The New York Islanders Web site has compiled some reactions to their blog box concept, which has been getting, as I noted yesterday, some positive reviews -- though they don't seem too happy with my comments.
No matter. But I'll say again what I said yesterday: While it's always good to see the bloggers get a shot at access, I still don't see why they have to be segregated from the rest of the press.
The reason there seems to be a divide in perception over bloggers is that anyone can say they are one…and there is no real way to qualify or quantify the position. Do you make decisions on pageviews? Advertisers? Insurance? What are the credentials???
On another end, you have sports journalists who live and eat off their printed and blog page, who are in the normal press boxes. They are accredited, belong to organizations, and have, in their own perception…”paid their dues”. And do they want Joe Blogger sitting with them?
And of course, we have the words of Chris Botta, who in the same lines he touts blogging as a medium, but then says they can eat pretzels and cheer for the home team…as if bloggers are just glorified fans with no skills whatsoever except some web real estate.
All in all, it is a complex issue of perceptions, expectations, territorial pissing beneath the guise of the recognition of new breed of writers and where the printed media opportunities dwindle and the web is an unfettered and uncorrected market that still has no set rules attached.
Love your blog.
Cheers,
-BD