Blogs Go Mainstream

A recent Reuters feature article declared that blogging has moved into mainstream business. Pinpointing that influential business leaders Bill Gates now see blogging “as a means of enhancing companies’ communication more directly with employees, partners and customers.”
The article went onto quote Heather’s “Marketing at Microsoft” Blog as an example of this trend, but did not mention the author’s name or site. Later that afternoon Heather posted this blog entry:

My blog was quoted today in an article by a Reuters reporter. Unfortunately no link back to my blog and no mention of my name. I’m guessing Spencer isn’t a blogger so that’s OK (although it would have been really cool to see my name in there). I guess that the linking convention is something that is drawing people away from traditional journalism (even online) to blogging. There’s always the credibility factor with blogging (hey, there’s some of that in the newspaper business too these days) and less objectivity so I’m predicting that� major (not tech) news outlets develop a middle-ground that is the best of both world. But then�can you share the �human side� of the journalist and consider him/her objective?

Heather talks about blogging vs journalism, and credibility definitely plays a large role in this discussion. Perhaps journalists are ready to accept blogging as a communication tool, but they aren’t yet ready to give them credibility.