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(Courtesy of: Scripting News) |
Journalism has been a part of my resume since 2001. This is when I got accepted to the School of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina and where I was introduced to blogging. My copyedit professor warned me that media convergence was on the way and that I had to make sure I didn't pigeonhole myself as a "broadcast" journalist.
It was the best career advice I ever received and I started to blog before I graduated in 2004. My first blog post was about me turning down an on-air gig at a news station in Albany, Ga. I rejected the offer because I found out that I was being hired as the "token" Black reporter. My reason didn't go over well with critics and I wasn't ready for the instant feedback from people hiding behind fictitious usernames in the comment box. I ended up deleting my post and refused to blog ever again.
In 2007, I ventured into financial journalism and I cut my teeth at an online media outlet where I covered mergers and acquisitions. To breakaway from deals taking place in the capital markets, I thought it would be fun to start blogging again during my free time.
The blogging life was cut short after I learned my M&A colleagues were poking fun at one of my blog post "Help Me Find My Umph" — a story about a breakup on New Years Eve Day. I terminated the blog the minute I heard them discussing the post during a social work gathering about how my boyfriend broke up with me and the reason he gave was that I didn't have enough umph.
After that incident, I never thought I could be a blogger and a journalist at the same time. Then I remembered what my copyediting professor told me back in J-school, "You can't just be a broadcast journalist. You have to know how to write for the World Wide Web, print and broadcast platforms," he said.
So on Oct. 24, 2013, I decided to give blogging one more shot. I started to utilize my journalism skills and created the multimedia blog, ArtzOfCulturez.com. As you can see, it's still up and running and every year it gets better. I upped my game by producing videos and a podcast supplement. And yes, I produce the videos and podcasts all by myself. Thanks to my days as a broadcast journalist, I know how to shoot and edit videos, write scripts for my voiceovers, and conduct interviews. As for the podcasting part, I researched, listened to other podcasts and I taught myself how to produce a show.
The harsh critics no longer bother me. However, I introduce myself as "a journalist first and a blogger second" or "I'm a journalist who blogs." It's a way to let non-journalists bloggers know that:
- I received proper training in J-school
- I've worked in several newsrooms, including broadcast, print and digital
- I've acquired valuable reporting, editing, and writing skills
- I follow the code of journalism ethics
- I paid my dues
- And, yes, there is a difference between bloggers and journalists
So what's the difference between a blogger and journalist? Haley Osborne, of EssayTigers.com, came up with the perfect infographic.
InfoGraphic courtesy of: http://www.essaytigers.com
![Blogger vs Journalist Infographic](http://www.essaytigers.com/images/blogger-vs-journalist.png)
It's fair to say, that over the last three years I've figured out how to incorporate an equal balance of journalism, multimedia skills with blogging in my posts. Each post has a little dose of emotion and facts, when applicable. The only thing I haven't figured out is how to make a living off of being a blogging journalist.
If you're a journalist who blogs, I'd love to get insight on how you balance the two roles. Send your views to TCsViews@gmail.com or leave your comment in the box below.
Side note: Some bloggers make way more than what the infographic estimates. Don't believe me? Just a Girl and Her Blog tells you just how much she makes in her income report.
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