "Hi, I'm with the New York Times" or "Gourmet", or "Food Network."

What have you.

The correct response is never a self-motivated endeavor because that would be met with a "Well, I'm going to have to ask you to stop." However, if I say I'm with so-and-so (don't try this at home kids), I get a friendly, joking "Oh!Ha-ha, as long as you're not some no name blogger!"

In our class, we deal a lot with the role of journalists and bloggers and the rivalry between the two. Well, they're also doing it on the blogosphere.

Technology blogger Mark Evans complained that he was not given "media accreditation" (specifically by Nortel) and access to news events. He boasts that he is "the only blog entirely devoted to Nortel."

I must say that I agree with ADC (yet another technology blog) -- "Stop whining and do something about it."

It's harsh, but bloggers can't get "media accreditation" because they're not media, proper.

More assertions by the ADC: 1. Bloggers are not journalists and most are certainly not analysts. They can be a channel through which information is disseminated, making them invaluable to the folks ... but your “blog” is a series of regurgitated press releases.

2. Until bloggers are bound by some sort of restrictions or code of conduct and actually offer more value than simply regurgitation of press releases or unsubstantiated comparisons, vendors cannot (and should not) treat them as first class citizens of the media community.

I don't believe bloggers need to join large corporations to gain respect and recognition, but the reputation of one helps. The other route is the long, hard one: Gain the respect and build your reputation on your own.