I have been blogging for a while. But I have been writing for a very long time.
Writing is something that’s very dear to my heart. A few years ago, I started writing for this paper because Ma’am Amy (the editor-in-chief) found many things useful with the things I write for young people. Up to now, she is a very strong supporter of young writers and of young people. “Youth is the hope of the nation”, ikanga. I owe every published material to her.
Lately, I found a lot of friction between people from the traditional media (newspaper journalists) and new media (bloggers) because bloggers, they say, do not have enough skills or mental equipment to become new media journalists. There were even some long-time journalists who label these bloggers as freeloaders or people who claim to be “writers” just because they can afford a domain and stable internet connection. What’s worse, all of these attacks are on Facebook! Take note, all of these people are, generally, writers.
I think this is unfair. While, yes, there are bloggers who can’t even make their subjects and verbs agree, and those who attend events for the freebies, it is not right for journalists to make such generalized statements. I know how they would feel if people generalize media altogether. Oh, you know the works. If you pay them, they’ll write something good about you. They’re just there for the food and freebies. Et cetera. What if everyone who’s “media” are labeled as that? For people who call themselves professionals and veterans, I am disappointed with their acts.
I was pressured to blog and to participate in many new media practices and platforms (Facebook, Twitter) because I wanted my writing to be more relevant to my target audience. Surprisingly, I found out that my blog posts and my blogging has been more effective in getting my message across because the Internet is a very powerful arena—it’s fast, it’s cheap and it’s convenient. I think it is every journalist’s dream to have that kind of avenue for their writing. Due to this, I focused more on my blogging and was okay with less broadsheet publishing. The other bloggers are luckier because they have mastered how information easily travels online; and they have created the correct leads for their blog entries to be read easier, faster, and in a more convenient manner. The tech-savvy can even make amazing websites with functions as good as the content.
All I can say is that, blogging is a way for many young people to get their voices out in the open. Finally, there’s a cheaper and easier way to voice your one’s passions and concerns. Another good thing about blogging is how it revolutionized reading and writing. And I think people (especially the young ones) should go back to that—reading and writing.
I wish people from the traditional media will stop thinking less of bloggers. Instead, they must help these bloggers become better so that they can all contribute to one powerful goal—mass education/ information. Sigh.