Adam Grant-Adamson is tackling the subject of newspaper blogs, and makes this vital point:

Newspapers need to be selective and think carefully about their policy. Blogs have to be an integral part of the business plan and show that they contribute to the achievement of the plan.

Blogging is not news reporting, nor news analysis, nor column writing — it is a completely different creature. It is blogging.

I see too many journalist jump into blogging without having ever read a blog. In some cases, I know this for a fact, in others, it’s just obvious from reading the blog. When it’s obvious, here’s some shared characteristics:

• Stiff, journalistic writing
• Personal pronouns such as I, We and Me are missing
• No links out
• No blog roll beyond other bloggers at the same newspaper

If you don’t read blogs, if they’re not part of your media mix (and they should be), then you’ll never be a good blogger.

(via Mindy McAdams)

[tags]newspapers, blogging, journalism[/tags]