Defining Blogging - Journalism?

Haven't seen any sites mentioning this but a case is going before the California court today that should be of interest to Gannon/Fishbowl D.C./White House watchers. Apple is suing three sites for disclosure of trade secrets. Apparently, these three sites posted information about Apple's upcoming products and Apple wants to know who gave thiem this information.

Well, these three intrepid bloggers are claiming that they are protected by journalistic standards and thus source confidentiality. Not so fast, says the judge. The judge is taking some time out to decide whether these three bloggers qualify as journalists.

So, is California going to be the one to define for the nation who is and who isn't a journalist? Should these standards then be applied to the White House? If these three aren't journalists, then should the White House rescind the apparently-much-harder-to-obtain-than-just-walking-in daily pass that Fishbowl D.C. just got? Will Gannon/Guckert finally *get* it that he didn't qualify to be a journalist NOT because he got paid to salute guys with more than just his hand. He didn't qualify because he wasn't one. Period.

Anyway, just something to think about.

Filed under Reveries & Paranoias and Politics & B.S.