Bloggers as journalists...

The main difference betwen us and "journalists" is, by and large, we don't get paid for what we do (though Liza is starting to do what she can for us!). So we have our day jobs. That makes too much in the way of investigative journalism almost impossible.

And yet...And yet I think we bloggers often do MORE investigation than MSM journalists! Even though they get paid for it, I know I actually talk to scientists and read scientific journals if I am writing about science. MSM doesn't seem to do this. So in that sense I am doing more investigation that they are. There are some issues where I do considerable research. Other times I repeat what I get from a source that is not a common source for Americans (BBC, Guysen Israel News, etc.).

Journalists once did NOT come from a bias. I used to know a pulitzer prize winning media critic who pretty much did extensive research to show that there was really no liberal bias in the media (other than a mild bias regarding abortion issues). He really did his job well, hence the Pulitzer prize. But now every news source has its bias. Here at Culture Kitchen was are honest and open about what our bias is. And we actually recruit some diversity. For the record, we have even recruited libertarians and libertarian Republicans. We WANT diversity of opinions here, though we also admit that we come from a progressive, Civil Libertarian, Democratic bias. We are PROUD of that. We are not like Fox who has a bias that they deny like they are embarassed by it. We have a bias because we have thought it out and find that bias to be reasonable. So we wear it with pride.