Categories: OLD Media Moves

Tech journalists: We read blogs

More than three out of every four tech reporters surveyed said they read blogs on a regular basis, according to a study released Monday by Fusion PR.

About half of the more than 1,100 tech reporters surveyed said they read between one to three blogs every day, and nearly a third of them said that they consider blogs to be credible sources.

Another 35 percent say they have their own blogs, and 67 percent said they cite blogs in their articles.

“The topic clearly struck a chord,” said Bob Geller, Fusion PR senior vice president. “Quite honestly, we were amazed by the number of responses. Many asked for a copy of the results. It confirmed what might seem obvious, but, more than that has cast a light on the specific influence and changes driven by social media.”

Although bloggers are still regarded warily by the majority, the results show that they are increasingly considered to be credible sources and cited in articles. Further, most journalists consult only a small number of blogs, and many cited the same names, indicating the growing influence of these bloggers on article development.

Some said that time and competitive pressure have jeopardized standards for fact checking and accuracy, while others said just the opposite: increased competition and blogger scrutiny are forcing a higher level of accuracy. Some commented on how social media helps with research and is another tool for doing good reporting. Others said that there still is no substitute for picking up the phone and calling a source.

Read more about the study here

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.

View Comments

  • Very interesting facts indeed. I have to agree with those who read blogs and cite them a credible sources for the fact that most bloggers post articles after through research.
    A blog can not be famous or popular if its articles/posts are based on false data, facts. Only posts of authentic sources become popular and are widely read.

    So these journos are just following the time and becoming smarter than their competitors.

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