That’s why I keep saying you don’t box it in, add artificial limitations that blog’s are this and could never be that. That’s why I reacted to your generalizations on bloggers and journalists. I don’t accept payola by the way and I object to your generalization (you could have qualified it as some). My family starved for more than a year because my wife and I decided we wanted to work for a newspaper that’s owned and run by its readers (a coop) but that’s for another post.

I do not know which part of my post you object to or if indeed you object to it or if it’s some other blogger you object to but I think it’s pretty clear that what I wrote about ReviewMe focused on why I though the program isn’t for me because of the nature of my main job. If what I wrote offended you, then I’m sorry.

I did say in my blog post that I see it working for other blogs…on how the arrangement can be viewed as being paid to join a product test, only that you are also blogging about it.

But Abe didn’t appear offended (he says we’re cool) and in fact I learned a lot from our discussions on the issue. It’s nice to disagree with someone without being disagreeable.

On a completely different note: here’s an interesting study
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2169723/asian-blogosphere-surges

I particularly love the last paragraph.

Yes, bloggers sure can be journalists if they choose to the same way journalists can own blogs. But what I’m trying to say is: don’t be too quick to generalize.

“Me implying that blogs amount to nothing? How did you come up with that? Are you quoting Leo Magno?”
No. It’s just that it’s my impression with the way you say that blogging can never be journalism because they are different and that there’s a line that separates them. It hews the line of those in mainstream media who say blogging can’t be used as a tool for journalism.

“I’m a blogger myself. What I write about is my business, whether you like it or not.”
Exactly. That’s why I can’t understand why some try to box in blogging by limiting its definition. It is a medium and a publication format. Beyond that it’s up to the blogger.

“ I’m not under anyone’s payroll (or payola) unlike journalists. So honestly, a journalist telling me how to run my blog is simply irritating.”
Are you referring to me or to the blogger that set off this post by Abe? I know who the blogger is because I emailed Abe. In the event that you are referring to me with that statement, let me just point out that I never and would never tell anyone how to run their blogs. It’s not my business. My sentiments on ReviewMe.com are just that, personal feelings on the program.

There is a difference between bloggers and journalists. People who don’t see the difference are delusional. Bloggers are web loggers… they log onto to the web their experiences, thoughts and opinions. Journalists ideally report to the public, the truth, uncensored, unbiased and balanced. There are some instances where bloggers can be journalists, but that doesn’t mean that all bloggers (pro or nonpro) are journalists.

I’m a blogger myself. What I write about is my business, whether you like it or not. I’m not under anyone’s payroll (or payola) unlike journalists. So honestly, a journalist telling me how to run my blog is simply irritating.

You say: “That’s why we have to draw the line between blogging and journalism. They’re two different things.”

I disagree. It is not the medium that defines journalism. It is the way you do things. When you say that, you sound like those people in mainstream media who say blogs won’t amount to anything.

You say: “Journalists won’t like the fact that you’re being paid to write about something.”
But that’s not true. Abe isn’t being paid to write about anything (except from sponsored posts). He earns from what he writes through ads and referral links but Globe didn’t pay him to review their product. Smart didn’t pay him to review their service. They just provided him demo units and access to service. They did not hand him money and say: you write about us.