Can you see your mom being a good journalist?

Women have exploded onto the blogosphere. According to a 2012 Forbes article there were 18.9 million women bloggers. Women have turned blogging into a career. Pioneer woman turned her blog to a successful foodnetwork show.  But the question put to me by Blogher's NaBloPoMo prompt is "Why (or why not)  do you think women make good journalists?"


This is an odd question. Women have been the ones to share the stories of our history for generations.

It was my mom that first told me the story of the Armenian Genocide. A heartbreaking tale of how our people suffered at the hands of dictators that force marched them out of their homes, ripped children from their mothers hands and murdered thousands. This horrible history was caused mans inhumanity to man; a cautionary tale against injustice and cruelty.

Mom didn't teach me hatred towards another group of people. She taught me about the strength of our ancestors. If they could survive and thrive in spite of this horror, I could surely endure my teenage trials. 



Journalist, Author, Memoirist, Mom - Joan Dideon

 

Today's news is tomorrows history and since that history is often passed down to us by our mothers, aunts, grandmothers, it is not a question if IF women make good journalists. Women have always been the "journalist". The question is if women have been taught and follow the basic journalistic principals.

A google search came up with this core of 5 principals of journalism.

• Truth and accuracy
• Independence
• Fairness and Impartiality
• Humanity
• Accountability

This month Blogher University has a mini-journalist course that covers a wide range of topics to help bloggers become better blog-journalists.  Blog-nalists?



For bloggers they may not be always be impartial but I have found most are very clear about their viewpoint from the outset. Plus blogs have become an excellent source of information, education and discussion. I expect to see more bloggers embrace their inner Blog-nalist and become an even more powerful voice telling the story of our lives.





 

Therefore my answer to the question is that women can be exceptional journalists, historians and storytellers. It just a matter of understanding your history, learning journalistic skills and possessing a desire to tell the story.

What stories or history did you mom tell you? Do you think your mom would be a good journalist? Why or why not? How would YOU answer the question: "Why do or why don't women make good journalists?

Michelle G. Lathe