Eric Rice: “As bloggers (journalistic and non-journalistic alike), we may suffer from the same inadequacies that we accuse mainstream media of possessing.”

The only inadequacy is that bloggers are human. I’m convinced that this discussion is about perspective more than about giving credit where credit is due. If anything, the “problem” is more pronounced in the blogosphere because unlike the mainstream press, we don’t have an editor in the background to sand off the human edges in our writing. People can only write about what they know – facts that are unknown to the author, can’t be written about. Bloggers are human andwill  continue to make mistakes. It can’t be assumed that bloggers are doing any more or any less homework than any other storytellers out there.

But what we can do is be counted on for quick corrections where necessary and a demonstrated willingness to make sure that everyone knows when those mistakes get made.

Watching the conversation this past few days is a definite indication that the smartmob can edit the blogosphere *and* leave its humanity intact.

[Via Eric Rice]