You are part of those who have upset and disrupted the status quo in a circuit where people were hitherto used to hearing news only from the supply side. That disruption needs some time to sink in. Some persons are not about to forgive you.
Apart from the expected lashing and criticisms from well meaning readers for mistakes that these blogs make, there is a sort of feeling in some quarters that bloggers in Cross River are becoming too influential in shaping public opinion and they must be bullied into shape. Some have tried to do this by naively telling the blogger that he is not a journalist, as if one can or cannot become either.
Several persons have tried to sex up their own influence in the State either by using these blogs to push their content or by trying their hands on blogging themselves. Ironically, I have been reading recently, both those who have used existing blogs and those who have tried their hands on blogging either under their names or url, but did not have the discipline and fortitude to endure, also cyber bullying those who have been consistent for four, five years or more. Giving lectures on what they could not sustain themselves.
But the rise of the internet and inability of the mainstream media to approximate the longing of the public for accurate news, not just in Cross River or in Nigeria but globally, is what gave fervency to citizen journalism and its subsequent traction to most publics has been fueled by promptness of delivery.
The debate about which one is better is a continuous one that is yet to arrive at an agreeable conclusion; but at this point in time, what practitioners even at the highest level agree that is yet to be proven wrong is that mainstream news expanded their reach when they started blogging and bloggers expanded their reach when they started mainstream news. Most media houses, including the one you work for or read from, have blogs and most blogs are media houses. Bloggers are journalists and journalists are bloggers. Until everyone is able to prove this distintinction beyond reasonable doubt, the rest of the argument remains a continuum.
In Cross River however, I must say with clarity that most of the people who care about news, no longer wait for the mainstream media to know what is happening. It's not a question. It's a fact. With all the tottering by these blogs, they have become the fastest and most reliable avenues of getting news about the State on a statewide level.
Apart from the Calabar centered mainstream news, information and gists from otherwise remote LGAs in the State is now easily and promptly brought to limelight by these blogs and often times, this has led to rapid response from relevant responders.
In fact, the biggest nightmare of Cross River politicians today are the bloggers. The manner in which the bloggers follow them up both for good and for bad. The alacrity with which their performances and lack of it, is reported. The time, length and breadth that the information spreads. Their inability to bring the bloggers under institutional control among others.
Then that derogatory 'N5000 blogger' slur is only meant to say the least of what is going on. Truth is that there is much more going on than that. While they are those who have reduced the art of blogging to cap in hand begging, there is a majority who are also striving really hard to build their blogs professionally and profitably. Just like every business is struggling under the very harsh environment in Cross River state with many leaving town, bloggers in the State are also grappling with these realities in the hope that things improve. Even with the legendary 'brown envelope' syndrome in the mainstream media, it is not every journalist who stretches a hand for it.
But one thing to always bear in mind as a blogger in Cross River is that, you have a voice and you are desirous of change. Above all, you are building a brand that, with consistency, in a few years time, will employ the children of those trolling you today.
God bless you!
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo
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