Who is a Journalist?

It is very common in the last few years for someone to say that "everyone is a journalist" or, at least, everyone who wants to be. And with the many ways that the internet has changed journalism it seems that statement may be pretty accurate. Nowadays people have email, instant messaging, myspace, facebook, and blogging available to them. All of these things allow people to share their views with a large audience and become effectively published. Blogs or news sites created by people that don't work for any news organization can have a vast audience and have a real impact. During Bill Clinton's presidency it was Matt Drudge's "Drudge Report" that broke the story of the Clinton sex scandal.

Although I think that our understanding of who is or is not a journalist needs to be expanded, it seems to me that if we say that "everyone" is a journalist it robs the word journalist of any real meaning. Even though the act of journalism can be practiced by anyone, I think the title of "journalist" takes a little bit more. I think that the profession of journalism implies not only that the person practices journalism, but that they follow a certain ethical code. impariality, accuracy, fact-checking, etc. Just being able to speak with a loud voice doesn't make you a journalist.