Them and us: is there a difference?

Abstract

It is no longer an easy matter to define exactly who is a journalist. As the blogosphere expands in range and influence, there are more and more people – the people formerly known as the audience – who are taking an active part in disseminating news. The change this has wrought in reporting has both renewed the old debate over “objectivity” and stimulated a new concern about ethical standards. Ivor Gaber, Professor of Political Campaigning and Reporting at City University, considers the dangers of dealing with an anarchic tsunami of information.