In journalism school, aspiring reporters and editors are taught that stories are developed through research and interviews with knowledgeable sources. The journalist’s craft demands that a balanced view of a topic is provided. For years, public relations and marketing professionals have monitored journalists’ work by accessing premium news sources to gather information on the
markets their organization serves and to identify specific references to their company or products and quotes by company spokespeople. As a means of accomplishing this task, old-style print clipping services have given way to electronic services that provide news alerts based on keywords, phrases, and names. The resulting market and organizational intelligence is even more
valuable because it is delivered as it happens, facilitating immediate action and response.

Weblogs (blogs) have burst onto the information landscape by providing individuals an easy and efficient way to get their personal (or organizational) viewpoints into the market in real-time, bypassing the journalist as fair and balanced filter. Blogs are independent Web-based journals containing opinions about anything and everything, including your company’s products. However, blogs are often misunderstood by journalists as well as public relations and marketing professionals because the blogger’s goal of promoting a single point of view is dramatically different than the journalist’s goal of providing a balanced perspective.