Comments on: Accidental journalism

By: Digidave

Digidave — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:11:15 +0000

I think there should be other terms besides “citizen journalism” – but I don’t know if incidental or accidental is right.

Here’s how I break down some of the more often used phrases.

http://www.digidave.org/adventures_in_freelancing/2007/09/network-journal.html

By: Charlie Green

Charlie Green — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:20:20 +0000

I think he means stuff posted that is not presented as news.

Examples from my own LJ:
http://oldbogus.livejournal.com/32500.html
http://oldbogus.livejournal.com/32848.html
http://oldbogus.livejournal.com/27004.html
http://oldbogus.livejournal.com/18485.html
in chronologically reverse order.

A lot depends on what one considers “journalism”. I post stuff that I think is interesting for those who may read my blog. Even if it is only me and my “proofer” (my wife). But incidental readers might find the subject matter relevant.

When someone wants information about a subject, particularly something of a non-transient nature, and learns something from an amateur source, that is useful to him/her, is that a journalistic result? I have Tabblos of this nature. Most of them no one gives a s**t about but others are popping up in search engine results regularly.

So, David’s premise depends on the definition of “journalism”, IMO.

By: davidw

davidw — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:36:24 +0000

Johne, yes examples would sure be helpful, damn you! Perhaps some of what goes on at placeblog aggregators, where people are writing about what’s going on not in order to Report On It or be Citizen Journalists but because it’s interesting to them, of value to neighbors, etc.

By: johne

johne — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:45:57 +0000

Examples?

By: Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » Tuesday squibs

Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » Tuesday squibs — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:35:19 +0000

[...] Accidental journalism. A very short post from David Weinberger, helping to expand/refine the definitions that go with citizen journalism. The challenge for existing media is to capture this stuff. [...]